Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

 

Two weeks ago I had my very first bake sale! The motivation for having the bake sale was to raise money for PAWS, my nephew's marathon charity. Our bake sale was hugely successful thanks in large part to the generosity of the runners in the marathon training running group. Next to spending an entire day baking and packaging everything up, deciding on what cookies and confections to make was my second biggest challenge. Our predictions on which items would sell out first completely missed the mark. In a last minute decision I decided to make two batches of the Levain Style Lemon Cookies. Turns out, those were the cookies that sold out first! I shouldn't have been surprised because there is something very appealing about a perfectly golden brown, humungous cookie. Which is why I decided I needed to create my version of Levain's Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies. 

In spite of having numerous recipes for chocolate chip cookies on the blog, only one other contains coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts. Additionally, the size, texture, taste, and look of these cookies are nothing like anything I have ever shared with you before. Had I brought these cookies to the bake sale, they might have given the Lemon Cookies a run for their money.

If chocolate chip cookie are one of your favorites, you absolutely want to have this almost too pretty to eat version in your repertoire. 

This version of a chocolate chip calls for using chocolate chips and not chopped chocolate. Buy either good quality semisweet or dark chocolate chips. Chips made by Guittard or Gharadelli are my favorites. 

The cookie recipe calls for two kinds of flour: all-purpose flour and cake flour. Cake flour when combined with all-purpose flour helps to create a more tender crumb, a melt in your mouth texture, and a thick without being cakey cookie. Unlike some other more traditional chocolate chip cookies, the dough is made with only one large egg and one large egg yolk. Save the extra egg white for your morning scrambled eggs. 

I used only light brown sugar, but you easily replace a couple of tablespoons of the light brown sugar with the dark brown sugar. Even a little bit of dark brown sugar will give your cookies a hint of molasses flavor.

Instead of dividing the dough into 8 equal portions, I divided it into 9 equal portions instead. The size of each baked cookie was still substantial enough. I would be reluctant to make these cookies any smaller as they would lose their 'Levain-style' look and eating experience.

The dough should be chilled for at least 60 to 90 minutes, however, it can also be chilled overnight. 

Baking the cookies at the slightly higher temperature of 375 degrees (F) helps to shock and prevent them from spreading too too much. You want the finished cookie to be hefty in appearance. 

The biggest challenge in making the cookies is determining their doneness. Particularly being careful in not under baking or over baking them. They should be golden brown along the edges and allowed to rest on the hot baking sheet for at least 10 minutes when they come out of the oven. If this is the first time making them, I recommend bake just one cookie to start. This will help you gauge the right amount of time they need to spend in the oven.

A light sprinkling of flaky sea salt on the balls of dough before they go into the oven is optional, but it helps to further ramp up the cookie's overall flavor.

Levain style cookies are my newest, latest obsession. And these Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies are my newest chocolate chip cookie obsession. No, I am not abandoning my favorite Jacques Torres Style Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. But if I wanted to sell, bring, or serve some 'eye-popping' chocolate chip cookies, I would make these Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies. They are as irresistible and impressive as they are delicious. To use an Olympic analogy, they are gold medal worthy cookies.

Recipe

Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

Makes 9 humungous, gorgeous cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (134g) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 Tablespoon good quality vanilla

2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 cup (118g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

12 ounces (340g) semisweet chocolate chips (e.g., Guittard or Gharadelli)

1 1/4 cups (125g) walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

Flaky Sea Salt

Directions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately 1 minute.

2. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4 minutes).

3. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat until well blended.

4.In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt. Add in the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Beat on low-medium speed until the dry ingredients are almost all incorporated.

5. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix until completely blended (and no white streaks of flour remain).

6. Roll in 9 balls, slightly more than 5 ounces (164-168g) each. Break each ball in half and press sides into each other to create a round ball with a top of the craggle-y edges.

7. Place balls of dough onto a platter or baking sheet. Cover and chill for 60-90 minutes or overnight.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: You will bake only one sheet at a time (unless you have a double oven).

10. Place 4 or 5 balls of dough on a baking sheet, spacing more than 2 inches apart. Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Note: Do not bake up more than 5 balls of dough on a single baking sheet.

11. Turn a baking sheet upside down. Place the baking sheet with the balls of dough on top of it. Insert both of them onto the middle rack of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Note: Rotate the baking sheet midway through the baking process and check for doneness at the 16 minute mark.

