Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here’s my second effort for the Food52 Chocolate Cookie recipe contest.  The basis for this recipe comes by way of the former Restaurant Vintage Park in Kearney, Nebraska.  I used to make a metric butt-load of these guys.  I think it’s the best chocolate chip recipe ever; not too crisp, not over cake-like.  Just right.  This version was inspired by a Cinco de Mayo fiesta I attended a couple of Cinco de Mayos ago.  Chili, spices, aromatics, cocoa nibs and walnuts sounded delicious to me.  It was a crowd pleasing treat, and I’ve made them a few times since.

This recipe is made in a style called the ‘cream method’.  In the cream method, the butter (or shortening) and sugar(s) are mixed together until they are light and fluffy.  The other ‘wet’ ingredients are added (eggs, vanilla, etc.), and then the dry ingredients are added.

Here’s the recipe – Yields 1.5 dozen good sized (2-2.5 oz) cookies

• 1 Cup Butter
• ¾ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• ¾ Cup Granulated White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Corriander Seed
• 1 tsp. Cummin Seed
• 1 tsp. Fennel Seed
• ¼ tsp. Chili Powder
• ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
• ¼ Cup Cocoa Nibs
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cream together the butter and sugars in a standing mixer or with a hand held beater until light and fluffy.  Slowly incorporate one egg at a time until well mixed, then mix in the vanilla extract.  Using a spice grinder, finely grind the cummin, corriander, and fennel seeds.  Reserve this spice mixture to a medium bowl and continue adding the remaining spice powders, flour, salt, and baking soda.  Whisk together with a fork or wire whisk until the mixture is well combined.  Slowly add this dry mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture using the lowest setting on your mixer, or by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Once well combined, add the nuts, cocoa nibs, and chocolate chips all at once and mix until just incorporated.  Portion out the dough and slightly flatten the cookies to 1/2 inch.  Bake for 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes for an even bake.  Reserve to a wire rack for cooling.

These are the kind of cookies that I can’t have sitting around the house, because I will eat them until I make myself uncomfortable.  Try them yourself, and let me know if you can eat just one.

Cheers my dears – -

-Scott