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- Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy, gooey, nutty, and outrageously good, these walnut chocolate chip cookies are made with brown butter, melty chocolate, and crunchy toasted walnuts for the ultimate cookie fix.
Brown Butter Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Let’s get one thing out of the way right now: if you’re one of those “nuts don’t belong in cookies” people, you may kindly exit the chat. Seriously, I don’t want to hear a single peep from you cookie purists on whether or not walnuts belong in cookies. I understand you, but I am of the personal believe that a classic chocolate chip cookie and a walnut chocolate chip cookie can both be delicious and perfection in their own right. So if you’re an extremist in your cookie preferences, this is your cue to leave.
Okay, now that they’re gone…hi, walnut chocolate chip cookie fans and walnut-curious chocolate chip cookie fans. These cookies are for you.
Let’s talk about why these walnut chocolate chip cookies are absolutely elite. We start with our ride-or-die brown butter chocolate chip cookie base (chewy, gooey, epitome of perfection) and then we fold in a some chopped up toasted walnuts. The result? A rich, buttery cookie that’s soft in the middle, crunchy on the edges and studded with melty chocolate and crunchy walnuts so you get an extra nutty crunch in there.
What ingredients do you need to make these walnut chocolate chip cookies?
Here’s your grocery list. Spoiler alert: it’s nothing scary.
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate
- Walnuts
Why toast the walnuts?
We love toasting nuts before baking with them because it enhance their flavor and texture to make them even more warm, nutty and flavorful. If you prefer a raw walnut taste you can also just skip the toasting step and use untoasted nuts in their place!
Tips for making the best walnut chocolate chip cookies
Want cookies that taste like they come from a bakery? We got you covered.
- Brown the butter: I tried making these without brown butter and let me tell you the melted butter cookies did not hold a candle to the brown butter version. The nutty, caramel-y flavor of the brown butter perfectly complements the nuts to give you a cookie that tastes seriously gourmet.
- Chill the dough: Minimum 30 minutes, but if time allows I think these are best when chilled overnight. It deepens the flavor and allows the wet ingredients to really absorb the dry ingredients to give you a more gourmet tasting cookie.
- Pull them out of the oven a little early: Take the cookies out when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They cookies will continue to cooke as they cool and stay soft and gooey. Trust.
How to freeze walnut chocolate chip cookies so you can prep ahead
If you like to have fresh cookies on hand whenever you need (the only kind of meal prep I can get behind), you’re in luck because you can easily store these cookies in your freezer so you can have cookies on demand whenever the craving strikes.
- Unbaked dough balls: Freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen and add 3 extra minutes to the bake time or let the dough balls sit on the counter for a half hour before baking as directed!
- Baked cookies: Bake the cookies as directed and let them cool completely before placing in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let the cookies come to room temperature before serving so you don’t break any teeth.
If you’re team walnuts, these walnut chocolate chip cookies are about to become your go-to. They’re crunchy, gooey, nutty, and absolutely delicious. Bake a batch and don’t let anyone tell you nuts don’t belong in cookies.
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PrintBrown Butter Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 12 minutes
- Total Time 2 hours
- Yield 15 cookies
- Category dessert
- Method oven
- Cuisine american
Brown Butter Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy, gooey, nutty, and outrageously goo, these walnut chocolate chip cookies are made with brown butter, melty chocolate, and crunchy toasted walnuts for the ultimate cookie fix.
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 12 minutes
- Total Time 2 hours
- Yield 15 cookies
- Category dessert
- Method oven
- Cuisine american
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter*
- 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more flaky seat salt for sprinkling
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate
- Flaky salt, optional for topping
Instructions
- First, toast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts out into an even layer on the sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring the nuts halfway through. You’ll know they’re done when they’re lightly golden brown all over and smell toasty. Set aside to cool.
- Next, brown the butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan and set over medium low heat. Low heat is key to an even, golden browning! Use a silicone spatula to stir and scrape the butter from the bottom and sides of the pan every 10 to 15 seconds. At first, the butter will melt and foam, then over time the foam bubbles will get smaller and the butter will begin to emit a warm, nutty aroma. Continue to cook the butter, occasionally stirring and scraping with your spatula, until the butter begins to take on color and you see small floating brown bits, about 5 to 7 minutes (these are the milk solids in your butter separating and toasting). Once the butter is golden brown, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool in the saucepan for a few minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Use a silicone spatula to mix together. Add the egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, salt and fold until no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix your batter. The dough should be soft but not sticky, so when you touch it with your finger your finger doesn’t stick to the dough.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed. Do not over mix. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the bowl from the fridge and use a 1.5 ounce cookie scoop to scoop out your cookies. Place the cookie dough balls in a sealed container or on a cookie sheet wrapped in plastic wrap and place back in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing the dough 2 inches apart.
- Bake until the cookies have puffed up and are light golden brown around the edges but still somewhat soft in the middle, 12 to 13 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if using), and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving.
Notes
- After browning the butter you should have 140 grams of butter left!
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 12 minutes
- Total Time 2 hours
- Yield 15 cookies
- Category dessert
- Method oven
- Cuisine american
I have just finished making these, my only concern is why are my cookies staying round with some height, and not flattening down like your example picture for this recipe reflects.
Can I replace the walnuts with pecans?
Yes of course! Pecans would be delicious in these!