White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been making white chocolate chip cookies for almost as long as I can remember.  My mom had a cookbook called Top Secret Recipes, which contained a recipe for Mrs. Fields’ white chocolate chip cookies.  I made these cookies for family, friends, soccer teammates, and sorority sisters, always as a treat at Christmas, and usually with macadamia nuts.  The cookies were delicious, and while I tried a few different recipes over the years, I never strayed too far from this original.  That is, until I came across this recipe from Michelle at Brown Eyed Baker (originally from Baking Illustrated).  She wrote that these big, beautiful, bakery-quality cookies really took the cake.  And I have to agree! 

Since I am allergic to cocoa, I am very accustomed to swapping white chocolate into recipes with scrumptious results.  These cookies were no different.  They are thick and chewy, and have become my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

I made a batch with white chocolate chips and toasted walnuts for Stacy’s college graduation earlier this year (her request and my new favorite combination).  I made my father-in-law a batch for Father’s Day with amazing (I’m told) Icelandic semi-sweet chocolate.  

For my dad’s birthday this week, I made a batch with half of each variety!

So while I will always love the original recipe from Mrs. Fields and the memories that came with all those batches of cookies, I plan to bake these over and over again.  I hope you enjoy them!

White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Walnuts

Makes 2 dozen cookies

These cookies are best eaten warm from the oven, but extras can be stored (or sent to loved ones) in an air tight container.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup packed (7 ounces) brown sugar

½ cup (3½ ounces) granulated sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups white chocolate chips (or the chocolate chip/chunk of your choice)

½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional) *

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Line two cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.  (Ungreased cookie sheets are fine as well, but lining the sheets makes cleanup much easier.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In another medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugars until smooth.  Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.

Slowly add in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined after each addition.  Stir in the white chocolate chips and walnuts.

Shape the dough into golf ball sized balls and place two inches apart on the lined (or ungreased) cookie sheets.  Bake each sheet** in the preheated oven for 13 minutes, just until the edges are slightly golden brown.  Remove the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from the sheet (unless of course they are going straight to your tummy).  Repeat with the remaining dough.    

*To toast the walnuts, spread them in an even layer on an unlined baking sheet.  Place in a 325°F oven (I do this while the oven is preheating) for approximately 10 minutes until fragrant.  Remove the nuts to a cutting board and allow them to cool slightly before chopping.

**A note about cookie sheets – When I bake cookies I usually bake one sheet at a time because no matter how I position the racks in the oven, I find that the cookies on the two sheet pans cook differently.  After placing the first sheet in the oven, I prepare the second sheet so it’s ready to go in when the first one comes out.  If you don’t have time to cook one sheet at a time, I’d recommend switching the sheets between the top to bottom oven racks halfway through the cooking time.  

(Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Baking Illustrated)