Food can be broken up into categories based on flavors, textures, origins and spices. My personal favorite category of food cannot be determined by any of those things, it is based purely on personal preference: comfort food.

Every once in a while, we are all entitled to indulge in recipes that will leave us feeling warm and comforted, especially in these winter months. I use the word “indulge” because comfort foods tend not to be so figure-friendly, but sometimes they’re just necessary.

I was browsing my recipe books this week, flipping through pages of beautifully iced cookies, tarts and pies, when I realized that the recipe I needed was sitting right in my cabinet, printed on the back of a package of milk chocolate chips.

The first recipe I ever made without the help of my mom was Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies. As a little kid, I remember standing on a stool, trying my best to stir in the flour without the help of my mom. My arm would get so tired as the batter continued to get thicker and thicker, but I was determined to do it all by myself. I hadn’t made this recipe in years because I always look for something new or fancy when I want to make a dessert, but I soon realized this recipe was just what I needed.

While I started combining the dry ingredients, the memories of making cookies as a child began to surface: the excitement of cracking an egg without leaving behind any shells, the soothing sound the chocolate chips make when they’re folded into the batter, and the excitement that comes from stealing a lick of dough off the spoon.

It is so easy to forget about the recipes that we grow up with, but there is nothing more satisfying and comforting than making the recipes that remind us of being younger and cheer us up on a bad day. I hope this inspires you to make a batch or homemade chocolate chip cookies, or your own comfort food recipe. Enjoy.

Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz pkg.) Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.