But look at those beauties, no way I fail at making cookies anymore. I figured out my problem. When I bake cookies, I try to make them "healthy cookies." Substituting ingredients, swapping things around, and it never works in my favor. No matter how scientifically I think about it. So I went with my gut, and decided that I would make real-deal cookies. The kind that has butter and sugar and lots of amazing fillings. Because everything in moderation, right? Let's just say moderation was tricky with these bad boys because they were "so good you have to hide them in the freezer cookies."
I was craving a chocolate chip cookie Monday. But not just any chocolate chip cookie. I wanted something unique. Since I happened to have the week off, I had no guilt spending Monday morning brainstorming ideas for the type of cookie I'd make. I'm clearly great at utilizing time productively. But cookies are productive, right? Anyway, after thinking for a while, I realized I like coffee with my cookies but I'd never had coffee IN my cookies. And I realized that sea salt sprinkled on sweet things, adds this pop to the baked good like no other. I can't explain it, but I knew sea salt and coffee was gonna be a winner. And walnuts go with chocolate like coffee goes with donuts (no brainer), and this cookie was born.
So like I said before, when I get too experimental with a cookie recipe, it never works out in my favor. I have to give credit to Jessica, because her oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe is literally the best. I used her recipe and made a few tweaks to it to give it that coffee, walnut and sea salt flare you're oh so curious about. I have to also give credit to Cait as well because I was scouring the web to see who else had done this before and she's clearly a coffee lover like me.
So I see so much potential for creating new types of cookies with the base of this cookie recipe. I've already had requests for trail mix cookies. Which is actually one of my favorite types of cookies. You know, putting allllll the dried fruit and nuts into the cookie? But not raisins, because I hate raisins. If you love them, I apologize. But don't add them to the coffee cookies, because that would be weird.
COFFEE AND SEA-SALT OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES WITH WALNUTS
INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup butter or margarine (room temperature) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons instant coffee 1 teaspoon Penzeys baking spice (you could use cinnamon and nutmeg as a substitute) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 - 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks sea salt or coarse Kosher salt, for sprinkling OPTIONAL: 1-2 tablespoons brewed coffee OR milk, only if dough is crumbly | DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until smooth. Slowly add in egg, than vanilla until well combined. Slowly add in flour, baking powder, salt, instant coffee, and baking spice a little bit at a time. Beat in oats. Mix just until the dough comes together. If the dough is crumbly, add coffee or milk until the dough comes together. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove dough from fridge. Scoop about 2 teaspoons worth of dough out at a time and roll into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Align cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes. |