Smoky Sweet Chocolate Chip Delights
Indulge in the unique taste of Smoky Sweet Chocolate Chip Delights, a perfect blend of smoked walnuts, rich dark chocolate chips, and a classic cookie dough enhanced with a hint of cinnamon and lemon juice. Baked to perfection in a smoker, these cookies offer an irresistibly addicting smoky sweetness.
There's always that one recipe that takes you back to a moment, a feeling, or a place. For me, it's the Smoky Sweet Chocolate Chip Delights. The inception of this recipe was purely accidental, born out of a lazy summer afternoon at our family cabin. With a smoker idly prepping for dinner and a sudden craving for something sweet, the idea struck me: why not use the smoker to bake cookies? Experimenting with what I had on hand, the addition of smoked walnuts was a game-changer, infusing the cookies with a depth of flavor I hadn't anticipated. Each bite now serves as a delightful reminder of that summer's day, blending the warmth of the sun with the comfort of home-cooked treats. It’s a testament to the joy of culinary adventures and the sweet surprises they can bring.
Ingredients
- For the Smoked Walnuts:
- 210 g approximately 1 3/4 cups Walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 28 g 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 24 g 2 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- For the Cookie Dough:
- 224 g 2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 156 g 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 144 g 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 270 g 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 40 g 1/2 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Cinnamon adjusted to taste
- 448 g 2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips
- Smoked Walnuts roughly chopped, to be added as per taste
Instructions
- Preparation of Smoked Walnuts:
- Initiate the process by preheating the smoker to a steady temperature of 225ºF (107ºC).
- Melt the unsalted butter in a sizeable bowl. Proceed to incorporate the light brown sugar, mixing until homogeneous. Introduce the chopped walnuts to this mixture, ensuring each piece is evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated walnuts onto a sheet pan or a disposable foil pan equipped with a wire rack. The presence of grates will facilitate enhanced smoke absorption by the walnuts.
- Subject the walnuts to smoking for a duration of 2 hours. Following this, allow them to cool momentarily before their incorporation into the cookie dough.
- Cookie Dough Preparation:
- Elevate the smoker temperature to 300ºF (149ºC) in preparation for baking.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. This should be executed over medium speed for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture attains a light and fluffy consistency.
- To this mixture, add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Begin blending at low speed for 30 seconds, then escalate to medium speed for an additional 2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes notably light and fluffy. Ensure to scrape down the bowl to incorporate all ingredients thoroughly.
- Adjust the mixer to low speed and gradually introduce the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking soda, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Mix for roughly 45 seconds, taking care not to overmix.
- Manually fold in the dark chocolate chips and the previously prepared smoked walnuts into the dough until just combined.
- Utilizing a #16 (2.75 oz) ice cream scoop or a large spoon, portion the dough into 24 evenly sized balls. Arrange these on a parchment-lined baking sheet, maintaining a distance of approximately 2 inches between each ball to accommodate spreading.
- For optimal results, it is advisable to refrigerate the portioned dough for 2 to 4 hours prior to smoking.
- Proceed to smoke the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn a golden brown hue while the centers remain slightly soft.
- This formal presentation outlines the methodical preparation of Smoky Sweet Chocolate Chip Delights, ensuring a culinary experience that combines traditional baking techniques with the distinctive flavor infusion achieved through smoking.