Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Happy national ride your bike to work day! Since we live just under 3 miles away from work, I felt obligated to ride to work today. I almost changed my mind when I walked out the door since it felt extra swampy with a side of overcast and drizzle, but I powered through and showed up to work only slightly grosser than usual.

On an even MORE exciting note, today is NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DAY! Chocolate chip cookies are kind of a big deal around the HoTang household - mainly because they make wonderful bribe material for the Patricks.

My idea of a perfect chocolate chip cookie is one that is slighty chewy and filled with goodies (chocolate chips/nuts). I've been trying out different chocolate chip recipes lately, but none of them have really impressed me - so I combined a couple of recipes together and came up with this one (which I think, is a keeper).

Chewy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

(makes 20 large cookies)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 tbs all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch) <-- this is the secret to chewy cookies!
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt 
• 1 + 1/2 sticks unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed  <--more brown sugar than granulated = chewier!
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 + 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions :

1.  Sift flour, baking soda, tapioca starch and salt into a medium sized bowl and set aside

2. In mixing bowl, add butter and sugar and mix on med-high speed for 1-2 minutes. Do not overmix (unless you want puffier, more cake-like cookies). Add eggs (1 at at time) and vanilla.

3. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just moistened.

4. Fold in chocolate and walnuts until evenly incorporated throughout dough. 

5. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. 

6. Preheat oven to 325 deg F

7. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop with ice cream scoop (about 2-3 tbs) and don't press dough down. Sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired.

8. Bake for 18-20 minutes (12-15 min for smaller cookies)