Double Tree Chocolate Chip cookies; recipe and options

1. Tools
   1. All measurements are in the English system (teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, degrees Fahrenheit)
   2. Sturdy mixing bowl with high walls, 2 quart or larger
   3. Heavy mixing spoon
   4. Small mixing bowl for dry ingredients.
   5. Measuring spoons, measuring cups
   6. Cookie sheet, smaller spoon for measuring out dough
   7. Conventional oven that can sustain 350 degrees
   8. Spatula, cooling rack
   9. Electric mixer
   10. Alternately, and preferably, a standard Kitchen Aid Standing Mixer.

2. Ingredients
   1. Phase 1
   1. Two sticks Butter, passively warmed to room temperature
   2. Three quarters cup packed light brown sugar
   3. Three quarters cup white sugar
   4. Alternately, use three quarters cup of real maple syrup. In this case, add a couple or three tablespoons of flour to balance the extra fluid.
   2. Phase 2
   1. Two eggs: larger is better
   2. 1 teaspoon vanilla
   3. Phase 3
   1. 1.5 cups of white flour, preferably unbleached, not self-rising
   2. 0.5 cup rolled oats
   3. 1 teaspoon baking soda
   4. Optional: 1 teaspoon salt; omit if your butter is salted.
   5. 0.25 to 0.50 teaspoon cinnamon
   6. a pinch to 0.25 teaspoon of cardamom
   7. Optional: 0.25 teaspoon of nutmeg
   4. Phase 4
      1. 2.67 cups of Nestle or Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
      2. 1.75 cups of walnuts

3. Preparation
1. Phase 1
   1. Let the butter soften at room temperature in the standing mixer's bowl.
   2. Add the brown and white sugars to the butter in the mixing bowl.
   3. Mix at level 2 or level 3
   4. When the sugars and butter are in one uniform mass, proceed to Phase 2.

2. Phase 2
1. Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl with the sugar-butter mixture.
2. To the side, mix the egg and vanilla to rough uniformity.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients together.
3. Phase 3
1. Measure in the flour, salt, soda, oats, and cinnamon into the small mixing bowl.
2. Swirl the dry ingredients to spread the leavening and spices through the flour.
3. Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the wet.
4. When the mixture is uniform, proceed to Phase 4.
4. Phase 4
1. Best: use a standing electric mixer to incorporate the nuts and chocolate chips.
2. This takes considerably more effort if done by hand. Make sure all the wet dough is mixed together with chips and nuts.
4. Baking
1. Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Form three batches of 9 cookies out of the entire mix. Bake 9 at a time, that is.
3. Prepare a 13x13 inch pan with PAM and parchment paper.
4. Cook for 14 to 17 minutes. Comment: 14 minutes yields cookies on the raw side, while 17 minutes yields cookies on the burnt side. So...perhaps try 15 or 16 minutes cooking time.
5. There should be some light brown on the cookies around the edges, but they should also look slightly underdone.
5. Post-baking
1. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes or so before taking them off.
   Otherwise they tend to break apart when touched.
2. Move the cookies to a wire rack for more cooling before storing, at least ten minutes.
3. Once cooled, store separated by wax paper in a container that seals well.
4. Good with milk or coffee or straight. After refrigeration, 15 seconds of microwave cooking revives the cold cookies.