Instructions: Tips for baking the best chocolate chip cookies: Use butter that is soft, but still a cool room temperature, rather than runny.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator after mixing, up to three days, so it is firm when you drop the batter on the baking sheet. Do not freeze.

Use cool baking sheets, never hot ones just out of the oven or the cookie batter will separate and puddle.

Use vegetable shortening (Crisco) or a vegetable cooking spray, like Pam, for greasing the baking sheets.

2 tablespoons of dough will make a 3 inch cookie and 3 tablespoons of dough will make a 4 inch cookie.

To judge when a cookie is perfectly done, press gently on the center. It is done if it springs back. The edges will not be brown. Do not overbake or they will be dry (you want moist and chewy); cookies set up as they cool.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.