These are for when you want to savor a cookie with depth, flavor, and a thick and chewy texture. If you just need to pacify the kids or cure some late night munchies, use the recipe on the package of chips. It's cheaper and less trouble!

Key elements include browned butter, muscovado sugar, and a small portion of whole grain oat flour (which you can make). The method is also important. The butter is melted, not creamed while solid, and the cookies are thoroughly chilled before baking. Oven temperature is also higher than what's typical.

You'll also notice a relatively low proportion of chocolate chips. Before you accuse me of heresy, allow me to defend this choice. The cookie itself actually tastes good. This is the one dessert I make with chocolate where the chocolate is not the main event. I didn't want huge amounts of chocolate, or intensely flavored dark chocolate, overwhelming the subtle flavors of the cookie. I've had good luck with Ghiradelli semi sweet chips, or coarsely chopped Callebaut 54% block. If you use chopped chocolate, try not to include too much chocolate dust and fine crumbs. They melt into the batter and turn it into something else.

Recipe makes 16 to 18 big cookies

8 oz unsalted butter (224g)
2 c minus 3 TB AP flour (240g)
3/4 c whole grain oat flour* (80g)
1 tsp salt (6g)
1 tsp double acting baking powder (3.8g)
1/2 tsp baking soda (2.2g)
1-1/3 c plus 1 TB light muscovado sugar** (250g)
1/4 c granulated sugar (48g)
1 egg (50g)
1 egg yolk (18g)
1/4 c whole milk (59ml / 56g)
2—3 tsp vanilla extract (10-15g)
1 c semisweet chocolate chips (170g)
OR
1-1/4 c chopped semisweet chocolate (140g)

*Use food processor to mill whole oats (oatmeal) as fine as possible. This will take a few minutes of processing, with a few of pauses to scrape corners of work bowl with a spatula. sift out large grains with medium strainer. store in freezer in an airtight container.

**If you have to substitute regular light brown sugar or another unrefined sugar, substitute the same volume, not the same weight. Turbinado sugar can substitute for the granulated sugar.

-Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat

-While butter is melting, stir together the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.

-Measure the sugars into a mixing bowl or a stand mixer's work bowl.

-Brown the butter: allow to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir frequently, until milk solids brown and liquid butter takes on a rich golden brown color. It may foam up dramatically toward the end. Turn down heat and let the foam lightly brown. Don't let the solids blacken!

-Immediately pour the melted butter into the bowl with the sugars. Mix on medium speed, until smooth (there may be some unincorporated liquid from the butter). Do not try to incorporate air.

-Add the egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. This step can be done with a spoon, or with the mixer on low to medium speed.

-Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. This step can be done with a spoon, or with the mixer's lowest speed.

-Chill the dough for at least 3 hours (and up to 24 hours) in an airtight container. If under 4 hours, spread dough thin against sides of bowl. If over 4 hours, pack dough tightly into the bottom.

-Heat oven to 375 degrees F. with rack in the middle, or 2 racks in the top third and bottom third.

-Scoop in round balls onto parchment-lined, room temperature sheet pans (heavy, rimless cookie sheets or upside down half-sheet pans are ideal), 6 cookies per sheet. I like a heaping scoop with a #20 disher: 1/4 cup / 70g dough per cookie. Chilled dough will be too stiff to form smooth balls. Bake for 14 minutes or until done, checking the cookies after 12 minutes. If necessary, rotate the baking sheets for even browning. If you make smaller cookies, reduce baking time. Keep dough and scoop refrigerated between batches.

-They're done when they brown around the edges and begin to brown on top. If they cook more than this they'll dry out. Carefully slide parchment/cookies off of hot baking sheet and onto a cool surface (another rimless baking sheet or an upside down half-sheet pan work well) to cool for a couple of minutes. Try not to bump or bend them while transfering; this will cause them to flatten.

-With a spatula, transfer to cooling racks. Cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container. Flavor and texture are best after 12 hours. They keep for several days at room temperature if well sealed.

High Altitude (these adjustments were tested at 6000 feet)

-Increase flours by 8%

-Increase milk by 40%

-reduce sugars by 4%

-Slightly reduce baking time

Date User Comment

Mon 03/10/08 23:20:15 paulraphael Initial entry of recipe.