12. Remove from the oven and let the cookies remain on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

13. Bake the remaining cookie sheet.

14. Let the cookies cool before eating. Note: If you are gifting them or selling a bake sale, package the completely cooled cookies in a cellophane bag and tie rightly with ribbon or string. Do not wrap in 'plastic' bags as the cookies will lose their crispness.

15. Store the baked cookies at room temperature. Ideally, store them individually wrapped in a cellophane bag or waxed bag. To recreate the just out of the oven taste, reheat the cookies in the microwave at high for 8-10 seconds.

Notes: (1) There is another version of a Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookie. There are differences between that recipe and this one. Both are good, but I am partial to this one now. (2) To make a milk chocolate chip cookie version, eliminate the semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts. Replace with 16 ounces (453g) milk chocolate chips. I highly recommend using Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips. (3) Cookies that were chilled overnight baked up slightly faster than the ones chilled only for 60-90 minutes. (4) To toast your walnut halves, put them on a baking sheet and bake in.preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the toasted walnuts to a cutting board to cool before chopping.

Levain Style Lemon Cookies

Every now and then I surprise myself. While I am almost always happy with how a new recipe turns out, there have only been a few times when I wanted to stand in the middle of street with a megaphone and announce to the neighborhood that I have just created the absolutely best thing in the universe. This would be one of those rare 'forget having any sense of humility' moments. Rather it would be one of those unabashedly, shamelessly hubris moments. The creation of these Levain Style Lemon Cookies has unleashed a monster in me. Because this is absolutely, unequivocally the BEST, GREATEST, MOST INSANELY DELECTABLE, CRAVEWORTHY, GORGEOUS lemon cookie on the planet. Possibly the universe. There I said it. I have never been so bold in my entire life. But this cookie, well this freaking amazing cookie has brought out the best of the worst in me.

I could take complete responsibility for the creation of this cookie had I not been gently pushed (in the best of ways) by my dear friend Linda. It was she who asked me months ago if I could re-create the Levain Lemon Cookie as she absolutely loves all things lemon flavored. In spite of having created several Levain style cookies for the blog, I wasn't exactly sure I could replicate this one without creating a 'break the bank' confection. Lemon flavored chips were the sticking or rather should I say sticker shock point. Once I learned others had used white chocolate chips as an alternative, I knew my next biggest challenge would be to create a cookie having the 'right' amount of lemon flavor. Not one overpowering or cloyingly sweet with the flavor of lemon, but one having a more subtle, but still discerning lemon flavor to be detected in each mouthwatering bite.  

There were a myriad of options to consider for infusing lemon flavor into the cookie dough. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, lemon paste and/or any combination of the aforementioned. My gut was telling me to use only lemon zest and lemon paste. Some will say there isn't any difference between lemon extract and lemon paste, but I happen to be one that disagrees. The thicker lemon paste delivers a much better, less acidic lemon flavor. And while lemon juice can add some bitterness. lemon zest infuses concentrated amounts of sweet, citrus flavor. But figuring out the quantities of each was going to take a bit of thinking.

 

Having made Levain style cookies before I knew I would be using a combination of all-purpose and cake flours, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, eggs (one large egg, one large egg yolk), unsalted butter, and alot of chips. Compared to my other Levain style cookies, this recipe uses different amounts of sugars, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt and chips. Some less, some more. I knew I would get a sense of whether or not I made the right decisions when I mixed and then tasted the batter. If there was thing I learned very long time ago is that 'the batter never lies'. If the consistency doesn't look or feel right, the cookie won't turn out right. If the batter doesn't taste right, the cookie won't have an optimal flavor. In other words, a bad batter isn't salvageable. 

To chill or not to chill the dough was yet another decision I needed to make. I decided to let the balls of dough chill for slightly over an hour. Just enough time for the to dough rest and hold its' shape when it went into a hot preheated oven. I knew i didn't want the tops of my cookies to be smooth, so I used the roll into a ball, break in half, bring the halves together method so I would have cookies with that beautiful bakery style craggle-y top. 

This recipe makes 8 ginormous cookies. In order to get them to bake evenly, the balls of dough must be weighed. Each ball of dough weighs a little more than 6 ounces. Because they are so huge, it's important to bake only four cookies at a time. When baking, I decided to use the two tray method. One tray turned upside down and the tray with the cookie balls set on top (so two tray bottoms are touching one another). I am not certain I can explain the science behind why this works with large over-sized cookies, but it does.

