This vintage inspired recipe is from my 1971 “Homemade Cookies Cookbook by the Food Editors of Farm Journal” for Toffee Cookie Squares. Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies are a rich and buttery and loaded with chocolate, toffee bits and toasted pecans, that are crisp on the edges with a chewy center.
I took a vintage recipe and baked it modern by:
- converted the recipe into cookies instead of squares
- added more salt, to suit our modern palettes
- used part bread flour yielding a crispy, yet chewy texture
- added more vanilla to boost flavor
- swapped out the shortening and used all butter
- added bits-o-brickle toffee bits to enhance the original flavor description “rich cookies that taste like toffee.”
Baker’s tips for Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Butter makes better cookies:
Most vintage recipes call for shortening or a combination of butter and shortening which was popular in that era. However, I only use good quality butter instead of shortening, which has a waxy texture and lacks flavor. My favorite brands are Challenge or Land O’ Lakes which yield a higher percentage of fat (81%) to water (19%) ratio thus yielding a lighter texture in your baked goods. Be sure to cream together the butter and sugar for a good 2-3 minutes before adding the eggs, then mix another 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
Use a blend of flours:
Use a combination of all purpose and bread flour. All-purpose flour contains between 10-12% protein. I like to use King Arthur or Sir Galahad Artisan Flour (its name when purchased in bulk) which contains 11.7% protein. Bread flour contains 11-14% protein thus producing more gluten and yields a dense baked good. By using some bread flour in yoru cookies, it will create less butter bleed making your cookies crisp on the outside yet stay chewy on the inside.
For more flavor, toast nuts first:
To incorporate more flavor, toast your pecans in the oven at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Then for a fast, easy way to chop nuts I like to use a Cuisinart Mini-Food Chopper.
Thick vs. thin cookies:
If you like your cookies to be thicker in the middle, chill the scooped batter for 10 minutes to ensure less spread. However, if you like your cookies thin and crispy, omit the baking powder and scoop cookie dough and put them right into the oven.
Use aluminum baking sheets:
Always use a light-colored, aluminum cookie sheet. I use Nordic Ware aluminum, 18×13 half-sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Aluminum is best for distributing and reflecting even heat during the baking process. Dark cookie sheets conduct more heat across the surface, which could cause your baked goods to burn or darken on the edges before they are fully cooked.
For more of my cookie recipes try: Oatmeal White Chip Cookies OR Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Apricot Cookies
Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 c. unsalted butter room temp
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. vanilla
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/3 c. unbleached flour
- 1 1/3 c. bread flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
MIX-INS
- 1 c. mini chocolate chips
- 3/4 c. toffee bits o' brickle
- 2/3 c. pecans finely chopped
Instructions
PREP
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Place a few whole pecans on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Once cool, chop and set aside.
COOKIES
- Mix together butter, sugar, and brown sugar and mix for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to batter and mix until just incorporated.
- Add mini-chocolate chips, toffee bits, and pecans.
- Use a medium cookie scoop and drop dough on baking sheets. Chill for 5 minutes.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes.
- Let cookies cool and store in a container.
