TOFFEE CHIP COOKIES

This is one of those recipes that came about as a happy accident. We had been tinkering with our pecan toffee recipe but hadn’t quite gotten it right. Rather than toss out the not-quite-perfect outcome, we chopped the toffee and added it to a batch of cookie dough. The result was the ideal union of a candy and a cookie. Toffee Chip Cookies have become even more popular than our Chocolate Chip Cookies!

AT A GLANCE:

MAKES: about 40 cookies

CHILLING TIME: 2 hours or up to overnight

SHELF LIFE: 5 days

INGREDIENTS:

• 2⅔ cups (12 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups coarsely chopped Almond Toffee
• 3½ ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% to 65% cacao; see Note), coarsely chopped (about
  1 cup)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and both sugars. Mix on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and, with the motor running, add the eggs one at a time, completely mixing in each egg before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla, and mix until blended, about 15 seconds. Add the toffee and chocolate and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together about 15 seconds.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until the dough is firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
4. When you’re ready to bake, position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick mats.
5. Scoop up 2 tablespoons of dough (we use a 1-ounce ice cream scoop) and form the dough into a ball. Repeat until all the dough has been shaped. Place the balls 2½ inches apart on the baking sheets. Flatten the balls slightly with the palm of your hand so that they’re about ½ inch thick.
6. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue to bake until the cookies are golden on the edges and just barely set in the center, 6 to 7 minutes longer.
7. Let the cookies cool for a minute on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Bake the remaining dough balls. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

TIPS:

• If you leave your toffee in larger pieces, the toffee will melt in little pockets, producing a very lacy and crunchy cookie.
• If you do not want to bake all the cookies at once, scoop the cookie dough into balls and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag and keep in the freezer until the desire for a warm cookie calls.

NOTE:

• We prefer to use hand-chopped chocolate, but chocolate chips can easily be substituted. However, bittersweet chocolate is preferable to semisweet here, as the toffee already contributes a lot of sweetness and bittersweet chocolate provides a nice contrast.