Cookies: A Love Language

My mother-in-law, Jacci, made the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten. Over the years, I would try to replicate them, but they never came out quite as good. When I asked for her secret, she simply said that she followed the recipe on the back of the Toll House bag, but doubled the butter. I don’t know- I think she just had the magical cookie touch because I could never replicate them. So, many years ago, I just decided to stop trying to make hers and just make my own version instead so that I wouldn’t be disappointed every time.

A year ago, we lost Jacci to cancer and it’s a heartbreak that is still fresh. I often talk to her in the kitchen, especially when I’m baking cookies. She had this enchanting way of bringing life and comfort into a house with the perfume of baking- a gift that she passed onto my sister-in-law. When I’m standing alone in the kitchen, measuring ingredients and watching the mixer combine separate things into one delicious whole, I can almost see her standing across the island with her glass of Sauvignon Blanc in hand and big smile saying “something smells goood”. No matter what misunderstandings or disagreements we may have had over the years, we could always come together in the kitchen- over a glass of wine and some cookies.

I-Can’t-Bake-As-Good-As-My-Mother-In-Law Cookies

Yields 16 cookies in 1” ice cream scoop size
Preheat oven to 375F (380F for high altitude)
Bake 10-12 minutes

In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, or large bowl with handheld mixer, cream together:
1 stick butter, unsalted at room temp
3/4 c dark muscavado sugar
1 egg, room temp
zest of 1 orange
1/2 c pecans
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Once the mixture is fully combined and slightly fluffy (about 1-2 minutes), slowly add in:
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 c All Purpose Flour
1 pinch of salt

Mix until the dough just comes together ( 30-45 seconds) and then add:
1 c dark chocolate chips

Mix to fully incorporate (10-15 seconds)

Take an ice cream scoop of your choice and scoop the cookies out onto a baking sheet (either spaced for baking, or closely together to freeze for later). Add a sprinkle of Vanilla Sea Salt, or regular sea salt, to the tops before freezing. Even if you intend to bake the cookies right away, put them in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes before. You can also freeze the cookies until solid (1 hour to overnight) and then store in a ziplock in your freezer to have freshly-baked cookies whenever you want. Bake them straight from frozen according to the same directions.

Enjoy with somebody you love!