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Overly Complex Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are intended to satisfy brown sugar cravings as well as placate a bit of the desire for saltiness. They rely heavily on the Maillard reaction to find cookie bliss. Roasted sugar should build a nice structure and provide a non-overly sweet caramel/toffy flavor that compliments the Bourbon and with vanilla. Toasted oat flour provides both a hint of nuttiness and a silky-chewy texture that the brown sugar itself can't provide. A variety of texture and flavor is intended by using both chocolate chunks and chips. Finally, brown butter and a finishing of salt brings it all together. Note that the cookie dough is intended to rest for at least 12 to 24 hours before baking, this exercise in patience is worth it.

This recipe is purposely complex. That complexity however is reflected in flavor, not the skills needed to make cookies. Yes, there are many steps, but not a one of them is difficult. Time, and intention are key ingredients to these Overly Complex Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe is heavily inspired by the works of J. Kenji López-Alt1, America's Test Kitchen2 and Cooks Illustrated3.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 oz roasted sugar (made with granulated white sugar; see preparation below)
  • 3 oz toasted oat flour (made with old-fashioned rolled oats; see preparation below)
  • 5 3/4 oz unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 7 oz unsalted butter divided (brown butter)
  • 5 1/4 oz fresh dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract 4
  • 2 tbs Bourbon 5
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate chunks
  • 4 oz dark chocolate chips
  • extra chocolate chunks/chips (for topping before baking)
  • course finishing salt

Preparation

Roasted Sugar

Roast sugar using the Stella Parks Roasted Sugar method6. In this process much more roasted sugar than is needed will be made for the recipe, but it is versatile and stores well. Don't attempt to scale down too far.

Roasted sugar should be prepared well ahead of the cookie recipe.

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F
  2. Add at least 3 lbs granulated white sugar to a glass or ceramic baking dish such that it is at least 3/4 inch deep with a uniform depth
  3. Bake sugar, stirring well every 20 to 30 minutes
  4. Total bake should last for at least 3 hours, but up to 5 for a richer flavor and darker color
  5. Allow roasted sugar to cool away from moisture as the sugar is hygroscopic and will adsorb errant water
  6. Once cooled it may be desirable to sift thoroughly through a course sieve for uniformity and removal of possible lumps
  7. Store extra sugar in a sealed container

Toasted Oat Flour

Toasted oat flour may be prepared ahead of cookie recipe

  1. Begin with more than the desired final weight of old-fashioned rolled oats as toasting process can reduce moisture
  2. Add oats to pre-heated dry skillet
  3. Keep the oats constantly moving until they become golden brown with a nutty aroma
  4. Allow toasted oats to cool to room temperature
  5. In food processor, blender, or even a coffee grinder grind the toasted oats into a fine flour

Cookie Dough

  1. Sift and whisk together toasted oat flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and baking soda
  2. Prepare brown butter
    • Melt 5 oz unsalted butter in a pan with on medium-low heat
    • Continue to cook butter continuously stirring until it is golden brown with a nutty aroma
    • Immediately remove brown butter, including solids, from pan placing in a heat proof container stirring in the remaining 2 oz unsalted butter to cool and arrest any further cooking.
    • Allow to cool completely
  3. Prepare wet ingredients
    • Combine cooled brown butter, roasted sugar, dark brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and Bourbon. Cream mixture until incorporated and no lumps remain
    • Add egg and additional egg yolk to mixture and incorporate until smooth
    • Allow to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before and work again for approximately 30 seconds. Repeat rest and work a couple of times until mixture becomes thick, smooth, and glossy. This allows the sugar to properly dissolve in the mixture
  4. Add flour mixture in 2 stages to wet ingredients until just integrated
  5. Add measured semisweet chocolate chunks and dark chocolate chips
  6. Allow dough to rest for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator in an air tight container

Cookie Baking

  1. Prepare 2-3 baking sheets with parchment
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F with a central oven rack
  3. Make 24 dough balls of approximately 3 tbs each of cookie dough
  4. For added texture tear each dough ball in half and sticking sticking the smooth sides back together with the rough sides facing outward
  5. Top dough balls with a few extra chocolate chunks/chips for flavor and presentation
  6. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating cookie sheet 180 degrees at the half way point in your not cooking in a convection oven
  7. Lightly sprinkle still warm cookies with a bit of course finishing salt
  8. Allow to cool slightly and set before transferring cookies to finish cooling on a wire rack

Footnotes

  1. See Kenji López-Alt's article "The Food Lab: The Science of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies" (https://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html) and "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe" (https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/12/the-food-lab-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe.html)
  2. "Chocolate Chip Cookies" from "The America's Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Become a Great Cook" ISBN 978-1936493524
  3. "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies" from "The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen (Cook's Illustrated Cookbooks)" ISBN 978-1933615981
  4. Vanilla is an important ingredient, I'd highly recommend using real vanilla extract over the cheaper imitation extract, however beyond that the fanciest and most expensive varietal is often unnecessary in baked goods.
  5. The Bourbon is an agent of flavor and chaos in these cookies it is not necessary to use simply flavorful. If you don't care for Bourbon, Amaretto is one of many alternative options
  6. The Stella Parks Roasted Sugar (https://food52.com/recipes/72233-roasted-sugar) Method turns the simple sweetness of granulated white sugar into something much more complex and favorable.