Kyrgyz Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 (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 1 1/2 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. The cookie will have a richer taste and will be crispier around the edges like the original.