Kyrgyz Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

 * 1 cup softened butter
 * ½ cup granulated sugar
 * 1½ cups packed brown sugar
 * 2 eggs
 * 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
 * 2½ cups all-purpose flour
 * ¾ teaspoon salt
 * 1 teaspoon baking powder
 * 1 teaspoon baking soda
 * 1½ (12 ounce) bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
 * 2) In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
 * 3) Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
 * 4) Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
 * 5) Stir in the chocolate chips.
 * 6) With your fingers, place golf-ball-size dough portions 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
 * 7) Bake for 9 minutes, or until edges are light brown.
 * 8) For variations of this cookie, substitute milk chocolate for the semisweet chocolate and/or add 1½ cups of chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts to the recipe before baking.
 * 9) Although you can substitute margarine for butter in this recipe, you will have the best results from butter.
 * 10) The cookie will have a richer taste and will be crispier around the edges like the original.