Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love an excuse to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  And when I spotted a recipe for Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies over at Averie Cooks, it was a very compelling reason to get baking!

Who doesn't love Mrs. Fields!  I live in the land of malls in New Jersey but sadly, Mrs. Fields cookie kiosks are hard to come by these days.  When I do walk by one, I am always assaulted (in a very good way) by the irresistible aroma.  How do they make those cookies smell so good, I always wonder!  I think it has a lot to do with the quantity of cookies being baked in a small space but whatever it is, Mrs. Fields cookies are some seriously delicious cookies.

I'm so glad Averie posted the recipe and shared the source from over at Popsugar.  If you click over, there's actually a video talking about the "secrets" to making these cookies and a demo straight from a Mrs. Fields shop (I recommend watching it because the recipe doesn't list all the steps mentioned in the video).  

So here are the "secrets" to Mrs. Fields chocolate chip cookies: 

1) Cold butter.  It apparently makes for a more stable, evenly baked cookie.  What does that mean?  I read that cold butter has the ability to hold air, giving baked goods more structure. I had a good feeling about this going in.  Not only is using cold butter more convenient, my favorite chocolate chip cookies (which happens to be whole wheat) also starts with cold butter...could there be a connection?  Apparently yes, because these cookies turned out nice and sturdy, dense and firm, yet still moist and chewy in the center.

2) Low and slow, bake at 300 degrees.  Instead of the typical 350 degree oven, these cookies are baked in a low 300 degree oven, for a longer period of time, about 18-22 minutes.  This is supposed to help create the crisp edge yet soft and chewy center.  I was a little skeptical.  Would the cookies turn out too soft and would the Maillard reaction (or "browning" reaction) have a chance to happen?  I didn't want anemic looking cookies but I needn't have worried because these baked evenly and browned nicely.  The edges are indeed crisp; the center is chewy.

3) Chill for at least 30 minutes and cool immediately.  After mixing the cookie batter, let chill for 30 minutes or so before baking; this makes for a thicker, chewier cookie. Scoop dough into 1/4-cup mounds using an ice-cream scoop if you have one.  The larger bakery-style cookies give you more of a contrast between the crispy edges and the soft and chewy center.  After baking, immediately remove the cookies to a cool surface to stop the cooking process.  

In a nutshell, these cookies turned out better than I expected.  Maybe I should've had more faith to begin with but how many times have you tried a "copycat" recipe that fell short? But these cookies are like the Mrs. Fields chocolate chip cookies we remember.  The thing I like most about it is the "commercial" look and feel of them. That might sound strange but what I mean is they have the appearance - the heft, sturdiness, contrasting textures (crisp sides, chewy centers) - that I want to mimic at home and often find hard to do.  I often suspect that those bakery-style cookies involve shortening but now I see it can be achieved without special flours and with butter.