They can be used just like the ones from the store where you break them apart and slap them on the baking sheet.
3 cups plus 6 tbsp flour,
1 1/2 tsp baking soda,
1 1/2 tsp salt,
1 1/2 cup butter,
1 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar,
1 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar,
1 1/2 tsp vanilla,
3 eggs,
3 cups chocolate chips,
1 1/2 cup nuts (optional).
Mix flour, soda and salt and set aside. Beat butter, vanilla and sugars until creamy. Then beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture, along with chocolate chips and nuts, mixing well. I use the equivalent of this finished recipe to fill 3 quart sized freezer bags. I seal them and press them flat on their sides. When it’s time to bake them off, I slice the square into thirds one way, then in fourths the other way. It’s easier if you do this when the dough has only had a chance to thaw for a couple of minutes. This leaves you with twelve little squares of dough, just like the brand name store bought packages. The cool thing about this dough (I have other slice and bake recipes where you are forced to either reshape them or go with the slice and bake round log option) is that these little squares bake automatically into little round cookie shapes. Pretty neat. It takes just a minute or two to get a fresh batch in the oven if you have some freezer bags set aside.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. This recipe is also easily doubled or tripled. This is a good idea if there’s a chance you’ll get hit with an unexpected spouse potluck at work or a “mom I forgot to tell you” bake sale sometime during the next couple of months. The dough keeps for a fairly long time in the freezer.