Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Description
This recipe produces perfectly plump, golden brown cookies that are crispy outside and chewy inside...pure heaven!

Ingredients

 * 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
 * ½ t. baking soda
 * ½ t. salt
 * ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
 * ½ cup sugar (I use vanilla sugar, made by storing used vanilla bean pods in the sugar jar)
 * ¾ cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
 * 1 t. vanilla extract
 * 1/2 vanilla bean (split the bean lengthwise with a paring knife, scrape the seeds out of one half, & save the other half for a future batch)
 * 1 large egg, at room temperature
 * 7 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

 * 1) Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet. (I use the butter wrapper to do this-- quick and easy!)
 * 2) Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
 * 3) Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on low speed until smooth & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
 * 4) Add the vanilla, vanilla bean seeds, and egg. Beat on low speed just until fully incorporated. Don't get carried away- this should take a minute tops. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
 * 5) On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips and mix until they are just incorporated.
 * 6) Spoon heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. (makes about 18 cookies, depending on size)
 * 7) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Do NOT overbake! Slightly underdone cookies are scrumptious. Dry, overdone cookies are not.
 * 8) Remove the sheet from the oven and let rest 3 min.

When cookies are set, remove them to a cooling rack. Wait at least 5 minutes and devour! Mmmm.