Cookie experimentation

So, after reading that article about chocolate chip cookies from the New York Times as I mentioned in a previous post weeks ago, I finally got time to do it!

I forget how the scientific method goes but...

Hypothesis:
Cookie dough that has longer resting time will taste better.

Experiment aka the recipe (as adapted from Orangette's blog and the NY Times):
3-2/3 C minus 2 Tbsp. All-purpose Flour
1.25 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp kosher salt
2.5 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
1.25 c light brown sugar
1c plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1x11.5oz bag Ghiradelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
Sea Salt (which I only used on 1 batch)

Combine all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips).
With electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing one at a time, making sure each egg is mixed in well before the next addition. Mix in vanilla.
With mixer on low, add in dry ingredients.
Add in the chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
Using an ice cream/cookie scoop place dough onto lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt. (First I used sea salt, but didn't like the small crystals I had, so I switched to kosher instead- good move actually.)

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Let pan cool on cooling rack, then let cookies cool on cookie rack.

BATCH 1: 30 minute rest time, sprinkled with sea salt.

BATCH 2: 6 hour rest time, sprinkled with kosher salt.

BATCH 3: 9 hour rest time, sprinkled with kosher salt.
(no pictures since it was 7 in the morning...)
BATCH 4: 30 hour rest time, sprinkled with kosher salt.


Results:
Sea salt proved to be too salty on the cookies. Good thing I switched to kosher salt, even though I was mainly going off of crystal size.
There was a noticeable difference in fluffiness and golden brown-ness of the cookies between batches 1 and 2. Any other differences with other batches was not quite so discernible.


Conclusion:
Seems that longer rest time makes cookies a little more golden. But taste-wise, I don't think it makes much of a difference.
BUT let dough rest- for sure! At least an hour. And eat them fresh!
( I saved one cookie from each batch to "taste test" a few days later, and they were no good.)
Salt does make a difference in cookie taste. The contrast between salty and sweet is good, in my opinion, for chocolate chip cookies. Just a pinch will do ya though!

Notes:
Let cookie dough rest tightly covered in the fridge. Press plastic wrap directly over it.
Sea salt is saltier than kosher... I've been told in comparing batch 1 cookies with the rest.
The recipe yielded about 39 medium sized cookies... good thing I have roommates and co-workers I can share with!