Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
A while back, a recipe for chocolate chip cookies appeared in a newspaper food section—the cookies were supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread (or sliced cookies). Word spread quickly and it seemed folks couldn’t pull out their flour bins fast enough to give them a try. Indeed, the recipe and accompanying story had a great pedigree: it was well written and well researched, with input from some of the best bakers in the land. Not to be outdone, I went into the kitchen and whipped up a batch of my chocolate chip cookies, which, admittedly, I hadn’t made in a while, just to see if they still held up. When I bit into one bursting with gooey chocolate chips and crisp toasted nuts, with all due respect to the author of that recipe, I couldn’t imagine chocolate chip cookies tasting any better. One thing I did take from that article was that chocolate chip cookie dough improves with resting for at least 24 hours before baking. I’m a big fan of keeping logs of dough in my refrigerator or freezer, so my dough was usually rested, even if inadvertently, but now I recommend making it a point to give the dough time to chill out.
Many chocolate makers now produce chocolate “drops” or “chunks” that are suitable for use in this recipe. Regular chocolate chips are designed to resist melting, so I don’t use them in my chocolate chip cookies.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 48 cookies
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed just until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and chocolate chunks.
Step 3
On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches (23 cm) long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably for 24 hours.
Step 4
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 5
Slice the logs into disks 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick and place the disks 3 inches (8 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the nuts or chips crumble out, simply push them back in.
Step 6
Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes. If you like soft chocolate chip cookies, as I do, err on the side of underbaking.
Step 7
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
Storage: The dough logs can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month. The baked cookies will keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