Baking time for the Levain Style Lemon Cookies ranged from 17-18 minutes in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven or just until the cookies were a beautiful golden brown. Key to their doneness was to allow the cookies to rest on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. The heat from the pan helps to continue to bake the cookies without drying them out or burning their bottoms. Additionally that rest time makes it easier to transfer them to a cooling rack.

The texture and flavor and these cookies are perfect. You can definitely smell and taste the flavor of the lemon. We absolutely loved the level of lemon flavoring in theses cookies. It was detectable, yet subtle in the best of ways. 

If the Pancake Princess ever did a Levain Style Lemon Cookie bake-off I want to enter this recipe. If I ever wanted to brighten the day of friend who loved lemon flavored cookies, I would bake up and deliver a batch of these cookies. Or if I ever wanted to enter (and win) a cookie contest, I would make these cookies. Which speaks volumes since I absolutely love my chocolate chip cookies. 

In all seriousness, I take a big risk when I shamelessly gush about how fabulous these cookies are. In part because not everyone follows 'the' recipe, measures the ingredients, or bakes in an elevation similar to the one in the midwest. Yet, in spite all of these factors, I will end by saying this may be BEST, MOST SCRUMPTIOUS, TO DIE FOR, SHOW STOPPING, DIVINE cookie I have ever made in my entire life. There I said it!

Recipe

Levain Style Lemon Cookies

Makes 8 humungous cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (134g) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

Zest from one large lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Paste (See Notes)

2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 cup (118g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

16 ounces (453g) white chocolate chips

Directions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately 1 minute.

2. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4 minutes).

3. Add in the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and lemon extract. Beat until well blended.

4.In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt. Add in the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Beat on low-medium speed until the dry ingredients are almost all incorporated.

5. Add in the white chocolate chips. Mix until completely blended (and no white streaks of flour remain).

6. Roll in 8 balls, slightly more than 6 ounces (171g) each. Break each ball in half and press sides into each other to create a round ball with a top of the craggle-y edges.

7. Place balls of dough onto a platter or baking sheet. Cover and chill for 60-90 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: You will bake only one sheet at a time (unless you have a double oven).

10. Place 4 balls of dough on a baking sheet.

11. Turn a baking sheet upside down. Place the baking sheet with the balls of dough on top of it. Insert onto the middle rack of the oven and bake for 17-18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Note: Rotate the baking sheet midway through the baking process and check for doneness at the 16 minute mark.

12. Remove from the oven and let the cookies remain on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

13. Bake the remaining cookie sheet.

14. Let the cookies cool before devouring.

15. Store the baked cookies at room temperature. Ideally store them individually in a cellophane bag or waxed bag. To recreate the just out of the oven taste, reheat in the microwave at high for 8-10 seconds.

Notes: (1) I used the lemon paste from Neilson-Massey. (2) If you would like a slightly stronger lemon flavor either increase the lemon paste to 2 teaspoons or add some additional lemon zest. (3) I used the Ghiradelli white chocolate chips.

Wildlife in Yellowstone, May 2024

Sugar Cookie Bars

After sharing recipes for more than ten years, I still get excited to share new ones. Especially ones having great visual appeal and a fabulous flavor profile. Because they are so easy to make, Sugar Cookie Bars are one of those confections you can (almost) make on a whim. If you need to bring a dessert for a potluck, to a book club, or to a gathering, these buttery, chewy, craveworthy Sugar Cookie Bars are destined to be a big hit with both kids and grown-ups. And who doesn't want to be the one bringing the dessert where the platter is the first one leaving only few crumbs behind!

If you have butter, eggs, cream cheese, and milk in your refrigerator, you have some of the makings of Sugar Cookie Bars. If you have all-purpose flour, sugar, Kosher salt, baking powder, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extract, and sprinkles in your pantry, you have everything you need to make them! 

I recently talked about the role cornstarch plays in cookies. Just a small amount of cornstarch adds softness and tenderness to the texture of the bars as well. You could leave it out if you want a slightly crispier bar, but the combination of soft, chewy bars topped with a luscious, creamy buttercream icing is irresistible. 

