Hungry Girl Por Vida

Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Sea Salt

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Sometimes you get attention when you really don’t want it. This happened to a friend of mine yesterday. Some dude, creeping her out in a coffee shop. So instead of feeling weird and awkward and creeped out…she did something weird and a little gross.

She picked her nose in an ultra-obvious way.

She texted me as she was doing this, knowing that this is the sort of thing that is right up my alley. I would totally do something like that. I’ve been known to do something weird to make a point. It not only turned the creeped-out table on that dude, but gave us both a good laugh.

So, if you don’t want that attention, be a weirdo. It works like a charm.

But…if you want some non-creepy attention, if you want someone to maybe even like you, cookies are always a good route. These cookies want your attention, even if they aren’t beauty queens. They have deep, chocolatey flavor, nutty-sweet pecans, rich bits of dark chocolate, and crunchy, sea salt sprinkles. They are dense, yet soft and yielding. Perfect with cold milk.

Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Sea Salt

Adapted from The Kitchn. Makes about 2 dozen. 

The original recipe suggests using the best dutch-process cocoa, fresh nuts, and quality chocolate or chips. I agree whole-heartedly, the flavor of the cookies will be totally worth the quality ingredients. I used Valrhona cocoa powder, ghiradelli chips, freshly-toasted pecans, and Maldon salt. You can use just all-purpose flour if you do not have/want the white whole wheat. 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white whole wheat flour

2/3 cup unsweetened, dutch processed cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips/chopped chocolate pieces

1 cup pecans, toasted and broken into pieces

flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375F and line sheet pans with parchment or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and espresso. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Scrape down sides and add eggs one at a time until well-combined, scraping as needed. Mix in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in dry ingredients, just until combined. Fold in the chocolate and nuts.

Drop or scoop dough onto baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes (mine took 11) until puffed and still slightly shiny in the middle. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Serve with cold glasses of milk.

 

 

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  8. Sugar and Spice

    Scrummy…utterly scrummy Cindy! Now I’m going to have to work out in grams how much 1 1/2 sticks of butter is, ‘cos I think these cookies are just begging to be made, and devoured in a day. 🙂

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  14. jenny

    omg. I have been dealing with a super-creepy guy situation all week. wish I’d had this entry on monday so I could have taken some hints from your friend. LOL! (of course, it would have been nice to drown my woes in these cookies as well. 😉 )

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