I’ve mentioned before that I have a tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s quick and easy to make, freezes well, and is very well received by all audiences. That cookie still has the throne, but this one needs to be remembered.
It was a pizza-on-the-beach party, with cocktail sharing and lots of mash ball. As the sun was descending Sue brought out her cookies, each individually wrapped and as big as a giant clam shell. I “shared” mine with Rosie which was my justification for eating the whole thing, bit by bit, while I halfheartedly called out her name every few minutes. It was so good. Soft on the inside, crisp and slightly chewy on the outside. The flavor with the walnuts was out of this world and there was a ton of chocolate.
I got the recipe from Sue and made them during a playdate a few days later. The kids loved them and when I had a contractor in later to look at a basement flooding issue he ate one too – two big thumbs up.
These were supposed to be the Levain bakery cookie and the recipe may be similar, but theirs called for 6 oz of dough per cookie. That’s an ENORMOUS cookie. It’s why folks flock to their bakery but 6 oz. cookies don’t really have a place in my house. These were 3 oz and still enormous. It makes a much smaller batch than my normal cookies, but sometimes this is okay, especially if you have a penchant for eating frozen cookies out of freezer and want to rid yourself of the temptation. These will be gone before you know it.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Makes about 16 large cookies
1 3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 2/3 c. all purpose flour
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 3/4 c. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
- Heat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
- Heat a skillet over medium low heat and add walnuts. Toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Transfer to bowl and place in freezer until needed.
- Place cold butter and sugars in bowl of standing mixer and beat (with paddle attachment) until smoothly blended.
- Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, until smoothly beaten in.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a second bowl and add to mixer. Mix on low until just blended.
- Add walnuts and chocolate chips and mix until just blended.
- Place large balls of dough (3 oz – I used a muffin scoop) about 3 inches apart on prepared sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes on middle rack of the oven until edges are golden brown and top is light brown. Let cool on baking sheet at least ten minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
