Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe courtesy of Vanessa Rose Valero
Ingredients:
1 cup (201 grams) granulated sugar
¾ cup (165 grams) light brown sugar
¾ cup (165 grams) dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 ¾ cups (443 grams) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz (340 grams) dark chocolate chunks (72% dark cocoa bars cut into chunks, or your preference)
Method:
1. In a large electric mixer using the paddle attachment, combine softened butter and sugars until very smooth with no lumps. (You can mix by hand and use a spatula and a whisk)
2. Add in eggs and vanilla and combine on medium-high speed until velvety soft peaks will form- approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix just enough until fully combined. Do not over mix once flour is added.
4. Cut dark chocolate baking bars into small chunks and fold into flour- just till mixed through.
5. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
6. Scoop the dough (an ice cream scoop is handy) and roll into 1 ½ balls and place on a cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart to allow space for spreading.
7. Bake for 10- 15 minutes. ** It depends on your oven and also what consistency you like the cookies. For a soft but chewy cookie, bake till very lightly golden brown and remove when dough is still slightly undercooked in middle and allow to cool for 10 minutes on pan and then remove and allow them finish cooling on wire rack.
8. For a Pizookie, put half the dough into a stone baking dish (9”x7”) or all the cookie dough into a cast iron pan (10”) and cook for 20 to 22 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top.
Notes:
a. Cookies can be baked immediately, but if you chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, they will hold their shape and thickness better and be chewier. The dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days and frozen up to 6 months.
b. I like to roll individual cookies into balls and freeze them and keep them in a bag in the freezer for when I am craving a cookie or someone stops by and I don’t have anything yummy or give them with a cup of coffee or tea. You don’t have to thaw the dough, just bake 12-15 minutes.
c. You can add so many different things to this dough - if you don’t like dark chocolate, you can use milk or white chocolate or a combination. You can use chips or chunks. You can add walnuts, pecans, macadamias, dried fruit, really so many things… here are a few of my favorite combos to inspire creativity. 1. Dark chocolate chip and walnut 2. White chocolate chip and dried cranberries 3. Dark chocolate chip, sea salt and rosemary 4. White chocolate chip and macadamia nuts
