Crunchy Salty Sweet

If you’re on Instagram, and follow a minimum of one food blogger, chances are you saw THE COOKIES last year. Alison Roman developed these cookies with a shortbread base and chocolate chunks, which are cut from logs and rolled in sugar before baking. So, being a diligent food blogger, I made them…I made them again, (just to be sure), and then made them a third time because I was obsessed.

I thought I couldn’t improve them (and many will argue I can’t…), but I had an idea to increase the caramel-y crispiness. So when my husband and I tried my version, which is rolled in toffee bits instead of demerara sugar,  we were astonished that they were our new favorites! Fresh from the oven, they’re good. But after sitting to cool for a couple hours – they are beyonddddddd all comprehension.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and prep two additional pieces of parchment paper, about the same size.

In a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer), beat the butter with the sugars and vanilla for about 5 minutes at medium-high speed. It will take awhile to break down the cold butter, but be patient, eventually it’ll become smooth.

Scrape the sides of the bowl, and add in the flour. Mix until just combined. Add in the chocolate chunks and stir to incorporate.

Dump the dough onto one of the pieces of parchment and knead it to make sure the flour is completely mixed into the dough. Then, cut the dough into two equal chunks, placing one on the 2nd reserved sheet of parchment.

Roll the dough into a log, about 2 inches in diameter, and roll up in the parchment, twisting or folding the ends like a piece of candy. Repeat with the 2nd log, and place both into the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight if you have the time!).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap your parchment, and pour out about 1/3 cup of toffee bits (you may need more or less) onto the parchment next to the dough log.

Brush the outside of each log with the beaten egg and then roll in the toffee bits. Things may get messy here, but just be sure to press the toffee bits into the dough as evenly as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

With a sharp, serrated knife, slice the log into about 14-15 rounds. The dough may crumble a bit when you hit a piece of chocolate, but be patient and cut slowly, sawing back and forth. If a big chunk of dough comes off, use your hands to press it back together.

Place the cookie rounds onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart and sprinkle with flaked salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, it will take around 13 minutes, plus or minus a minute.

When you take these out, the toffee bits will have melted a little around the cookies. In my opinion, these cookies are *only okay* fresh from the oven. The real treasure lies in waiting until the toffee bits firm back up and the cookies have fully cooled. Be patient, young grasshopper!

Once cooled, dig into these bad boys…I will honestly award you a medal of self-control if you can eat just one.

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Adapted from: New York Times

Makes: 30 cookies

Prep: 15 minutes, Cook: 12 minutes, Total: under 30 minutes (plus 2-3 hours rest time)

• 18 tablespoons (or 2 1/4 sticks) salted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 6 ounces chocolate (I used a 45% bar which is just barely considered dark), chopped into chunks
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Toffee bits (plain, not the ones with chocolate), for rolling
• Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and prep two additional pieces of parchment paper, about the same size.

In a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer), beat the butter with the sugars and vanilla for about 5 minutes at medium-high speed. It will take awhile to break down the cold butter, but be patient, eventually it’ll become smooth.

Scrape the sides of the bowl, and add in the flour. Mix until just combined. Add in the chocolate chunks and stir to incorporate.

Dump the dough onto one of the pieces of parchment and knead it to make sure the flour is completely mixed into the dough. Then, cut the dough into two equal chunks, placing one on the 2nd reserved sheet of parchment.

Roll the dough into a log, about 2 inches in diameter, and roll up in the parchment, twisting or folding the ends like a piece of candy. Repeat with the 2nd log, and place both into the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight if you have the time!).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap your parchment, and pour out about 1/3 cup of toffee bits (you may need more or less) onto the parchment next to the dough log.

Brush the outside of each log with the beaten egg and then roll in the toffee bits. Things may get messy here, but just be sure to press the toffee bits into the dough as evenly as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

With a sharp, serrated knife, slice the log into about 14-15 rounds. The dough may crumble a bit when you hit a piece of chocolate, but be patient and cut slowly, sawing back and forth. If a big chunk of dough comes off, use your hands to press it back together.

Place the cookie rounds onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart and sprinkle with flaked salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, it will take around 13 minutes, plus or minus a minute.

When you take these out, the toffee bits will have melted a little around the cookies. In my opinion, these cookies are *only okay* fresh from the oven. The real treasure lies in waiting until the toffee bits firm back up and the cookies have fully cooled. Be patient, young grasshopper!

Once cooled, dig into these bad boys…I will honestly award you a medal of self-control if you can eat just one.