Tag Archives: Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

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There is a reason why Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is the best selling candy bar in the United States. The candy bar is the perfect marriage of chocolate and peanut butter and it’s one of my favorite candy bars. I never buy them, but every Halloween I find myself scavenging through my kids’ trick-or-treat bags, looking for that distinct orange wrapper. I wanted to capture that flavor in a cookie, and I chose to create a chocolate cookie with peanut butter flavor rather than a peanut butter cookie with chocolate flavor. At first glance, you wouldn’t know there was peanut butter in these cookies. They look like chocolate cookies with chocolate chunks, but once you take a bite, both the chocolate and peanut butter flavors are pronounced. It’s rich, soft, and slightly chewy. If you are allergic to peanut butter, you can substitute the peanut butter with an equal amount of almond butter. Either way, the cookies will be delicious. A tall glass of milk is a must for these cookies. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: about 18 large cookies

1 1/4 cups of Sonora wheat flour* or unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup Valhrona cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature, preferably organic
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of organic creamy peanut butter (w/o sugar or salt)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
6 oz of good quality dark chocolate, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

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3. In a stand mixer, add the butter and the sugars. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

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4. Scrape the sides and add the peanut butter. Beat for 1 more minute.

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5. Scrape the sides again and add the egg and the vanilla extract. Beat until just combined.

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6. Set the mixer to the lowest speed. Slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.

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7. Finally, add the chopped chocolates and mix on low for about 15 seconds.

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8. Using a 3-tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop the cookie dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

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9. Press down with the palm of your hand to flatten.

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10. Bake in the the oven for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overbake because you want the cookie to be slightly chewy and soft.

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11. Transfer to a baking sheet and cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with a tall glass of milk.

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*I like to use the Sonora wheat flour from Grist and Toll.

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Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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The chocolate chip cookie is the quintessential American cookie. You can find chocolate chip cookies in most bakeries and every pastry chef has his or her own version. As simple as the chocolate chip cookie may seem, you’ll notice how every cookie is different. Some chocolate chip cookies are soft and cakey, while others are crispy and chewy. They also vary in size as well: thick or thin or big or small. Like many bakers, I have been in the search for what I consider to be the perfect chocolate cookie recipe. I’ve tested several dozen in my lifetime. After tweaking a couple of my favorites, I came up with this one.

This recipe will produce a soft and chewy cookie with a crispy edge. The secret to the chewy texture is the sugar ratio and the addition of cornstarch to the dough. The baking soda gives the cookie a nice crispy edge. Also, I use chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips, so you get oozy chocolate with every bite. You won’t find any butter in this recipe, but trust me, you won’t notice the difference. And the best part about this recipe — you don’t need a mixer. Make a batch of these cookies and I guarantee you’ll make somebody happy. Enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yield: about 20 cookies

Ingredients

7 ounces of good quality dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups of Sonora wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 cup of organic cornstarch*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

 

1. Chop the chocolate on parchment paper into 1/4 inch pieces. Place a sieve over a bowl. Using the parchment, transfer the chopped chocolate into the sieve. Set the chopped chocolate aside and save the collected chocolate powder for another use (like hot chocolate).

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2. Place the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and kosher salt into a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.

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3. In a large bowl, add the sugar and brown sugar. Whisk together to break up any lumps. Add the coconut oil and whisk until incorporated.

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4. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until just combined.

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5. Add the flour mixture and chopped chocolate into the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture until dough forms. Don’t over mix. Let it sit for 10 minutes at room temp.

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6. While the dough is resting, set oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Using an ice cream scoop (2 tablespoon size), form cookie dough and place the scoops 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.

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8. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown, but don’t over bake them.

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9. Cool on a wired rack for 15 minutes. They are best eaten when slightly warm with a tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

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10. Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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* If at all possible, try to use organic corn-based products. Most of the corn syrup and cornstarch sold in the stores are GMO.