Chocolate Chip Cookies

THESE melt-in-the-mouth chocolate chip cookies are simply divine. Give your friends a sweet surprise by gifting a box of these home-made cookies for a special occasion like a birthday. But you can also gift them for no reason at all! You bet they'll be appreciated far more than a store-bought gift.

What you need:
250 gm Amul salted butter; 150 gm powdered white sugar; 150 gm brown sugar; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla essence; 300 gm flour (maida); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 250 gm chocolate chips; 120 gm chopped walnuts.

Sieve the flour with the baking soda and set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars till light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well till the eggs are well incorporated into the creamed mixture. Next add the sieved flour, and mix till all of it is moist. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix gently. Refrigerate for half an hour. Slide one tablespoon of the dough in the shape of a mound for each, leaving at least 2" space in between rows for the cookies to flatten and spread while baking.

Bake in an oven pre-heated to 170 degrees C for about 12 minutes, or until light brown around the edges. It's important to leave them to cool completely on the cookie tray before lifting them off the tray. They store very well in an airtight container for at least two weeks, but you may need to keep them hidden,even from yourself, if they must last that long!

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.

PS: If using plain, unsalted butter, add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt while sieving the flour and baking soda.