Chocolate Chip Cookies~No Mixer Necessary!

This is a one-bowl recipe that I got from one of my favorite baking books: This is by FAR the least decadent recipe in this entire book.  Take a closer look at this little jewel HERE.

I usually change several things but I behaved and followed Jill O’Connor’s recipe to the “T”… almost.

Chocolate Chip Cookies. A staple. A million recipes out there. This one caught my eye because it was a wooden spoon recipe. No mixer needed. Just pull out your favorite mixing bowl and your wooden spoon and have at it! And sometimes simple is really great. Your kids could do this one and not make a big mess. Wouldn’t that be fun!?

One Bowl Chocolate Chip~Pecan Cookies

* 2 Cups toasted pecan halves

To toast nuts: Put pecans on baking sheet and toast in 350* oven until they are warm ~ 6-9 minutes. Put on a plate to cool.

*1 Cup unsalted Butter

*3/4 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar

*3/4 Cup Sugar

*1 teaspoon salt

*2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

*2 large eggs

*2   1/4 cups All- Purpose Flour

(Here in the deep South we use White Lily!)

*1/2  teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

(I used chocolate chips but will use chunks next time)

Microwave butter on high for 1 minute. (put it in a bowl first!!!)  Stir until melted. Using a large wooden spoon, stir both sugars into melted butter. When combined add salt, vanilla, and eggs. Stir until smooth. Stir the flour, baking soda, and baking powder into the batter just until incorporated and a soft dough forms. Fold in chocolate chunks and cooled toasted pecans.

Measure app. 1/4 cup dough onto baking sheet and refrigerate until firm…40 –  60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350* towards the end of chilling time.

Place chilled dough balls on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cookies will spread a little so about 7 -9 dough balls per cookie sheet.

Bake until cookies are crisp and golden around the edges but still a bit soft. (15-18 min.)

Cool the entire baking sheets on wire racks until slightly cool. Then transfer cookies to wire racks.

(Can be frozen for 2 weeks. You could freeze the dough balls for up to a month, and baked straight from the freezer, but they’ll take a few minutes longer.)

Today I’m linking to 3 GREAT foodie-blog-parties… Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam ~ Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace ~ and lastly Tuesday at the Table at All The Small Stuff~ You’ll find links to a hundred recipes or more with these delightful blogs!