For me, baking is less about the end game than it is about the journey. Of course, I have a serious sweet tooth and love the satisfaction of eating something delicious that I made myself. But I also get a lot of joy just out of the process of baking. I love precisely measuring all of the ingredients. I love licking the bowl (eggs and all). I love indulging all of my compulsive tendencies and weighing spoonfuls of batter so that every cookie is exactly the same size. In fact, the only thing I don’t love about baking is that I don’t have the metabolism of a 12-year-old and self control was never my strong suit, and I can’t have 48 cookies lying around the house afterwards.
To get around that last point, especially for things like cookies and bars, I’ve taken to bringing them to work. I first portion myself out a cookie per day for about a week, and then I pack up the rest and bring them to colleagues, so that self control then becomes their problem and not mine.
Sharing is caring, but it’s also a very good way to get valuable recipe feedback. As you can imagine, most of the time people are just impressed that I bake in my so-called spare time. But once in awhile I know I hit on a real winner when the emails start pouring in, and that’s exactly what happened with these cookies. In two years, I’ve brought a lot of treats to work. I always get a few emails saying something with delicious. But the response on these cookies blew me away. People told me they were the best cookies they ever ate, and many asked for the recipe. I obviously took this as a very strong sign that I needed to share them here.
I can’t pinpoint exactly why the cookies are so incredible, but it probably comes down to a few things. First, they feature pistachios, which I think are extremely underrated nuts. They’re subtle but distinct, and so rarely featured in baked goods! Second, they have the ideal cookie texture, the one you always strive for, but often don’t achieve – crisp on the outside and nice and chewy within. And last, the secret ingredient – smoked sea salt. Sprinkle it liberally on top (it’s actually pretty subtle) and it adds a je ne sais quois to your cookies that no one will quite be able to put their finger on, but that makes all the difference. Just beware – after you make these cookies and share them, you may not be able to tell your true friends from the chocoholics flocking behind you.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- Smoked salt for topping
Instructions
- Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat in for about 1 minute. Add vanilla extract and beat to incorporate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture all at once to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Finally mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.
- Dollop or scoop cookie dough by the 2 tablespoonful onto prepared baking tins. Leave about 2 inches of room between each cookie. Sprinkle generously with smoked sea salt.
- Bake cookies for 18 minutes, or until just golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
From Homemade Decadence
