Classic Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

It took me a while to perfect chocolate chip cookies. Every recipe I would try was never quite right. It was always too thin, too sweet, too salty, etc. After testing out some popular YouTube recipes, I think I finally have the best of all worlds. Here is how I make my chocolate chip and walnut cookies (walnuts optional).

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup melted unsalted butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 dark chocolate bar, chopped

1/4-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolatey you like your cookies)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

METHOD:

1. Melt butter in a microwave safe small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

2. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Add the sugars and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Mix until combined with an electric mixer. With the electric mixer running on low speed, slowly add melted butter to the sugar mixture. Beat until light brown and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the egg and egg yolk to the sugar and butter mixture. Beat until incorporated.

5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, about 1/3 of the dry mixture at a time, and mix until just incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix as this will result in a tough cookie!

6. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold in the chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, and walnuts until well distributed throughout the dough.

7. Shape dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. If there is left over dough, shape and store for later use.

8. Cover and refrigerate cookies for at least one hour (ideally, overnight).

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. Bake in a preheated oven for 12-14 minutes.

11. Let cool before transferring to a serving plate.

12. Enjoy!