Unlike sugar cookies, the dough for these Sugar Cookie Bars does not need to be chilled. The key to creating a perfect dough is having your butter, cream cheese, and eggs at room temperature. From start to finish, these Sugar Cookie Bars take a fraction of the amount of time you would invest in making rolled sugar cookies. For the best baking results, use a 9"x 9" metal baking pan lined with parchment paper and preheat your oven. Baking time for the bars ranges from 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden. 

While the cookies are baking, you can whip up the dreamy buttercream icing. You control the thickness, the spreadability of the icing with the amount of whole milk you use. Begin with using two tablespoons. Assess the texture before adding more (in one Tablespoon increments). Personally, I love the ethereal look of white icing. Especially one topped with sprinkles. However, if you like a hint of color in yours, add some food coloring. But choose a pastel colored one to create bars with the most visual appeal.

Wait until the bars have cooled completely before icing them. If you ice them while the bars are still warm, the icing will melt. If you don't have or want to use sprinkles, use an offset spatula or large tablespoon to create pretty swirls. 

Have you ever noticed that by simply putting sprinkles on almost anything you can turn something ordinary into something extraordinary? From cake pops, to cakes, to all kinds of iced confections, sprinkles add elements of pure joy, delight, and happiness. They are the ultimate finishing touch. With the power to make everyone in the room feel giddy, it should go without saying that all Sugar Cookie Bars absolutely must be topped with sprinkles. 

As much as I love chocolate desserts, these buttery, scrumptious Sugar Cookie Bars slathered with buttercream icing are a refreshing way to satisfy a sweet tooth craving. And because they are so easy to make, you don't need to wait until the weekend to make them!

Recipe

Sugar Cookie Bars

Makes 16 Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

3 ounces (86g) cream cheese, softened

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (see notes)

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cups (270g) confectionary sugar, sifted

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 Tablespoons whole milk

Options: Sprinkles, Food Coloring

Directions

Sugar Cookie Bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 9" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for approximately one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

4. Add in the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes). 

5. Beat in the cream cheese.

6. Beat in the egg until incorporated.

7. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.

8. Add the dry ingredients in two additions. Beat just until incorporated.

9. Transfer dough the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the dough. Note: Make sure to evenly spread out the dough.

10. Bake the sugar cookie bars for 25-30 minutes or until golden along the edges and top. Remove from the oven and the place pan on a cooling rack. Let pan cool for approximately 10 minutes before removing the sugar cookie bars from the pan. Place the still warm bars (still with the parchment paper) on a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Icing

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter until creamy using a hand mixer.

2. Add in the confectionary sugar, vanilla, Kosher salt, and whole milk. Beat until smooth and creamy.

3. If using food coloring, highly recommend using a pastel fool coloring gel or paste. Begin by adding a few drops. Beat in. Continue adding the food coloring until you get your desired color.

4. Spread the icing on the cooled sugar cookie bars. Use an offset spatula or spoon to create a beautiful swirled top.

5. Top with sprinkles!

6. Cut into 16 bars.

7. Serve and enjoy.

8. Store the bars in the refrigerator (well wrapped). Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes: (1) The use of cornstarch gives the sugar cookie bars a more tender texture. If you want a slightly crispier bar, omit it. 

Iced Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Levain Style

 

"You can be miserable before you have a cookie and you can be miserable after you have a cookie, but you can never be miserable while you are eating a cookie." (Ina Garten) Wise words from the ultimate food goddess. If I were to add one word to that quote, it would be 'huge'. If you aren't one of those people whose eyes widen and heart races when you see gorgeous bakery style, extra-large and as big as you palm sized cookies, you are an outlier. The popularity of Levain cookies has not only influenced home cookie baking, but has spawned the large sized cookie in boutique bakeries across the country as 'the' most coveted kind of cookie. Levain style cookies are big enough to share (if you dare) or to fuel you on a long hike. They are not one bite wonders. Rather they are colassal sized, thick without being cakey stunners. 

When we think of oatmeal cookies, we generally think of oatmeal raisin cookies. But in switching out the raisins for milk chocolate chips, the oatmeal cookie gets a kind of jaw-dropping makeover. And while it might be harder to justify eating one of these Iced Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies for breakfast, I might argue we can rationalize most things if we set our minds to it.

If you are looking to impress or wow your family and friends, make these Iced Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, these would be the most perfect gesture of love. The ability to serve a beautiful, scrumptious, ginormous cookie would be akin to awakening their visual and taste senses while simultaneously filling them up with joy. In many ways it's a form of intimacy that can only be created with something homemade with love.

