The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie You Need
Emily Schuman’s go-to recipe + a few notes from magnolia season
Friends, hello! Greetings from magnolia season!
Let’s start the week with a few notes and links before we get into some very cozy cookies (obvi the main event) from a friend. Here’s what I’ve got for you!
• Thank you, a million times over, for your kindness around last week’s news of our boy, John Lesly. There have been high highs and low ass lows this year and I just really appreciate you celebrating this highest of my highs with me.
• I casually slipped back onto Instagram after a few months away and it feels good to be sharing again. I’m happy to be back with some good news, a peach galette, and a life that mostly happens off the app anyway.
• My latest blog recipe for Strawberry Eton Mess Sundaes (inspired by Nicole Prince) is as easy as it is delightful. One added bonus are the store-bought Trader Joe’s Vanilla Meringues left over from this recipe that make for an excellent afternoon snack with milky Earl Grey tea.
• We recently had a neighbor say goodbye to their beloved dog and I made this old recipe for Vanilla Bean Confetti Cookies to offer our condolences and remind them that their pup is waiting for them at the rainbow bridge. Highly recommend this small act of love next time someone you know loses a pet. These cookies are in the snickerdoodle vein with cream of tartar and stay chewy for days!
• I do a lot of middle of the night Substack reading when I’m up with the baby and I recently loved our friend Amy’s piece Self-Compassion for Mere Mortals, this bit about buying items for life, and the very high vibes of Samantha Demarkles.
• My birthday is a week from today (!!?how) and I’m nodding my head because yes, of course I’m one of those people who insists on making my own birthday cake. This year it’s mostly about what I’ll have the bandwidth for because my head doesn’t hit my pillow for more than a few hours a night. I’m thinking I’ll resurface this Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake with extra sprinkles.
Now to the cookies! Today’s contributor is my longtime friend Emily Schuman of cupcakes and cashmere. It feels a little wild to say, but Emily and I grew up on the internet together - both of us have been evolving and pivoting for the better part of two decades.
Emily launched Cupcakes and Cashmere back in 2008 (same, girl, same), and has since built it into a full, beautiful world spanning editorial, products, collaborations, books, and now her fragrance line, Lavune. She also writes a bestselling Substack, Fwd: from a friend, which I hope you immediately subscribe to if you don’t already.
I’ve spent just as long admiring Emily’s style, her voice, her sweet family, her love of cats and candy, and what can only be described as nearly unflappable grace. I’m so glad she’s here with us today, sharing cookies no less. Let’s get into it.
Here’s Emily!
Hi! I’m Emily from cupcakes and cashmere. I’ve known Joy for nearly fifteen years, so when she asked me to sub in for her maternity leave, I didn’t hesitate for a second. While many people talk about being a girl’s girl, Joy is the blueprint. When we first met for lunch years ago, she walked in carrying a copy of my first book that she’d bought herself and asked me to sign it. I hadn’t even started my book tour yet, and as I found my words, I realized she represented what it’s all about: the belief that supporting someone else’s success never diminishes your own. She has been the loudest cheerleader for those around her since day one, and I’m so honored to be here!
Now to the Chocolate Chip Cookies!
I’ve made these cookies countless times, and they are, quite simply, perfect. Whether I’m entertaining, a friend is going through a hard time, or someone is requesting/demanding them for a birthday, this is my absolute go-to.
The texture is the real winner here. They’re slightly cake-like with a gentle crunch on the outside and that specific, ever-so-slightly gooey center. In a world of complicated and over-the-top desserts, there’s something so nostalgic about a classic chocolate chip cookie done right.
I actually keep a constant stash of these dough balls in my freezer so I can bake a fresh batch at a moment’s notice. I hope these become a staple for you, too, since we all need a reliable bit of magic to share whenever someone needs a little extra warmth.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from David Leite
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks / 10 oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (10 oz) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (8 oz) granulated sugar
2 cups minus 2 Tbsp (8 ½ oz) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz) bread flour
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 1 ½ cups (6–9 oz) bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (60% cacao)
Sea salt for garnishing
Directions
Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
While that mixes, sift both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt into a bowl. Whisk well to combine.
Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until the flour disappears (about 5 to 10 seconds). To avoid a flour cloud, pulse the mixer a few times before letting it run.
Add chocolate chips and mix briefly to distribute.
Line a sheet with parchment and use a large scoop to portion the dough into 3 ½ oz mounds (roughly the size of a golf ball). Crowd them on the tray, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 36 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Space six dough balls per sheet to allow for spreading. Sprinkle each lightly with flaky sea salt.
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Look for edges that are just turning golden brown while the centers remain pale and soft.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet over a wire rack. They need this time to set, or they’ll be too fragile to lift.
See you later this week friends! Make it a good one -
xo Joy
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Thank you for having me, love you! x
Wow this is delicious!!!