regarding chocolate chip cookies
I usually stick with the venerable Alton Brown's 'The Chewy' recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe.html

I often add a few extra tablespoons of wheat-gluten to make them even chewier. 

You could reduce the amount of leavening (i.e. the baking soda (or any baking powder)) if you want a flatter cookie, but my results with the above recipe end-up pretty flat. Adding more vanilla and chips shouldn't make any difference in the end-product's texture, but I'd stick to the formula on flour for your first try.