So let's talk about the ingredients for a second. Unlike most other cookie recipes, this one uses chilled, not room temperature unsalted butter. In addition to all-purpose flour it also uses cake flour. The cake flour along with some cornstarch helps to create a softer, more tender cookie. The molasses combined with the light brown sugar not only deepens the flavor of these cookies, it adds a mouthwatering kind of sweetness. Instead of two eggs, the recipe uses one large egg and one large egg yolk. When buying milk chocolate chips, look for the oversized ones (Guittard makes a great milk chocolate chip) rather than the smaller ones. The oatmeal needs to be the old-fashioned kind, not the instant or the quick cooking oats. For the most optimal results, I strongly encourage you to weigh your ingredients. 

While you don't need to refrigerate these cookies overnight, they do benefit from a brief 15 minute resting period. Which will give you enough time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F). 

Divide the rested dough into 7 equal pieces. Ideally I would recommend you weigh out your clumps of dough before rolling them into a ball. When cookies are almost identical in weight, they bake evenly. For a craggy topped cookie, break each ball in half, then press the halves of the dough balls against each other. Shaping the edges of the cookie with your hands so they are rounded. 

These cookies are baked at a high temperature to ensure they don't spread as well as to create their crispy edges. Baking time is only 9-11 minutes (my baking time was 10 minutes). The cookies are ready to come out of the oven when you see they have some golden spots (you still might think they don't look done, but trust the baking time and color). They need to rest on the hot baking sheet for another 15 minutes after they come out of the oven so, in esssence, they will continue to bake.

The vanilla flavored icing not only creates a mouthwatering looking cookie, it adds just the right amount of sweetness. Personally, I wouldn't them any other way.

I like to use a small whisk to drizzle the icing over the top of each cookie. But a dinner fork will too. Let the icing set up before serving or packaging them up.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give these cookies a 10. Their flavor and texture is spot on. And they are seriously one of the most gorgeous oatmeal cookies.

Once you taste one of these Iced Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Levain Style, you might be tempted to declare them the best ever oatmeal cookie. You will never be miserable eating this huge cookie. However, at a minimum, these divine, slightly addictive cookies are destined to your favorite oatmeal cookie. And yes, I think you can justify having one for breakfast.

Recipe

Iced Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies - Levain Style

Makes 7 super large cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (90g) cake flour

2 cups (180g) old-fashioned oatmeal (not quick or instant oats)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1//4 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (113g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes (preferably European or European style butter)

1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 Large egg, room temperature

1 Large egg yolk, room temperature

2-3 teaspoons vanilla (I used 3 teaspoons or a Tablespoon)

1 package (11.5 oz/326g) milk chocolate chips (highly recommend Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips)

1 cup (120g) confectionary sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, oatmeal, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for at least one minute. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.

3. Add in the brown sugar. Beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.

4. Add in the granulated sugar. Beat for at least one minute until fluffy. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.

5. Add in the egg, egg yolk, molasses and vanilla. Beat until well blended (approximately one minute). Again scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.

6. Add in the dry ingredients 1/3 cup at a time. Mix on medium-low just until blended. Do not over mix.

7. Pour in the milk chocolate chips. Mix just until blended. Let batter rest for 15 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Put oven rack at one rung below the center. Line two heavy bottomed baking sheets with parchment paper. 

9. Measure out the batter into 7 equal pieces, ranging from 5 ounces (142g) to 5.5 ounces (157g). Roll the pieces into balls. Then break in half. Press the sides of the halves together, shaping into circle (this will give you the craggy edge top). 

10. Divide the cookie dough balls between the two baking sheets. But bake only one sheet at a time (unless you have a double oven).

11. Bake for 9-11 minutes or just until the tops look golden, but cookies may not look done. Do not over bake. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 15 minutes. Note: Rotate baking sheet midway through the baking process.

12. Transferred the cooled cookies to a cooling rack.

13. Whisk together the confectionary sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Using a whisk, drizzle the icing over the cookies. Let the cookies set.

14. Wrapped in cellophane bags, the cookies will remain fresh for up to 3 days, but they are truly over the top incredible on day one.

