Chocolate Chip cookies are probably my #1 favourite type of home made cookie! If you peruse my site you’ll find a few for sure and they’re all the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, in their own way. I have my Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Because these are kind of like a shortbread cookie, I was skeptical. How could sandy shortbread be as good as the more traditional version? I’m admittedly not in love with shortbread, unless they’re cheese and jalapeño shortbread cookies 😉 Yes, I have the recipe for that!
So on to THESE cookies. I was so impressed with the flavour balance and texture. They’re crispy, flakey and buttery; less sandy than a regular shortbread cookie. This recipe calls for salted butter and flakey salt on top but this is by no means a salty cookie, don’t worry. It’s so perfectly balanced and delicious that I’m currently obsessed. The demerara sugar edge is a textural joy, adding another type of crispiness to it. The crystalized, glittery edge makes this the prettiest chocolate chip cookie around as camouflages the otherwise wonky edge of the cookie. It’s like it’s wearing a necklace so you can definitely take these to a fancy party 😉
Check out my Instagram account highlights @vanilla_bean_montreal for the step-by-step!!
This recipe is by Alison Roman, a recipe contributor for the NY Times and my new obsession. I watched all of her youtube videos and I absolutely love her and her recipes. Check her out!
| Prep Time | 15 Mins |
| Cook Time | 15 Mins |
| Passive Time | 2 Hours |
| Servings |
Cookies
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- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/255total salted butter cold (room temperature if you’re using a handheld mixer), cut into ½-inch pieces (see note), 2¼ sticks
- ½ cup/100granulated sugar
- ¼ cup/55light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups/325all-purpose flour see Tip
- 6 (See note) ounces/170semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate chopped (not too fine; you want chunks, not little shards)
- 1 large egg beaten
- Demerara sugar for rolling
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Ingredients
After dough rests
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- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer). Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.
- Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don’t be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That’s part of why it’s so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).
- Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together — the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.
I used Baker’s brand chocolate and chopped it. I actually put 170gr of 70% cacao and 130gr of white chocolate. It was an amazing combo!
The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days. This recipe can be easily doubled, so go crazy!
