Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has to have a go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies, and this would be mine. When I have to bake something up fast or wrap something up for a goodie bag this is usually the one that I turn to. It sometimes seems like the possibilities are endless for mix-ins. I typically stick to the basic chocolate chip cookie ingredients but there are times when I use semi-sweet chips, sometimes a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, sometimes walnuts, sometimes pecans, sometimes a mix of the two. I have halved this recipe as well as doubling it. I have formed these into monster cookies, regular size cookies, miniature cookies, bar cookies, and I have recently just rolled them into balls and popped them in the freezer to take out on the road for our camping trip. You can never go wrong with chocolate chip cookies! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12 ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 1 cup semi-sweet/1 cup white chocolate)
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For Bar Cookies:
Prepare dough as above. Spread into greased 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes about 4 dozen.