The perfect chocolate chip cookie

I have been on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie for a few years. Obviously, it hasn't been my first priority, but every time I see a new recipe, I try it out. And I know that this isn't really condusive to the lifestyle change that Jeff and I have made, but our kids really do love chocolate chip cookies, so every once in a blue moon, I make some.

Here is a chart from The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie, showing possible results of an attempt at chocolate chip cookies, and what you did wrong to create this result:

1.  This cookie is done just right. It is pictured to compare with the rest.

2.  This dough was not refrigerated.  It is still good but a little flatter than it should be.

3.  This dough contained too much flour and did not spread much at all. It is interesting to note that the dough looked identical to the correct dough, but was much stiffer and drier. 

4.  This dough had too little flour.  It spread too much and didn't bake evenly.

5.  This dough was over-mixed.  It had a poor color, baked flat and had a strange consistency.

6.  This dough was formed too small.  It was overcooked at eight minutes. It is fine to make smaller cookies, just bake them for less time. 

7.  This dough was formed too large.  The outsides were done while the middle was too high and underdone.

8.  This dough was baked in an oven 25 degrees too hot.  The outside was overdone and the inside was slightly underdone.

9.  This dough was baked in an oven 25 degrees too cool.  It fell flat and became too crisp without much of an inside.

10.  This dough was frozen when baked.  It took longer to bake and didn't cook as evenly.  To use frozen dough, set on cookie sheet at room temperature while oven is preheating, 15-20 minutes.  It takes the frost off and bakes perfectly.

And this is my attempt of trying to make the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie.

So yummy!