Notes: (1) My baking time was 10 minutes. (2) Highly recommend the Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips as they are larger than all other milk chocolate chips. (3) I used Kerrygold unsalted butter. (4) If you wanted, you could switch out the milk chocolate chips for raisins. Look for larger sized raisins, not the small dry ones generally found in the baking aisle.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 

With the house decorated for the holidays and my cookie boxes shipped out, the short getaway into the city with friends last week was a much needed, most welcome Christmas season adventure. We had so much fun going to theater, walking not once, but twice through the crowded Christkindlmarket, taking a brisk morning walk to the Starbucks Roastery Reserve, and having a long, leisurely lunch at one of my favorite restaurants we decided it should become an annual tradition. Much to my surprise, in only took just two whirlwind wind days to energize me to take on another two days of herculean baking and inspire me to create a new cookie recipe! It was actually seeing the Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies at the holiday market to push me into creating this pillowy, fudgy, minty confection. And in all honesty, I think they might be my new favorite, most irresistible, most festive 'holiday' cookies!  

With the holidays already in full swing, I am going to keep this post uncharacteristically short! Here are some helpful ingredient and direction hints to ensure your baking success. If possible, weigh your ingredients (e.g. some flours weigh more than others). When choosing the cocoa powder, would highly recommend using Dutch Process Cocoa, however, a dark unsweetened cocoa powder would also work. Eggs should be at room temperature. Use a pure peppermint extract for the most optimal minty flavor. Melt your chocolate and butter on low heat rather than in the microwave. Use real candy canes. When crushing the candy canes, be careful to not pulverize them into a powder. You want small chunks of candy canes in your cookies to give it that surprise little crunch.

There is no need to chill the thick batter. Use a 1 1/4" sized cookie scoop to create your cookie balls. If you don't have one, they should be the size of a ping pong ball. Roll your cookies first in granulated sugar, and then in confectionary sugar. Don't over bake them. They are done when the edges have set and they have formed cracks. They should feel slightly soft in the center. Letting the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-6 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack will finish them off. 

Once the cookies have cooled, either store them in a sealed tin or wrap in cellophane bags. For the most optimal eating experience, enjoy them within two days of baking.

Like the old adage 'I have saved the best (cookie) for last'. Because if there was ever a cookie to bring an abundance of joy to the holiday season, it would be these Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. From the perfect hint of peppermint, to the fudgy, pilllowy centers, to the snowy signature cracked tops, this cookie wins in both the flavor and beauty categories. The best way to describe the texture of these cookies is to have you think of them as a cross between a cookie and brownie. In other words, they are absolutely heavenly and ridiculously satisfying. I promise you will be obsessed with them. Especially if you love the flavor combination of peppermint and chocolate!

Wishing you all the happiest, merriest, sweetest, and most blessed holiday! 

Recipe

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies 

Makes 18-20 cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (163g) all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons (18g) unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

6 ounces (170g) dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped or 6 ounces bittersweet (60-64% chocolate chips. Note: Can use any semi-sweet or dark chocolate containing 60-72% cocoa)

4 Tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed

3/8 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (if you want a more pepperminty flavor, use up to 1/2 teaspoon)

2 to 3 ounces (56g to 84g) peppermint candy canes, coarsely crushed (from about 12-17 mini candy canes)

1/2 cup confectionary sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

3. Melt butter and coarsely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or use a small heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir occasionally until almost completely melted and combined.. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate has completely melted. Allow to cool.

4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat eggs and dark brown sugar together on medium speed until smooth (approximately 3-4 minutes).

5. Add the peppermint extract and beat again until incorporated.

6. Scrape chocolate mixture into the bowl and beat until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.

7. Add in flour mixture. Beat on low speed until flour is just incorporated but some streaks remain. Add in the crushed candy canes and finish mixing until flour is incorporated (do not overmix).

8. Let batter rest for 10-15 minutes.

9. Put granulated sugar and confectionary sugar into two separate bowls.

10. Using an ice cream scoop, form the dough into balls approximately 1 - 1 1/4 inch in diameter. 

11. Roll dough balls first in granulated sugar, then in confectionary sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet (8-9 cookies per sheet).

12. Bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through the baking time, until cookies crackle and begin to firm up along the edges (approximately 10-12 minutes). Note: Cookies will still be slightly soft in the center, giving them a moist brownie-like texture). Start checking for doneness at the 11 minute mark.

13.Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow to cool to room temperature.

15. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container. Note: Cookies are at the best if eaten within 2 days of baking.

