East Bay Mom Angelina Grab swears that this recipe, created by her friend, makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies!

4 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
2 C. tightly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 T. dark rum (optional)
1 t. pure vanilla extract
24 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Place the butter, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium until all butter is mixed in and then beat 10 seconds more. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then dark rum and vanilla extract. Operate the mixer on low while gradually adding the flour until incorporated. Add the chocolate chips.

Grad a glob of dough and roll into a ball. Place on cookie sheet, finish filling cookie sheet with rest of globs of dough and bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets briefly.  Eat.

Note: This recipe makes approximately 48 cookies. Angelina recommends rolling, slicing and freezing all but twelve, so that extras are ready to pop in the oven as needed. (Cooking time on frozen dough: add three minutes, checking regularly.)