The Ultimate Choc Chip Walnut/Pecan Cookie
I have modified this recipe which I got from Sarah Dall’s book, “For the Love of Baking”. In hers it is just a plain choc chip cookie but I love the addition of nuts, just a bit more decadent! I also reduced the sugar a smidge.
You can use any tree nuts in this but I love using either Pecans or Walnuts. Walnuts are radically under rated in South African Baking and I love championing these Eastern Cape produced EXCEPTIONAL quality White Walnuts!
You can use any tree nuts in this but I love using either Pecans or Walnuts. Walnuts are radically under rated in South African Baking and I love championing these Eastern Cape produced EXCEPTIONAL quality White Walnuts!
Ingredients
Makes 24 reg size cookies or 12 giant ones!
100g Castor Sugar
120g salted Butter, softened
1tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Egg
180g Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
240g good quality Milk or Dark Chocolate (I use 3 x 80g slabs Cadbury’s Bournville as my go to!) 150g Raw Walnuts, chopped
100g Castor Sugar
120g salted Butter, softened
1tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Egg
180g Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
240g good quality Milk or Dark Chocolate (I use 3 x 80g slabs Cadbury’s Bournville as my go to!) 150g Raw Walnuts, chopped
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°c
2. Line your baking trays with baking parchment OR generously spray non-stick onto them!
3. Roughly chop your Walnuts and chocolate. I like the odd big chunk of choc so don’t chop too fine! Set this aside in bowl to mix in last.
4. Using either hand mixer in a new bowl, or your stand mixer (use paddle attachment) cream together your butter, sugar and vanilla. You can of course make these completely by hand… Will just need to use a whisk and some more energy.
5. Add your egg and mix in well on high speed.
6. Now slow your mixer speed right down and add in your Baking Powder and Flour. Will make a soft dough/paste. You can also do this by hand using a wooden spoon.
7. Switch to using a wooden spoon now if you are using machinery and mix in your nuts and choc manually. I usually start it in the bowl, then tip the mix out onto a lightly floured surface to mix the dough together nicely.
8. Using a dessert spoon, place a spoonful of dough onto sheet and with your fingers press down slightly. Your cookies will increase in size by about a 3rd so leave a bit of space between each of them so that when they bake they don’t join. If you want giant cookies use dbl amount.
9. Bake for 12-14 mins until deliciously golden on the edges.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack. Some people like a soft American type cookie but I like my biscuits to have a snap. If you like a softer cookie bake them for about 10mins.
2. Line your baking trays with baking parchment OR generously spray non-stick onto them!
3. Roughly chop your Walnuts and chocolate. I like the odd big chunk of choc so don’t chop too fine! Set this aside in bowl to mix in last.
4. Using either hand mixer in a new bowl, or your stand mixer (use paddle attachment) cream together your butter, sugar and vanilla. You can of course make these completely by hand… Will just need to use a whisk and some more energy.
5. Add your egg and mix in well on high speed.
6. Now slow your mixer speed right down and add in your Baking Powder and Flour. Will make a soft dough/paste. You can also do this by hand using a wooden spoon.
7. Switch to using a wooden spoon now if you are using machinery and mix in your nuts and choc manually. I usually start it in the bowl, then tip the mix out onto a lightly floured surface to mix the dough together nicely.
8. Using a dessert spoon, place a spoonful of dough onto sheet and with your fingers press down slightly. Your cookies will increase in size by about a 3rd so leave a bit of space between each of them so that when they bake they don’t join. If you want giant cookies use dbl amount.
9. Bake for 12-14 mins until deliciously golden on the edges.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack. Some people like a soft American type cookie but I like my biscuits to have a snap. If you like a softer cookie bake them for about 10mins.