white chocolate walnut chunk cookies

a number of years ago, i worked at a small new england theatre which had a great group of volunteers who provided meals to the company on two-show saturdays. these lovely people brought their delightful personalities – and their delicious home-cooking, to the greenroom every saturday afternoon, and company members who were very far from home felt a little bit closer to home and family while eating these lovingly-prepared meals. from these down-home chefs, i was able to get some really good recipes, including a yummy chicken salad and some good, chunky brownies (i promise to share that recipe with you in a few weeks!). but one of the recipes i remember most are these white chocolate walnut chunk cookies.

the very obvious difference between these cookies and others that include white chocolate, is that usually the white chocolate is cut up in chunks, so each biteful gives you a mouthful of walnut or white chocolate pieces. this recipe, however, has the white chocolate melted and included in the batter — so the only chunks you are getting are walnuts, with a quiet white chocolate flavor laced throughout the cookie. i find with the mild white chocolate flavor, the walnuts are really allowed to shine!

if you want a little more ‘oomph’ with your white chocolate flavor, why not melt an extra ounce of it and drizzle it on top?

white chocolate walnut chunk cookies

ingredients:
7 ounces white chocolate, broken or chopped into small bits
3/4 unsalted butter, softened
1 cup baker’s sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped but not too small

instructions:
1. line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. combine flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg and set aside.
3. melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until completely melted and is smooth.
4. in stand mixer, beat butter and baker’s sugar for about 4 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
5. add eggs, one at a time until well blended.
6. add vanilla, blending until smooth
7. add melted chocolate until well combined, but not more than 45 seconds.
8. add flour mixture to butter mixture until well-blended.
9. stir in walnut pieces. be careful not to overmix.
10. drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (i used the #40 Zeroll scoop)
11. bake in 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges and bottom are slightly browned.
12. remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2-4 minutes before removing cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.
enjoy!
yield: about 40 cookies.


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