Time: 20 minutes to prep, 30 minutes when baking
Feeds: 6 people
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces salted butter (about 1/2 cup; 113g), softened
- 4 ounces light brown sugar (about 1/2 cup, firmly packed; 113g)
- 3 1/2 ounces white sugar, preferably well toasted (about 1/2 cup; 100g)
- 1/2 ounce vanilla extract (about 1 tablespoon; 15g)
- 2 teaspoons (8g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight (plus more for sprinkling, if desired)
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g), straight from the fridge
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups, spooned; 283g), such as Gold Medal
- 1 12 ounce bag semi sweet chocolate chips (about 2 1/2 cups; 425g),
- 1 cup raw walnut pieces or lightly toasted pecan pieces, chopped
Directions: Combine butter, light brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Mix on low to moisten, then increase speed to medium and beat until soft, fluffy, and pale, about 8 minutes; halfway through, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula. With mixer running, add eggs one at a time, letting each incorporate fully before adding the next. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour all at once. When flour is incorporated, add chocolate chips and nuts and keep mixing until dough is homogeneous.
Divide dough into 6 ounce portions and round each into a smooth ball. You should be able to get about 6 cookies out of this with a 7th that will be smaller than the rest. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 12 hours before baking; if well protected from air, the dough can be kept in the fridge up to 1 week.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line an aluminum half-sheet pan with parchment paper. When the oven comes to temperature, arrange as many portions of cold dough as you’d like on prepared pan, leaving ample space between them to account for spread. If you like, sprinkle with additional salt to taste.
Bake until cookies are puffed and lightly brown, about 22 minutes. We prefer to bake one cookie a night when we have the dough made and in the freezer. They’re big enough that we can split one in half and it’s the perfect nighttime snack for us when we need something sweet.