Thursday, March 24, 2011

Triple chocolate walnut cookies


I first had these cookies a few weeks back, when I met my cousin Pete for lunch. He had just baked a batch and when we sat down at Out the Door, he presented me with a lovely little bag of them. Even amidst the restaurant's strong and heady aromas of lemongrass, chili, fish sauce, and five spice, I could smell those cookies in all of their chocolatey goodness. Throughout lunch, it was all I could do to keep  from diving into that bag.

Once I got home, I went for it. You know, nobody is around during the day. Being alone for large chunks of your life can lead to bad habits, like, um, standing silently in the kitchen, zoning out, and eating a stack of cookies?


These are even better than these chocolate chocolate chip cookies which I also think are great. The new ones, though insanely chocolately, are a little bit less sweet. Plus, I think melted chocolate adds a dimension you just can't get with cocoa powder. The final result is somewhere between a cookie and a brownie, with that perfect cracked top and velvety interior.

I emailed my cousin immediately for the recipe, which he promptly sent. He also told me about his edits to the recipe, which I agreed off the bat were smart. For one, he ditched the milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet. Then, he added walnuts to the batter. Normally, I'm on the fence about nuts in cookies, and truth be told, I never would have thought to do that. But the walnuts added the perfect crunch and ever so slight bitterness, a nice foil to a rich cookie. So, that's how I made them yesterday.

I drummed up the excuse of making them for my friend Deborah, who is literally about to have a kid any day now. The husband and I had planned to visit Deborah and her husband Richard in their new house last night. I figured an edible housewarming gift is always welcome (who needs another vase from Crate and Barrel?), and pregnant or no, people like cookies.

These people did like these cookies, as did the husband, who enjoyed two back to back in the car on the way over. He had just gotten off the train and was ravenously hungry. When I'm really hungry, I don't tend to want sweets--my taste runs to the savory. But at the end of the work day, the husband has a powerful sweet tooth. (Had we been at home, he would have washed the cookies down with a Sierra Nevada--a version of another sweet-and-boozy combination he swears by: Reese's peanut butter cups and Guinness.)

Anyway, I digress. Here's the deal. These cookies are ridiculous--ridiculously good. And even more ridiculous is the fact that you're supposed to make them into ice cream sandwiches and then roll them in candied almonds or coconut. That's for the next round.

Here's a link to the original recipe, but I've also included the recipe with the variations Pete made below. Mine baked for 15 minutes, and, like Pete, I baked one sheet at a time in the center of the oven, and mid-way through, took them out, banged the sheet on the counter, and rotated it when I returned it to the oven. Although they seem silly, I think all of these steps do make a difference--banging the sheet removes any air bubbles, ensuring a dense, chewy result, and placing the cookies in the middle of the oven and rotating them leads to even baking.

One final note: it is important to follow the step of removing the cookies from the sheet when they are done to a rack but leaving them on the parchment. With my final four cookies (a tiny third batch), I had run out of racks and so removed the cookies on parchment to a cooled baking sheet. When cooled, they had hardened quite considerably, whereas all the other ones remained soft and perfect.


Pete's Triple Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Makes 24-28

1 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 stick unsalted butter 
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 
1 1/2 cups sugar 
2 large eggs 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat butter and semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until melted. 

Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla, and melted-chocolate mixture with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low, and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating and tapping sheets on counter halfway through, until cookies are flat and surfaces begin to crack, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a wire rack, and let cool. 

19 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, wow, these indeed sound perfect! I am definitely going to have to try these very, very soon. Like weekend soon :)

    Your hubby's after work combos sound uh, interesting. I am not averse to strange food combinations myself, but Peanut Butter Cups (mmmmmmm), and Guiness is really very inspired.

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  2. Though all of your pictures make me wish for the invention of jet packs or instantaneous time travel (to reach the tasty goods), the last cookie picture takes the cake. That gooey goodness looks amazing. Can't wait to make these!

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  3. Those definitely look chocolaty alright and the more chocolate, the better. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog and I'd like to invite you to stop by and link your cookies up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweets-for-saturday-10.html

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  4. Ooh the insides look so moist and soft! I find making that kind of cookie hard!

    PS: I'm coming up a list of some Paris recommendations!! An email will be heading over soon.

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  5. Oh, they really look stellar. I can't resist a good chocolate cookie!

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  6. I love cookies like this! Walnut allergies mean I always sub pecans, but that is rarely a bad thing. :)

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  7. shaz: I hope you try them (and the Reese's/Guinness combo too!)

    Ash: I think you will like them very much. I wish you had a jet pack too so you could come visit me today! xoxo

    Jessica: I think the trick is to not overbake them. And, I look forward to your Paris recs :)

    oneordinaryday: They are indeed delicious.

    camille: pecans would be amazing in these...

    Lisa: thanks, I will check out your blog.

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  8. You are so right. Why don't I think of cookies when I'm taking a gift for someone? Everyone loves them.
    These look marvelous...crunchy outside and moist inside.
    Next time I consider taking my mother's pound cake to someone, I'm going to stop and make cookies instead. I'd MUCH rather someone brought me cookies!

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  9. These cookies were the best gift a pregnant girl - who is about to pop - could ask for. I can't wait to try and make them myself. Definitely a hit!! Thanks again for all the sweetness xo

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  10. Glad to hear these cookies came out so good for you! From the last pic they look especially moist and chewy inside - mmm!! I will have to make them again to turn into ice cream sandwiches. I think they'd pair well with coffee (or vanilla... or chocolate... or strawberry, mint chip, cookies 'n cream...) - Pete

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  11. Oh oh. I have everything on hand.....and am craving chocolate for a non-hormonal reason. Crap-think I am heading to the kitchen....

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  12. Barbara: well I would personally be very happy to get a pound cake! But cookies are universally welcomed, I'd found.

    DS: so glad you liked them! xoxo

    Pete: Yes, thanks again for the recipe. And I can't wait to make them as ice cream sandwiches.

    tamilyn: did you make them??

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  13. I need a cousin like Pete. And you need to make me some of these :). RIa will love them. Though I might eat them before she gets back from school. With a glass of cold milk. Full-fat milk!

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  14. isn't it nice to have pregnant friends to use an excuse to bake? :)
    lovely cookies--they appear to have the perfect texture for a chocolate cookie. i don't know pete, but he rocks. :)

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  15. ALY: Next time I make them I will email you and drop some by!

    grace: Pete really does rock.

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  16. I have to say Reese's and Guinness sounds like something I would like to try.

    As for the cookies, they look incredible (especially that last photo). The banging technique is new to me. As is the cooling technique on the parchment over the rack. Good things to know, as making great-textured cookies has somewhat alluded me for a long time.

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  17. Connie: The cookies are so good--I hope you try them. And I'm convinced both the techniques were useful--especially the parchment/cooling one.

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  18. I raided my pantry today to bake in celebration of a new job, and searched for a recipe that had lots of chocolate and walnuts - and I found this one, and couldn't be happier! They turned out perfect, which is more than I can say for my usual cookie attempts.

    Also, I discovered a long time ago that BudLight goes well with Oreos. Glad to see others have discovered the cookie-boozy combo!

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  19. Katie: I am so glad you made and liked the cookies! I love this recipe and need to make it again soon--maybe today! And congratulations on your new job!

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