Big and Sturdy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chilling the dough is a key step in making these sturdy but tender, high and dense chocolate chunk cookies. The toasted oats are subtle and give the cookie some complexity without making them taste like an oatmeal cookie. I package these cookies in cellophane gift bags and tie with a twisty for little gifts.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 50 mins
• Serves: 9
• Yields: 9 big cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup pecan pieces
• 1⁄2 cup rolled oats
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled (about 5 minutes)
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup white sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups bread flour (not all purpose)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (6 ounce)  dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread pecan pieces over half of a large cookie sheet.
3. Spread oats over other half of cookie sheet.
4. Bake pecans and oats for 8-10 minutes or until aromatic and toasted.
5. Remove from oven and let cool.
6. In a medium bowl, stir (by hand) melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth.
7. Stir in the egg and vanilla, being careful not to over-beat.
8. Mix together the bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir into sugar mixture.
9. Stir toasted oats and pecans.
10. Stir in chocolate chunks.
11. Using a packed quarter cup measure, shape dough into balls and place on a dish.
12. Refrigerate shaped dough balls for at least 3 hours.
13. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
14. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and place thoroughly chilled dough balls about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
15. Bake cookies for 15 minutes, covering loosely with sheet of foil after first 10 minutes to prevent over browning.
16. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
17. Let cool completely.