Crunch Time Recipe
Crunch Time Cookies
As a bonus, the story contains a number of recipes for
delicious dishes like these Crunch Time Cookies: Start with
1 cup pecan halves, 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon
kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking
soda, ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature, and ¼ cup softened cream cheese.
You'll also need a 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed,
¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, at room temperature, 1
teaspoon vanilla extract, 2½ cups rolled oats, 8 ounces (1½
cups) semisweet chocolate chips, 4 ounces (2/3 cup) toffee
bits like Heath Toffee Bits or Bits ‘O Brickle.
In a large frying pan, sauté the pecans over low heat,
stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the nuts
begin to change color and emit a nutty scent. Turn the nuts
out onto paper towels and allow them to cool, then chop them
roughly and set aside.
Sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and
baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese
on medium speed until the mixture is very creamy. Add the
brown sugar and beat very well, until the mixture is creamy
and uniform. Add the granulated sugar and again beat very
well, until you have a uniform, creamy mixture. Add the
eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Stir
in the vanilla.
Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the dry mixture just
until combined. Then stir in the oats, chocolate chips,
cooled nuts and toffee bits, blending only until thoroughly
mixed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the
refrigerator until completely chilled, at least three hours
or overnight.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, take the bowl out
of the refrigerator and allow the batter to warm slightly
while the oven is preheating.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place silicone mats on 2
cookie sheets.
Measure the batter out by tablespoonful's, two inches
apart. Place no more than a dozen cookies on each sheet.
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9−11 minutes, until the edges
of the cookies are very brown and the centers are no longer
soft.
When you remove a cookie sheet from the oven, place it on
a cooling rack for 2 minutes, so the cookies can set up.
Then use a pancake turner to remove the cookies to cooling
racks and allow them to cool completely. Store in airtight
containers or in zippered freezer bags. These cookies freeze
well. This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies.
By Stacy Delray
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