Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Crowd

I once wrote an essay on Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I have no idea where it is now.  Chocolate chip cookies are just full of nostalgia.  They're simple.  They're sweet.  They're lovely.  And, I think that everyone has a chocolate chip story.  These are the cookies that are provided after soccer games.  These are the cookies that we pack up and give the neighbors.  These are midnight snacks, and munchies.  These are desserts in the kids lunch boxes, and they are what I bring to share at the park.

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies, like 6 dozen.  The dough will freeze, so if you're not ready to produce 60 cookies make them into cookie balls, and pop them in the freezer until ready to use.  I like options for variations in cookies.  
NOTE: This recipe can use milk, semi-sweet, or white chocolate chips.  Sometimes I see fancy chocolate chips that are chocolate mint or chocolate raspberry.  I've been known to make these cookies with those types of chocolate chips too.  Live on the edge, jazz up your cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 pound butter (four sticks) at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
6 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
3 cups chocolate chips + 1 cup more for garnish  (I prefer nestle semi-sweet morsels, see note above)
1-2 cups chopped nuts (I'm not a nutty person, but I've heard that walnuts taste good in cookies if you're in to that sort of thing)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Use non-stick baking sheets, or line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and a pinch of salt.

In an electric mixer beat butter and sugars together until very light and creamy.  Add eggs, one at time beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in vanilla.

Add flour to butter-sugar-egg mixture one scoop at a time making sure the flour is well incorporated.  Add 3 cups of chocolate chips and nuts if using.  Mix until the chips and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the entire dough.

Scoop out cookie dough 1 tablespoon at a time.  Roll into a ball, and place on to prepared cookie sheet. Use remaining cup of chocolate chips to add more chocolate chips to the top of the dough ball, I recommend 3 per cookie.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Let cool for 3 minutes on the rack and then place on a cookie cooling rack until completely cool.

enjoy!

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