6.15.2009

The Chewy...Almost

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Did You Know? In 1937, Ruth Wakefield (owner of the Toll House Inn) was making butter cookies, and thought she would make them all chocolate instead. She cut a bar of Nestle chocolate into tiny pieces and added them to the cookie dough. When the cookies came out of the oven, the chocolate hadn't melted at all! Instead, the "chocolate chips" had kept their form. Ruth decided to go to Nestle with her recipe for "Chocolate Crunch Cookies." Nestle liked the idea, and they got permission from Ruth to put her recipe on the back of their chocolate bars. In return, she got all the chocolate she wanted to keep on baking those cookies.

Two popular cookie recipes have been circulating the internet for quite some time, and ever since hearing of both of them, I've been wanting to taste what all the hype was about. Unfortunately, I had no bread flour left at my house, and no car to drive to the store to get some - which doesn't mean I didn't make cookies, but that my original taste teste would have to wait. I went with Alton Brown's recipe this time, substituting all-purpose flour for the bread flour, and throwing in some chopped pecans and walnuts.

Coincidentally, Caitlin also had cookies on the mind, and baked up her own batch of "Chewies" while my Mom and I made ours. But unlike my version, Cait had read the ingredient list beforehand, and made sure her kitchen was stocked. I was just pumped I would be able to try the real deal, bread flour and all.



Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

The batch I made with all-purpose flour were really good, but in my opinion, no where near as tasty as Cait's. The all-purpose flour turned the supposedly "chewy" cookie into a much more cake like treat. Cait's bread flour creation was everything the name had implied: chewy, chocolately, and definitely the best cookie I have ever eaten. She even sprinkled the tops with sea salt, which always makes for the best dessert. There's nothing like sweet and salty when the craving strikes. So if you like a cakey cookie, swap out the bread flour for all-purpose. But if you're looking for a chewy one, go with Alton's word, just throw in some pecans for good measure. Thanks Cait!


Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Adapted from Alton Brown's "The Chewy"

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (Original recipe calls for bread flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Original recipe calls for 2 cups)
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (I threw in some chopped walnuts, too)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Chill the dough (I did for 30 minutes, but I hear 4 hours is called for), then scoop onto baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet (I did 12). Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.


Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

18 comments:

  1. Aww this made me smile to myself in my little cubicle. Thanks, Hay :)

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  2. Getting the perfect choc chip cookie is definitely a trial and error process, but once you get it, it's a good thing. We like 'em chewy, chunky, crispy!

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  3. Yum they look awesome !

    Another popular cookie recipe that circulates the internet are the Nieman Marcus ones :)

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  4. Really nice cookie I would eat it with ice cream.

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  5. These look so good but I'm mad that I read your post hungry :)

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  6. I made these once. They were great! I also like the King Arthur Flour choc. chip cookie recipe too.

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  7. Who doesn't love CCC's... Even when they're not so great, they're still pretty good. ;)

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  8. I believe all cookie lovers can be divided into the chewy group or the crunchy group. I'm definitely the former so these go right on my to-bake list.

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  9. chewy chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. If you are interested in more of the history on the cc cookie, you should check out Joe Pastry's post on it, interesting stuff.

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  10. Those look great. Please send some this way...I could easily polish off a dozen!

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  11. These look great! I have yet to try these famous recipe. I tried the NYT's and I have to say I wasn't blow away. They were ok, but I still prefer my trusty old recipe. I found them a bit too cakey, and they could have taken a lot more chocolate... well, maybe that's just because I have unhealthy standards for the chocolate/dough ratio in my cookies!

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  12. those look great! i'm totally craving cookies now.

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  13. Good to know about how the bread flour made a difference! They look amazing! :)

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  14. I can't wait to see ( and taste!!) what you come up with for the Open House / Sale.

    Claudia
    http://salvagechicantiques.com/

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  15. It's so hard to find a good chewy chocolate chip cookie. I've heard a lot about Alton's recipe. I will have to try it for myself very soon.

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  16. Love chewy cookies...yummie...chocolate and pecans. Nice pictures!

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  17. My boyfriend just made a batch. Can't wait for them to be baked they are inhe fridge now

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