Slice & Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

This big-batch chocolate chip cookie recipe is built for the freezer. Four rolls of dough go in, and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies come out whenever you want them, for up to six months. Slice a few rounds off a frozen log, bake 10 minutes, and you’ve got warm cookies without starting from scratch.

The dough itself is a classic creamed-butter base with both white and brown sugar for that combination of crisp edges and chewy centers. A full tablespoon of vanilla (not just a teaspoon) comes through even after freezing, and four eggs make the dough rich enough to hold up to the chocolate chips and chopped nuts without crumbling.

Rolling the dough into tight, even logs is the key to uniform cookies. Pack it firmly and wrap snugly in waxed paper or plastic so there are no air pockets. Air pockets mean uneven slices and oddly shaped cookies.

Let the logs thaw just slightly before slicing. Rock-hard frozen dough cracks under the knife. A few minutes at room temperature gives you clean, round slices every time.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a sharp, thin knife for slicing. A dull blade squishes the dough and pushes the chips out of position.
• Rotate the log a quarter turn after every few slices to keep the bottom from going flat.
• Bake until browned around the edges but still soft in the center. They firm up as they cool on the sheet.
• Label each roll with the date. After 6 months the butter can pick up freezer flavors.

Variations

• Use white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts for a tropical spin.
• Roll the outside of the logs in coarse sugar before freezing for sparkly edges on every cookie.
• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough for a mocha chocolate chip cookie.