Benjamin Sormonte & Elisa Marshall's Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

The partners and co-owners of Maman bakeries share a homemade version of their popular "gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside" treat—which is featured in their new baking guide Maman: The Cookbook.

Photo: Jennifer Causey

"With so many great cookies in NYC, we sought out to give a twist to a classic chocolate chip cookie, while still keeping that homemade taste," say Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall. "We wanted to have fun combining textures and flavors and elevating a classic recipe."

The partners and co-owners of Maman bakeries share a homemade version of their popular "gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside" treat—which is featured in their new baking guide Maman: The Cookbook.

Sormonte and Marshall love to serve these cookies and to gift them. "These make the perfect cookie for holiday gift exchanges," suggest the chefs. "I love bringing these as hostess gifts either as pre-rolled balls in a beautiful glass tupperware so they can be put directly in the fridge or freezer, or baked in a loaf pan wrapped in a holiday tea towel."

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 11 oz.s dark chocolate baking wafers (such as Guittard, about 2 cups), from (1 [12-oz.] package)
• 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup raw unsalted macadamia nuts
• ½ cup slice raw unsalted almonds
• ½ cup raw unsalted walnut halves
• 1 ¾ cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Combine baking wafers, butter, macadamia nuts, almonds and walnuts in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on low to slightly break up the nuts and chocolate, about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar; beat on low until butter and sugar come together. With mixer still running on low, gradually add flour and salt, and beat until incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition, and beat until dough starts sticking to the sides of bowl. Scrape down sides of bowl again; beat on low 10 seconds more to evenly distribute nuts and chocolate.
• Step 2Turn dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper, and flatten into an 8-inch square, roughly 1½-inch thick. Fold parchment paper to completely cover and wrap dough; place in a ziplock bag; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 7 days.
• Step 3Set a rack in the center of oven, and preheat to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Step 4Divide chilled dough into 14 equal portions (about 3½ ounces each); using hands, roll each portion into a ball. Arrange 4 balls of dough on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart (keep remaining dough balls refrigerated). Use palm of hand to flatten into disks, roughly ½-inch-thick. Bake in preheated oven 6 minutes. Rotate sheet pan as needed for even baking; bake until edges are browned but centers are still a little gooey, 6 to 7 minutes longer. Let cool on sheet pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Tips

Try to handle the dough as little as possible while rolling into balls, suggest the chefs. The heat from your hand will warm the dough, causing the cookies to flatten and spread as they bake.