Notes: (1) You can also add up to 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips to the cookies. This addition is optional.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

 

Before delving into process for making these fudgy, insanely delicious, gorgeous, perfect for the holidays Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies I first want to share something with you. Believe it or not, I have a love-hate relationship with the magic of Christmas. Yes, I know some of you claim it as your favorite holiday of the year and begin counting the days until Christmas arrives as early as July. A part of me envies that anticipation and joy you feel. Yes, I know the holiday also symbolizes hope, love and redemption for many of you, especially my friends having a strong sense of faith. And yes, I know there are some who experience as much child-like euphoria in giving as they do in receiving gifts. Particularly those who put a high value on material things. So what sort of curmudgeon (like me) dislikes any part of Christmas? Well here goes. As much as I love how the house looks decorated and all gussied up for the holidays, the process of taking down and opening up more than twenty boxes from the attic makes me anxious. One look at all of the Christmas decorations collected over the decades and I often wonder what was I thinking when I bought some of them! And as much as I love baking and creating cookie boxes to give to friends, the anticipation of spending several twelve hour days in a Willy Wonka, cookie palooza kitchen can often be more stressful than joyful. Perfection is my self-imposed Achilles Heel. Yet, in spite of the ying-yang of emotions the holiday brings, I have figured out how to create some holiday balance. All I need to do is watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and/or "Miracle on 34th Street" for the millionth time to get me into the Christmas loving groove and lessen my holiday angst. Taking that first batch of Christmas cookies out of the oven or cutting into a perfectly set pan of caramels may play a role too. 

If ever there was a cookie to emulate the joy, beauty, and festiveness of Christmas it would definitely be these homemade Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies. Studded with white chocolate chips for added decadence, they are destined to become a holiday favorite. A tray or package of these scrumptious cookies are certain to evoke the sense of Christmas wonder.

There is nothing quite like a homemade Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie. The doctored up cake mix versions of this cookie don't even come close to the dense, brownie like fudgy texture of ones made from scratch. 

Instead of using liquid food coloring, this recipe calls for gel food coloring. Gel combined with a small amount of fresh squeezed lemon juice is what gives these cookies the most vibrant red color. The addition of the white chocolate chips is what sets them apart from any other Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie! 

When all mixed together, the dough will be very thick. Which means there is no need to chill the dough. Use a 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" cookie scoop to create your cookie balls (balls should weight about 30g) . First rolling the balls in granulated sugar and then rolling in confectionary sugar is what gives these cookies their swoonworthy, signature crinkles. 

The baking time for these Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies is relatively short. Only 11-12 minutes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven. The cookies are done when they have puffed up, are crinkly and have their edges set. The center of the cookies will still look a little wet, but allowing the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for 5-6 minutes will finish off the baking process. And prevent you from over baking them!

If there was one new cookie to add to your collection of holiday confections and to spark holiday joy, let it be this one. Bring the Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie to a cookie exchange and your platter will be the first to disappear. Add them to your cookie platters and/or cookie gift boxes to bring added holiday delight to your friends and family. Especially to the ones who may need a little boost in their holiday spirit. If you don't get your fill of these delicious, decadent cookies, make then again for Valentine's Day. You will be sure to win the hearts of everyone you give them to! 

Recipe

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour 

1/3 cup (32g) unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon (20-21g) red gel food coloring

3/4 cup (128g) white chocolate chips

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (60g) confectionary sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two, large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the bowl before adding in the eggs.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

5. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, and red food coloring. Scrape the bowl again before adding in the dry ingredients.

6. Reduce speed to low and mix the sifted dry ingredients into batter. Mix until blended in.

7. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Note: The batter will be very thick.

8. Place the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of confectionary in two separate bowls.

9. Using a 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop out balls of the dough. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar, then in the confectionary sugar. The balls should be completely coated. Note: Balls of dough will weigh approximately 30g.

10. Place 9 or 10 dredged cookie balls, spaced at least 2 inches apart, on each baking sheet. But bake only one baking sheet at a time.

11. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or just until the cookies have cracked, puffed up and the edges are set. (they may look a little wet in the center). Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-6 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

12. Store the cooled cookies in a sealed container or wrap in cellophane bags. Cookies are best enjoyed within 3-4 days. But they probably won't last that long.

Notes:  (1) I used Ghiradelli Cocoa Powder. (2) You can find red food coloring gel in most grocery stores or other specialty food stores. (3) Recipe was inspired from multiple sources.