Chocolate Chip Cookies / Trookies

Keys to perfect cookies: Using a stand mixer, cold butter, cornstarch, mixing the dough on low speed, and baking in a hot oven. No stand mixer or no mixer at all? The cookies can be made with a hand mixer or mixed by hand then chilled before baking (see note below) . Trookies (trek-cookies) are giant chocolate chip cookies. We made dozens of these for Trek one year. One of the kids called them trookies and the name stuck.

Ingredients and Instructions (see separate instructions below for Trookies)

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt* if using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon
  • 2-3/4 cups flour
  • 2 cups chocolate chips (12 ounces)
  1. Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 410°.
  2. Soften butter for 10 seconds in the microwave. It should still be cold and solid and just barely dent when touched with finger tip. If it doesn’t dent, turn the sticks over and microwave 5 more seconds.
  3. Add butter to KitchenAid mixing bowl and mix on low for a few seconds.
  4. Add the sugars and vanilla to the bowl. Mix for a few seconds on low.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time mixing on low after each egg.
  6. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix on low briefly. It is okay if there are little bits of butter remaining in the batter.
  7. Add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the bowl . Mix briefly on low. The butter should be incorporated into the dough. If not, mix again using low speed.
  8. Add the flour and chocolate chips to the bowl. Mix on low until the flour is barely incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Use fingers to gently knead the dough to distribute the chocolate chips.
  9. Coat 2 cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray or use sheets of parchment paper.
  10. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to shape the dough into a balls. Scoop or spoon the dough balls onto one of the cookie sheets. Usually 12 cookies per pan depending on the size of cookie scoop.
  11. Place in the preheated oven. Scoop the next pan of cookie dough while the first pan bakes.
  12. Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are barely brown and the tops of the cookies look set. Remove from the oven. The cookies will appear underdone but will firm up as they cool. Yield 24-36 cookies depending on how large of a cookie scoop is used.
NOTE: No stand mixer or no mixer at all? The cookies can be made with a hand mixer or mixed by hand then chilled before baking. Begin with softened (not melted) butter and mix as directed. Scoop out all the cookie dough onto one cookie sheet. Cover the dough balls with a large piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Arrange on cookies on baking sheets and bake in preheated oven as directed.  

Trookie Instructions

To get the just the right thickness of cookies, the disks of dough should measure about 2.5 inches. Yield: 8 Trookies.
The finished Trookies spread out to almost 4 inches!
  1. Prepare cookie dough as instructed to step 8 then cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for an hour or so.
  2. Separate dough into 8 large balls and place on 4 of each cookie on a parchment covered light-colored cookie sheet.
  3. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are barely brown and the tops of the cookies look set. Remove from oven.
  4. Let cookies set for 10 to 20 minutes before moving or eating.
  5. Cookies freeze with great results. Double wrap each cookie in plastic wrap then freeze. Thaw cookies in the wrapping.