Chocolate Brownie Cookie

Can’t decide whether to make chocolate cookies or brownies?  Problem solved!  These cookies are chewy, nutty and completely decadent.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces extra bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao)
• 6 tbs. butter
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 cups mixed nuts, chopped (macadamia, almonds and/or pecans are super)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Microwave chocolates and butter in a large bowl on high for 1½ – 2 minutes or until almost completely melted, stirring halfway through heating time.  Stir until smooth.
3. Add sugar into the chocolate and stir to blend.  Add eggs one at-a-time, stirring well after each one. Add vanilla.
4. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mixture to the chocolate and stir to combine completely.  Add nuts to the batter.
5. Drop the cookie batter by the rounded tablespoonful, onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1½-inches apart to allow room for cookies to expand.  You’ll need 4 cookie sheets for this.
6. Bake the cookies 13 minutes or until set.  Do not over bake – cookie centers will still be slightly moist.

Makes 2 dozen large cookies.

Notes:  I like to start with whole nuts then rough chop them with a knife to allow for large, uniform pieces.  I recommend baking the cookies, 2 sheets at-a-time to prevent the oven from being over-crowded.