Bake some warmth into Autumn

I recently discovered the world’s best cookie. I know that is a bold claim but I believe it! It was one of those rainy early autumn days, when it is not quite cold enough to have the heat on, but, if you were honest with yourself, you would much rather snuggle back up in bed than start on your to do list. I was working away at my computer, planning some changes to the new autumn menu, when I suddenly knew that there was only one things in the world that would make me feel warm and cosy at that exact minute: a batch of velvety chocolate cookies straight from the oven.
We have an amazing Dark Chocolate and Walnut Cake on the menu at the restaurant and I wanted something similarly scrumptious and decadent, but that I could whip up in 10 minutes. A quick search on the internet revealed (what I believe to be) the best cookie recipe ever! The result of this slightly cakey concoction was a cookie that can best be described as heaven. Kind of a cross between an ice cream sandwich-base and the best quality restaurant chocolate cake, Bon Appétit’s Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie is a revelation – even for a dessert aficionado such as myself.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons steel-cut oats
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Note – I used regular oats, as that is what I had on hand. They made the texture of the cookie slightly softer, which I loved, but it is completely up to personal choice.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter large rimmed baking sheet. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Mix in oats with spatula until evenly distributed (dough will be very firm). Add chocolate chips and knead gently to blend.
Using moistened palms, shape 1 generous tablespoon dough into ball. Place on prepared sheet; flatten to 2-inch round. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing rounds about 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies until centre is slightly firm and top is cracked, about 14 minutes. Cool on sheet.

And they really are delicious. The world is a warmer place with a cup of tea and warm chewy cookie in hand. So, if you can’t make it to my ‘house’ for the chef’s best Dark Chocolate Walnut Cake, why not try out this cookie version? After all – life is just too short to go a day without dessert.

If you have a cookie recipe that changed your life, send it in and I will try it out for a future blog.