DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Copycat Cookie

Everyone has their "favorite" chocolate chip recipe. Jello Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookie is my personal favorite. Our friend Andy always requests that I make the Toll House Recipe.
There are so many recipes for chocolate chip cookies you almost have to ask which kind they like before you bake a batch.

I traveled to Savannah quite awhile ago. Gabe hates cities and I went by myself. The DoubleTree was near the riverfront along with many delicious restaurants. When I checked in they give you a warm chocolate chip cookie. I didn't know that when I made the reservation and was quite happy with the hotel and my free cookie!

 Found this copycat recipe for DoubleTree Chocolate Chip  Cookies on Pinterest. Allrecipes had the recipe but after reading the reviews went with CSANDST1 recipe. She said it was closer to the original recipe.

When I took them out of the oven I always let them sit on the cookie sheet for about a minute ( Carol's hint) and then remove and place on the cooling rack. When I took the first cookie off the sheet and took a bite, I felt like I was back in the DoubleTree. These  are so good. CSANDST1 was right! 

Gabe came home from his dive and the cookies just came out of the oven and I told him to have one. He smiled and ate quite a few.  Not bad for my hubby who doesn't eat sweets.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats ( used Quaker Old Fashion Oats)

1 cup unsalted butter- 2 sticks softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed tightly

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ( used 2 tsp.)

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice ( had a Meyer lemon and juiced that)

2 large eggs( I let them come to room temp. before adding them to the mix)

2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups semi- sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans ( recipe called for walnuts but I had plenty of pecans)

Directions:

Placed the oats in my Cuisinart and pulsed a few times.Made sure they were pulsed quite a bit and very fine. Took them out, put them in a little bowl and set them aside.

Since the Cuisinart bowl was out I used it to pulse the pecans. Gave them a few short pulses, not as many as the oats and had chopped pecans without sitting and chopping each one up. Love that machine! Removed the pecans and placed in their own little bowl and set them aside for later. 

Add the butter, both of the sugars, the vanilla extract and the lemon juice to a large mixing bowl. I used the kitchen aid so everything went into that bowl. Cream the ingredients together on medium until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and mix until the mixture is smooth. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything in the bowl has been combined.

Add the oats,flour,baking soda, salt and cinnamon to another bowl. I like using a soft plastic bowl so when I add the mixture I can bend the bowl and the ingredients flow directly into the kitchen aid mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and and be careful not to overmix. Add the chocolate chips and the pecans and make sure they are nicely combined.

Refrigerate the dough for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Drop a little over a teaspoonful of dough onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10 -11 minutes. I keep a close eye on them and when I notice they are just starting to turn light brown on top and they have a little crack in them - out they come. I let them "rest" on the cookie sheet about a minute and then off to the cooling rack they go.

Store in a sealed container. Sometimes I add a slice of bread. If the cookies get dry add a slice of apple to the container. I usually never have to do this. When I'm home I have my cookie guys and here I end up giving them away before I eat them.