Crispy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
How to Make Perfectly Crispy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
When it comes to cookies, I personally prefer them to be either delightfully crisp or wonderfully chewy in the center. While a chewy cookie is undeniably delicious, there’s a unique charm to a cookie that’s satisfyingly crunchy all the way through. Methods for achieving this crispiness often involve either extending the baking time or incorporating cornstarch into the dough. I’ve made the cornstarch version many times, but today I’m sharing a recipe that focuses on achieving crispiness through a longer bake time for these milk chocolate chip cookies. Both methods have their own distinct qualities: the cornstarch version tends to be lighter and more shatteringly crisp, while a longer bake results in a firmer, more robust crunch. Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference, and both are incredibly delicious! Let’s bake some wonderfully crispy milk chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients (Makes about 14 cookies)- 110g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 38g egg (about 1 small egg), at room temperature
- 40g granulated sugar
- 35g muscovado sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 2g salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
- 205g all-purpose flour (or ‘Our Flour’ if available)
- 2g baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon)
- 2g baking soda (about 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 95g milk couverture chocolate, finely chopped
- 60g roasted pecans, roughly chopped
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your roasted pecans. Instead of chopping them too finely, aim for a rough chop so you get a satisfying texture with each bite of the cookie. It’s convenient to do this before you start making the cookie dough.
Step 2
In a clean bowl, place the softened unsalted butter. Ensure the butter is at room temperature – it should be soft enough to be easily pressed with your finger but not melted. This consistency is ideal for creaming.
Step 3
Once the butter is creamed to a soft texture, add the granulated sugar, muscovado sugar, and salt. Mix them together well. You don’t need to cream them extensively; just mix until they are well combined. A slight grittiness from the sugar is perfectly fine.
Step 4
Lightly whisk the room-temperature egg in a separate small bowl, then stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add this egg mixture to the butter-sugar mixture in two to three additions, mixing with a hand mixer or whisk after each addition. Be sure not to add it all at once, as this can cause the mixture to curdle.
Step 5
You don’t need to beat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Leaving some of the sugar’s texture is actually beneficial for achieving a crispy cookie. The mixture should still feel slightly gritty when you touch it.
Step 6
Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda over the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or scraper, gently mix until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as the mixture looks crumbly.
Step 7
Add the roughly chopped pecans and finely chopped milk couverture chocolate to the dough. Gently fold them in until they are just distributed throughout the mixture. Avoid overmixing to prevent the chocolate from melting too much or breaking down.
Step 8
The cookie dough is now ready to be shaped. It should have a texture that’s firm enough to handle but not overly sticky. If the dough feels too soft, chilling it in the refrigerator for a short period will make it easier to work with.
Step 9
Divide the dough into portions of approximately 40-42 grams each. Roll each portion into a ball and then flatten it slightly with your palm to create a cookie shape. Place the shaped cookies onto a baking sheet, ensuring there’s enough space between them as they will spread during baking.
Step 10
Preheat your oven. For Smeg ovens, preheat to 175°C (347°F) and then reduce the temperature to 165°C (329°F) for baking. Bake for about 19 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops appear firm. Once baked, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying. Moving them while still warm helps prevent breakage. Savor your perfectly crispy milk chocolate chip cookies!
