Gian's Cookies

I am going to get a little sentimental with you for a minute. I miss my hometown so much. I had a great childhood, a wonderful experience in school, and just so many fond memories. My parents moved one town over a couple years ago and it still makes me so sad! I know it's only one town but it's not my childhood home, or my grocery store, or even my WaWa (if you don't know what WaWa is it's like a 711 essentially only 100 times better). It's not my local streets where I know every curve and house, it's not anything I am familiar with since I never really lived there.

One of the places in my hometown that I haven't found an equivalent for in the town John and I live in is Gian's Bakery. Honesty I am not even sure how their cakes or pastries are because my favorite thing there was cookies with chocolate chips ON TOP. They have to be on top. That is the key element. My friend Maria and I would go there and each get two cookies, pay something silly like 31 cents, and be on our way. I have tried these cookies from many places and they are always good but not as good. So I decided to try to make them. Shockingly, when I google "Cookies with chocolate chips on top" nothing came up. Hmph. So I decided I am just going to have to try this myself.

I decided to go with a butter cookie recipe because they were definitely a butter cookie base. I then pulled them out of the oven two minutes before they were done and put the chocolate chips on, and put them back in. The results? Delicious. They are very similar in taste but not in consistency. Gian's were flakier, these are cakier (not a word but that's ok). I like them best out of the fridge which is strange because I don't typically like any baked goods out of the fridge, but these were perfect chilled. I hope you make these soon because they were one of the best cookies I have made!

Source: Inspired by Gian's Bakery, cookie dough from All Recipes

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mini chocolate chips (Don't use full sized- the cookies are too delicate and they will sink)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients.

Scoop by rounded 1/2 tablespoon into a lined cookie sheet. Bake 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Return to the oven for about 2 more minutes. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.