I love chocolate chip cookies and am a total snob when it comes to baking them. Over time, I have tested dozens of recipes for the most classic cookie flavor known to man, and very few have satisfied my taste buds. I like my chocolate chips cookies to be buttery with a soft, but not chewy, texture. They should be sweet, but not overly so, and, of course, bursting with a rich chocolate taste.

I came across this recipe a few years ago when an email hoax landed in my inbox, claiming a woman had been forced to pay $250 for it from Neiman-Marcus. (For the record, the actual recipe is posted for free on their website, and differs greatly from this one). Though I didn’t believe the claim one bit, I found the recipe intriguing because of the unusual addition of blended oatmeal and grated chocolate. After making them, I realized that there is real brilliance in these ingredients. The blended oatmeal gives the cookies a slightly nubby texture, without causing the dryness usually associated with oatmeal-laden cookies. The shredded chocolate also adds an unexpected twist. The thin flakes melt into the dough while baking, creating a subtle chocolate flavor that isn’t overwhelming.

It is worth noting that this recipe makes an exceptionally large batch of cookies. If you don’t need a huge amount, you can halve the recipe, or wrap half the dough tightly in plastic and freeze it for later. I usually end up making the whole batch at once, since they never last long in my house.

Ingredients

• 5 cups blended oatmeal* (use Regular Oatmeal, not instant)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. good vanilla extract
• 1 7 oz. Hershey bar, shredded (I put it in the food processor)
• 2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets with Silpat, or parchment paper.
2. Prepare blended oatmeal.
3. In large bowl, add blended oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir and set aside.
4. In mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars, until light and airy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
5. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and incorporate.
6. Gently pour shredded chocolate into dough. Mix to incorporate. If possible, let dough rest in refrigerator for at least 6 hours before baking.
7. To bake, roll dough into 1" round balls and place, two inches apart, on cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool and serve.

Notes

To make blended oatmeal, put it in your food processor and pulse until it is a fine powder.

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