Chocolate Chip Cookies - just a few, please

[As you may know, School of Eating Good is two of us, Ronnie and Sharon. When you see "I," sometimes it's Ronnie and sometimes it's Sharon, though we collaborate on all the recipes. This recipe is totally Ronnie's creation, and it's a great piece of work that cookie lovers everywhere should celebrate.]

Sometimes I get in such a mood for cookies, I must make some.  But, I only want just a few.  Otherwise, I'll either be eating cookies non-stop for days, or worse, I'll put them in the freezer, forget about them, and eventually find them a broken, ice-laden mess several months later.

This recipe makes 6 good size (about 3") cookies.  Just perfect for a few snacks or to share with a friend.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 6

½ cup flour

⅛ teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon well-beaten egg (see Notes)

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (regular size or mini-chips)

2 Tablespoons chunky peanut butter or 2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Place the butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and peanut butter, if using, in a medium size bowl and mix until well creamed with a spoon. Add the beaten egg and mix until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture; then stir in the chocolate chips (and peanut butter or nuts, if using). Refrigerate dough for an hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Scoop about 3 Tablespoons of the batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing the mounds 2½ to 3 inches apart. Bake the cookies until they are golden brown, 13 or 14 minutes. 

Notes: To measure out the egg, beat it first to combine the white and yolk, then measure.

Use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the dough out, not filling them completely, since ¼ cup is equal to 4 Tablespoons and you want to use about 3 Tablespoons per cookie.