2cupssemi sweet chocolate chipsor substitute with dark or milk chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare two cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.Preheat oven to 375º F.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl), add softened butter and both sugars. Mix at high speed for 2 minutes, then stop the mixer. Use a mixing spatula to scrape down the sides of bowl. Add applesauce and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix at medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Use the spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
With mixer running on low speed, add baking soda, salt, and flour, one cup at a time. Continue mixing on medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes, until ingredients are just combined. ** It's okay if there are a few streaks of flour in the dough. Do not over mix or your cookies will be tough and dry.Add chocolate chips and mix on low speed for 15 seconds to incorporate. Alternatively, use a wooden spoon to stir chips in by hand.
Using a medium-sized cookie scoop (3-tablespoon size), portion dough onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each scoop of dough.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until edges of cookies look slightly dry and tops are very light golden. Remove pan from oven and let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then, use a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack.
Store cool cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
To Freeze Cookie Dough
After portioning the dough on the pans, place baking sheets in the freezer for 1 hour, to flash freeze the scoops of dough.
Once frozen, place the dough in an airtight container, and return it to the freezer.
Frozen cookie dough will keep for up to 3 months.
To Bake Frozen Cookie Dough
Place frozen cookie dough on prepared pans. Allow it to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Bake according to recipe instructions shown above. **NOTE: We recommend baking the cookie dough after thawing rather than straight from the freezer. This is because the scoops of dough are very large, so the inside of the cookie will undercooked when the exterior of the cookies are golden brown.