Give a Girl a Cookie...

And she might just start a blog.

I have to admit that if it weren't for these cookies I might never have done it, but they are just too good to keep to myself. And come to think of it there are a few other recipes I've found through the years that I'd like to share - if only so I've got them all in a searchable location with photos to boot! The stack of paper print-outs in my cupboard is getting a little scary, not to mention that when you start putting too many Post-It note markers in a cook book they kinda lose their meaning.

But back to the good stuff.

These are adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe to taste like Panera's Chocolate Duet cookies, which I absolutely love. I think the trick is to get good dark cocoa powder. Play around with the brands and chocolate flavors (semi-sweet, dark, milk, etc) for the melted chocolate in the batter and the chips in the cookies to find what you like best!

Chocolate Duet Cookies with Walnuts

Makes about 3 dozen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (this is important, adds a different flavor than regular!)
  
• 4 oz. semi-sweet baking bar, coarsely chopped (or 2/3 cup chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (find them by the chocolate chips, which you can also use)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt 4 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.
2. Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, and walnuts.
3. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 12 minutes (cookies should be soft - watch your first batch to find your oven and cookie sheets optimum time). Let cool on parchment on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.