A friend once asked me how I know so much about cooking and baking. I can’t remember what I told her at the time, but as I was attempting to bake these cookies today I realized the answer: trial and error. I do. Or I try anyway. And I learn from my mistakes. Isn’t that how everyone learns everything in life? I’ve been learning plenty lately about life, let me to tell you. Or not tell you. Because this blog is about food, not life.
So here’s something I learned today that I would like to share with the readers of this post. For the love of all things good and holy/unholy (depending on your religious preference) please do not ever “chill” cookie dough that is made in part by melting chocolate down and incorporating into the batter. Why not, you ask? Because that chocolate will harden again and render your cookie dough stiff and almost unmalleable. Which I learned today when I took the dough from my fridge and set it out and had to chisel and chip away at the dough. I was literally sweating (and swearing a lot) as I chipped my way through my second pan of cookies. Also I ended up getting cookie dough all over my just cleaned kitchen floor as the bits of cookie dough would spray up every once in a while and fly out of my bowl. (Which reminds me of something else I learned today: Clean your floors after you’re done cooking/baking, not beforehand.) The directions for the recipe I found did say you can chill the dough (but bring it to room temperature before baking), but I’m telling you to save yourself some trouble, sweating and swearing by NOT chilling this dough.
Despite all the annoying effort I put into these cookies, these babies were honestly one of the BEST cookies I’ve ever made/ate. I would definitely make this recipe again (and recommend for you to try it as well) with the caveat that I would never, ever chill this cookie dough. Just a little tip from me to you. Have I mentioned this topic enough? Please don’t chill this cookie dough before baking. Great. Thanks.
This recipe is adapted from one I pulled from my Bon Appetit magazine. I subbed macadamia nuts for sunflower seeds, subbed one stick of butter for one stick of margarine, added vanilla (because every cookie should have vanilla extract in it, right?) and forgot to add the sea salt during all that chipping and chiseling of the chilled dough. Oops.
ingredients.
- ½ c. roasted macadamia nuts
- 8 oz bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used semi-sweet)
- 4 oz white chocolate, chopped
- 2 to 3 c. all-purpose flour (I always add more flour until I get my desired consistency)
- ½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- ½ c. (1 stick) margarine, room temperature
- ¾ c. granulated sugar
- ¾ c. (packed) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
- 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ c. white chocolate chips
- milk chocolate chips for baking
- Flaky sea salt
directions.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Toast macadamia nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
Toast your coconut for a few minutes before, after or at the same time as toasting your nuts.
- Meanwhile, heat chopped semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring, until melted. Remove from heat and let sit, stirring occasionally, until cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Finely grind macadamia nuts in a spice mill or crush with a handheld chopper. (I don’t have a spice mill, people. I had to chop these by hand.) Transfer to a medium bowl and add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda; whisk to combine.
- Using an electric mixer on high-speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition before adding the next. Beat until mixture is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add melted chocolate mixture, followed by dry ingredients; beat just until combined. Add enough flour to the dough to get your preferred consistency. I found that when making the recommended recipe I had to add about another cup of flour. I add until the dough becomes a bit stiff and won’t just fall off my beater. I don’t like the texture of my dough to feel whipped or like butter. Mix in coconut and both chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Roll dough into small balls (about 1″ in diameter) spacing at least 2″ apart. Sprinkle with sea salt; I forgot this step! I did dot the cookie balls with milk chocolate chips (facing up), though. This is how you can get your cookies to look kinda perfect. By touching them up before baking. Bake 8 to 10 minutes depending on how “done” you like your cookies. I like mine on the under-baked side. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.
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