Alton Brown Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 2

Sift the all of the flour, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl.  Set aside.

Step 3

In a pourable bowl or cup, whisk together the egg, the yolk, the milk, and the vanilla extract until combined.  Set aside.

Step 4

Add the melted butter to the work bowl of your stand mixer.  Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Step 5

Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in the liquid mixture.  Mix for about 30 seconds, or until incorporated.

Step 6

Add the flour mixture a little at a time (still on low speed), stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl occasionally, until incorporated.  Don't overmix.  The cookie dough will be very soft and gooey.

Step 7

Stop the mixer.  Add the chocolate chips to the work bowl and stir in.  Press plastic wrap to the top of the cookie dough to prevent drying, and seal the top of the bowl with more plastic wrap to make sure the batter doesn't dry out.  Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

Step 8

Preheat to 375 F.  Scoop out 1 1/2 ounce portions of cookie dough on parchment paper lined cookie sheets (limit the number of cookies to 6 per sheet).  The cookie dough mounds should be tall, not flattened (the shape of short cylinders standing on end works best).  Garnish each mound with a little sea salt, very gently pressing the salt on to make it stick.

Step 9

Bake for about 15 minutes. Slide the cookies on the parchment on to racks to cool.