Name: Easy Sheet Pan Cookies

Ingredients:

• Neutral oil or cooking spray
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 2 cups chocolate chips (12 ounces)

Instructions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350º
2. Lightly grease a 9x12-inch, rimmed baking sheet with oil
3. Combine butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.
4. With mixer, beat on low speed to combine and then increase to medium-high.
5. Beat until fluffy and pale, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the flour and, using your hands or a fork, mix until the butter mixture is combined with the flour. The dough should be crumbly and form clumps when pressed between your fingers.
7. Spread the dough evenly across the baking sheet.
8. Using your fingers, press the dough into an even layer. If the dough starts to stick to your fingers, lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour or apply a little flour to your finger tips.
9. Sprinkle the chocolate chips uniformly over the dough, and then press them into the surface.
10. Bake 18 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Don’t overbake.
11. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool for 5 minutes.
12. With the tip of a sharp paring knife, score the slab to form 24 squares.
13. Let the cookies cool completely and remove them from the pan.

• Butterscotch-Rum: Substitute 2 teaspoons dark rum for the vanilla extract and use two cups butterscotch chips in place of the chocolate.
• Peppermint: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract alongside the vanilla extract. Crush about 16 hard peppermint candies, such as Starlight mints. After sprinkling the chocolate chips on the dough, follow them by half of the crushed mint candies. Press both into the dough. While the cookies are still hot after coming out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining crushed mint evenly across the top. Let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before scoring.

Yield: 24 cookies

Comments:
10/6/2022 - I made the peppermint option. I used the chopper on the peppermint candies, but it took a long time and did not do a very good job.
20/24/2022 - I made the peppermint option again. I broke up the mints by putting them in a quart plastic bag and using a roller on them. The bag leaked. I warmed the butter for 1/2 minute in the microwave. I mixed the ingredients with a manual mixer, and then with a fork after adding the flour. My paring knife wasn’t sharp enough and some of the candy topping was too tough to cut. It took about 1 1/4 hour from start to finish.

Source: Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 9 December 2020

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