Over the years, I've developed a number of fun drop cookie recipes -- Compost Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Truffle Cookies. All delightfully tasty. But sometimes life just calls for a tried and true classic. So I took to baking the perfect Chocolate Chunk Cookie.
Bold statement, I know. Whether you consider my recipe perfect or not, that's up to you. But regardless, they're damn good. I've dialed in on a few ingredients that really make this particular chocolate chip cookie shine...
You'll notice I like to use a mix of chocolates - both in size and flavor. I like to reach for a combination of chunks and chips. As well as semi-sweet and milk chocolates. Of course, if you fancy a bit of color, you might mix in a handful of M&Ms.
My recipe also calls for a touch of espresso powder. A bit out of the norm, sure. But I find the espresso brings depth of flavor to the dough and amps up the chocolatey-ness. I urge you not to skip this ingredient!
And finally, salt. Of course, every cookie recipe that's worth its, well salt, calls for salt. I've add salt into the dough, but also sprinkled the tops of each cookie with just a bit of flaky salt. Remember, salt just simply amplifies inherent flavors so you'll be tasting more of the caramelly brown sugar and rich chocolate.
Simple, classic and delicious.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
· 2 sticks softened butter
· ½ cup sugar
· 1 cup brown sugar
· 2 eggs
· 1 tbsp vanilla extract
· ¼ tsp instant espresso powder
· 2 ¼ cup flour
· 1 tsp baking soda
· 1 tsp salt
· 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
· 1 cup milk chocolate chips or M&Ms
· Flaky salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until just combined. Take care not to over beat otherwise you’ll end up with fluffy instead of chewy cookies. Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract and espresso powder. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix the dough until combined. Sprinkle over the semi-sweet and milk chocolate chunks. Stir to combine.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Chill up to 2 days or freeze for weeks before baking.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Using a 1.5-in cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto greased cookie sheets. Leave about 2-in between each cookie to allow for spreading. If desired, sprinkle the tops of each cookie dough ball with just a bit of flaky salt.
Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until golden brown and just crisp around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Gluten Free Friendly!
I had greatest success with Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour.
Comments