Flat & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it comes to your chocolate chip cookie, how do you want it, texture-wise: Cakey or chewy? Think about it and come up with an answer before you click on the following link.

See, Saveur did the taste testing for us, and while flat and chewy emerged as the clear winner, before I held this knowledge, I had felt very torn. Cakey had sounded fine a moment earlier, but then, like Buddy Garrity and his defection to the East Dillon Lions (You can't fake boosterism!), I quickly ditched the notion of cakey and jumped on the flat-and-chewy bandwagon. That's the consistency of a classic cookie anyway. And I mean, if we wanted cakey, we'd make a cake. Right?

Saveur's version:

Photo: Todd Coleman

our version:

(Oddly reminiscent of Shopsin's pumpkin pancakes tower!)

Photo essay begins now.

These cookies were delicious. Salty, chocolatey, nutty, flat, and yes, chewy. Unfortunately, the walnuts we used had been in our pantry since the midterm elections (the 1982 ones) and thus, they tasted a little old. From now on, let's make it a rule: All nuts go in the the freezer. Another quick tip: We didn't bother with the food processor for grinding the walnuts. Instead, we gave them a really nice, fine chop and called it a day. Also, this recipe comes at us via Saveur but is based on one published in The Essential New York Times Cookbook. Does anyone have this cookbook? It seems kind of essential, no?


Flat & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups flour
1 scant tbsp. kosher salt
1 1⁄4 tsp. baking soda
1 1⁄2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1⁄4 cups sugar
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. finely shaved bittersweet chocolate
8 oz. finely ground walnuts

1. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. In a bowl, beat sugars and butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla. Add reserved flour mixture, chocolate, and nuts; mix until just combined; chill.

2. Heat oven to 325°. Divide dough into 1-tbsp. portions; roll into balls, transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheets spaced 3" apart, and flatten. Bake until set, about 15 minutes.


Makes about 60 cookies.