Chocolate and Cocoa Nib Cookies

I'm a big, big fan of chocolate chip cookies but after a while they all taste the same to me.  Thankfully, this past weekend, a friend gifted me a pack of her homemade cookies.  I didn't think much of it until I tried it but it was one of the best cookies I've ever had.  It was chewy, soft, and crispy on the edges, everything you want from a  cookie.  

Since cookies call for such simple ingredients, it's important to focus on quality.  At work, we have endless supplies of Valrhona chocolate but I do not have that luxury at home.  For this recipe, I used at 72% chocolate from Max Brenner I received as a gift a little while ago.  Change the percentage of chocolate to your taste but I do love the slight bitterness from the 72%.  For children, it would be fun to use a mixture of white and milk chocolate just to sweeten it up a bit.

Chocolate and Cocoa Nib Cookies

yield: 12 cookies (approx. 2 oz each)

butter, room temp                4 oz

brown sugar                         6 oz

sugar                                    2 oz

vanilla extract                      1/2 tsp

eggs                                      3 eggs

flour, sifted                          10 oz

salt                                       1/2 tsp

baking soda                         1/2 tsp          

cocoa nibs                            3 oz

chopped 72% chocolate       8 oz

In a mixing bowl, paddle your tempered butter until smooth.  Make sure to paddle just until smooth.  You do not want to whip and aerate the butter.

Add your sugars and mix until there are no longer any streaks of butter.  Add your vanilla and eggs, incorporating one at a time.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the sifted flour, salt, and baking soda in two additions.  Scrape down the bowl in between additions.

Add the cocoa nibs and chocolate in two additions.

Scoop out the cookies to your desired size.  Top with a sprinkle of maldon and additional chocolate if you please.  Line a sheet pan with parchment and spray with a light layer of cooking spray to prevent sticking.  I had my cookies at 2 ounces each and it will bake at 350F for 15 minutes.  The edges of the cookie should be slightly brown but still soft in the center.  Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

xo ,
Dee