Chocolate Chip Cookie Roundup

C is for Cookie, originally uploaded by AMagill.

Whoo! I tell you, that yule log just took the life right outta me. After a project like that, what I really want to do is get back to basics, refine my bread technique, maybe tackle a baguette -- we're facing down a long stretch of frigid days here in New York, so now, even more so than during the holidays, is the time when I crave the comforts of home and hearth.

Today I'd like to begin what I hope will become a series of round-ups of recipes for a single baked good, each great in their own way. Given the time of year and my tendency toward SAD-induced moping, I thought I'd start with something nostalgic: chocolate chip cookies.

Heidi Swanson's Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies Versions of this recipe can be found online, but for the love of all that is good and holy, buy Heidi's book. There are SO many healthy and delicious recipes in there, and every single one has been a hit for us, particularly these cookies. Mesquite flour is a bit esoteric, but it lends such a warm, faintly cinnamon-y flavor that I've come to think of it as a spice - a relatively small amount goes a long way. These cookies are great for when you're craving something familiar, but you're bored with the same ol', same ol'.

Kinda Healthy-ish Chocolate Chip Snacking Cookies
Everything's more fun when it's mini! Read all about my original recipe here.

That Crazy NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe That Everyone Went Bugshit About
I reacted to this recipe in the same way that I reacted to the Arctic Monkeys (remember them)? All of a sudden everyone was making it and having breathless conversations about it, but before I actually got around to trying it the fever had died down and it didn't seem worth the effort any more. But Jacques Torres is pretty infallible in my book, so who knows? If someone would care to weigh in, I'm all ears.

Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
If it ain't broke, don't fix it - am I right?