Perfect Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are fan- tastic!  And my oldest son is becoming the best cookie baker on the planet.  He made these the other day.  Some little girl is going to be very lucky one day to get him:)  I mean if a man can make a perfect cookie, he is the perfect catch.  Jed's had a lot of practice over the last 6 months.  He was the main cookie maker at Great Harvest when we had a 28,000 cookie order during the month of Dec.   And he just made 600 of the tastiest Snickerdoodles I've ever tasted, and acted as if it was no big deal.  I guess with the quantity of cookies that Jed's been baking he should be a pro by now.  It's just to bad though that he leaves in less than 35 days on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Adriatic South Mission. (It includes Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro.)  We could have really used him as a sweet baker:)  This cookie recipe is a great base to make it into YOUR favorite cookie.  Add a little mint extract, or add lots of different chocolates with slivered almonds.  How about Caramel Chips with pecans.  The variations are endless, and delicious.  Enjoy!

Perfect Chocolate Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

 4 eggs

1 T. water

2 t. vanilla

5 1/2 c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. salt

2+ c. chocolate chips

Jed added white chocolate chips, and milk chocolate chunks:)

optional ingredients:

nuts

any chip of choice

mint extract instead of vanilla

dried fruit

1/2 t. cinnamon

Add what you'd like to make the perfect cookie for you.

Cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, water, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add the mix-ins of choice.  Bake at 365'F for 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!