Ingredients:
200g margarine (I usually use Nuttelex Olive Oil, but it really is better if you don't use butter - weird but true)
185g brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla essence
350g plain flour
375g dark choc chips (see note)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170C, and line baking trays (at least two)
2. Put marg, sugar, egg and essence into a large bowl.
3. Beat until pale and creamy.
4. Add flour and chocolate
5. Stir in (with a spoon - beater and choc chips don't like each other)
6. Roll into balls and place on baking trays. I usually make 48 per batch but you can make them bigger or smaller - I have done both.
7. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
8. I usually only bake half a batch at a time, so if you're doing that too, wrap the rest of the dough in cling wrap, and place in the fridge (for a few days) or freezer (for a couple of weeks - it will probably last longer than that but mine always gets baked before then!)
9. Remove cookies from oven when they're golden, and allow to cool (at least a little) before eating. Originally, I carefully transferred them to a cooling rack after a few minutes, but these days they get left to cool on their trays most of the time. When I'm feeling really lazy, or it's late, I just turn the oven off and open the door, then leave them there. Once cold, place into an airtight container to store. They'll last for about a week, but are better in the first few days - I bake the saved dough once we run out for fresh cookies midweek!
Notes:
* I love these with dark chocolate chips, but have also experimented with milk chocolate, m&ms, jaffas and even marshmallows (as well as, not instead of chocolate). These are all too sweet for my tastes, but you might like them. Nuts could be good too, if your tastes run that way. Recently I didn't have enough choc chips so we chopped up some of my favourite dark chocolate, and that was good.
* These can be adjusted for some dietary requirements. They can be made gluten free with the substitution of gluten free flour (my choc chips are gluten free, but you should check yours!) The texture isn't as nice, but they're still acceptable. Dairy free is also pretty easy if you can get the choc chips. The Nuttelex I use is dairy free, but make sure your margarine is too before feeding these to anyone dairy intolerant (but you probably already know that!)
