Recipe: Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nuts

Do you ever get nervous when you try a new recipe?  I do.  I try new recipes at least twice a week but this one had me especially nervous as I was so hopeful it would turn out like I was expecting.  After my crispy crunchy cookie sucess with Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies I was searching for a crisp Chocolate Chip recipe. 



So, I went to the expert in all things domestic - Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.  I've had this cookbook for a while but haven't used it much.  It's really thick and hard to keep opened-up to a recipe.  I was also intimidated by all the "equipment" in this book, stand mixers, food processors, special baking trays, etc.  I scanned the recipes and saw the one for Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  The photo shows them nice and flat and dark... hmmm.. looks crisp?  I had all the ingredients (and now a stand mixer) and decided on a few adjustments I'd make to the recipe too.

I copied the recipe so I didn't have to wrestle with the book to keep it open (I'm a genious you see), and got ready to bake.  I don't really use semi-sweet chocolate anymore so I replaced it with Hershy's Dark Chocolate Chips and I added walnut pieces.  The dough was fluffy (delicious!) and very sticky to roll but it baked up quickly as you make 2 sheets at a time.  I got one of those Pampered Chef baking stones at a garage sale recently (for 50cents!) so I made some on that too.

These came out crispy, chocoately, and nutty.  Perfect for dipping in milk.  They brown very quickly so make sure to check on them after 13 minutes or so.   The baking stone was a dream to use.  The cookies made on this weren't as brown on the edges and baked more evenly.  I'll have to get another one of these stones ;o)

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
From Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 large whole egg, plus 1 large egg white
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks (I used Hershy's Dark Choc. Chips)
(I also added 3/4 cup chopped walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 375F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the vanilla, whole egg, and egg white. Beat on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture in two batches; mix until just combined. Mix in chocolate.

Shape 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at a time into balls and place about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden brown, about 18 minutes. Transfer parchment and cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

For a printable version of this recipe go here.

Enjoy and be sure to link in the comments below if you try this recipe too :)



from the book "When We Were Very Young"
by A.A. Milne
1950 E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc.