Two Chocolate Chip Cookies

Several years ago, I was working a boring administrative job, and would often eat my breakfast and lunch at my desk. One evening, as I was washing out my little container of cereal and half-pint jar of soymilk, I wondered — why I was going through this packaging hassle (in my dishwasher-free life)? Why not save myself the trouble? The next day, I brought along a whole box of cereal, and quart of soymilk. And proceeded to eat three complete bowls over the course of the morning. Oooh, that's why.

My measure of self-restraint has grown somewhat in the intervening decade (and is no longer compounded by a soul-killingly boring job). But still. There are times I just cannot be trusted, and some sort of rationing is definitely in my best interest. Which is why I thrilled to see a recipe that yields just two chocolate chip cookies.

Make no mistake, these are nice, hefty cookies — two will more than satisfy. And they are great examples of the genre, crisp and golden on the edges, gooey and yielding on the insides. Yes, it's a bit of a waste to turn on the oven for just two cookies. But c'mon, we know they're at their best in a just-baked state anyways. And if your must-eat-all-the-foods instincts kick in, well, there's really not much harm done.

Two Chocolate Chip Cookies

from the mad genius over at No. 2 Pencil
yields, well, you know

2 tablespoons of butter, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
hefty pinch of kosher salt (smoked salt, if you've got it, is also nice)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
¼ cup flour

1 hefty pinch baking soda

3 heaping tablespoons chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it well.

In a small bowl, blend the butter with the sugars, salt and vanilla until well combined. Add the yolk and mix again, then stir in the flour and baking soda, then the chocolate.

Form into two balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet (they'll spread quite a bit, so place accordingly — you can chill the dough a bit if you want the cookies to be thicker). Bake until the edges are brown, ~8 minutes. Remove, and give the bake sheet a nice sold rap on the countertop, deflating the cookies. Let cool slightly, and enjoy.