Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips (about 12 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs.
5. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute.
6. Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined.
7. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
8. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
12. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
13. Create variations on chocolate chip cookies with the following ingredients.
14. Use one or twoor several.
15. Add 1 cup coarsely chopped nutswalnuts, pecans, macadamiaswith the chips.
16. Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients; replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a mocha flavor.
17. Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut with the chips.
18. Replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to make double chocolate chip cookies.
19. Combine 1 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit with the chips.
20. Mix 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger or up to 1 teaspoon ground ginger into the dry ingredients.
21. Substitute 1 cup chips with chopped chocolate candies, such as malt balls.
22. For hearty cookies, stir in 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats along with the chips.
23. To make a chocolatepeanut butter combo, reduce the butter to 3/4 cup, and mix in 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter with the butter and sugars.

flour, baking soda, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, lightbrown sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, chocolate chips

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies-393196 (may not work)