Last updated on November 10th, 2024
Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies, which are rich and buttery and loaded with chocolate chunks, toffee bits, toasted pecans, and a bit of bourbon to deepen the flavor. his vintage inspired recipe is from my 1971 Homemade Cookies Cookbook published by the Food Editors of Farm Journal for Toffee Squares. I’ve taken this recipe and converted it into
- converted the recipe into cookies instead of squares
- In addition to the brown sugar, I added 1/2 c. white sugar
- in addition to the egg yolk, I added 1 egg to make it light and tender
- added more salt, to suit modern taste buds
- doubled the vanilla AND added bourbon to boost flavor
- swapped out the shortening and used all butter
- added bits-o-brickle toffee bits with chocolate
INGREDIENTS
butter:
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 of butter 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.
nuts:
Toast your pecans before adding to the cookies to incorporate more flavor. Rough chop them or for a fast, easy way use a Cuisinart Mini-Food Chopper. Place chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 5 minutes.
chocolate chips:
This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chunks, however, you can use milk, semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips depending on how sweet you prefer chocolate. I recommend using Nestle chocolate chunks in this recipe because it adds a bit of texture to the cookie.
Baker’s Tips
- For thick cookies: if you like your cookies to be thicker in the middle you can add 1 T. cornstarch to the batter. Also be sure to chill the scooped batter at least 10 minutes to overnight to ensure less spread.
- For thin cookies: if you like your cookies thin and crispy, omit the baking powder and scoop cookie dough and put them right into the oven.
- Toss chocolate chips or other mix-ins in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter to evenly distribute them in the batter.
- For bakery style cookies: place a few chocolate chips on top of the cookie puck.
- If time allows, let the batter rest as hydrating the flour is an important step for a light and tender bake. This step will also let the bourbon flavor meld into the batter.
DIETARY SUBSTITUTIONS
I have owned a gluten-free/vegan bakery for the past few years. Here are my top tried and true tips to yield good results.
To make GLUTEN-FREE
- Substitute in your favorite gluten-free flour. Choose a premium brand such as King Arthur for best results.
- Add 1 T. milk to the batter to help hydrate the gluten-free flour.
- Be sure to let the batter rest, this allows the batter to absorb the gluten-free flour. Even resting for a short time such as 30 minutes, will help yield a light, tender bake. Scooping batter into cookie pucks and letting them sit overnight in the fridge is ideal for very best results.
To make VEGAN
- In place of the milk, use unsweetened oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Use vegan butter sticks. My favorite brand is Country Crock Olive Oil Sticks.
- To replace the egg, add 1 tsp. soda to the batter with 1 T. vinegar poured on top of the baking soda.
- Swap out chocolate chips with Nestle Allergen-Free Chocolate Chips
EQUIPMENT
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.
Line cookie sheets with with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
STORAGE
Pre-baked cookies:
- You can make the batter and store until ready to bake.
- Short-term, scoop the batter into cookie pucks/balls and place in storage container until use.
- Long-term, place all of the mixed batter into a ziploc bag or storage container and let the batter come to room temperature before scooping into cookie pucks/balls.
Baked cookies:
- Store baked cookies in airtight container on counter 1-2 days.
- Seal in in freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Place cookies in layers lined with parchment paper. You can also individually heat seal cookies and place them in a larger container.
- To thaw frozen cookies, allow them to come to room temperature before opening the container.
Here are some more of my cookie recipes to try
Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 ½ c. unbleached flour
- 1 c. unsalted butter room temp
- 1 egg + 1 yolk
- 1 T. bourbon
- 2 tsp. vanilla
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 c. sugar
- ½ c. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking powder
MIX-INS
- 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- 1 c. toffee bits (with chocolate)
- ⅔ c. pecans rough chop
Equipment
Instructions
PREP
- Gather equipment: mixer with paddle attachment, measuring cups & spoons, parchment sheets or silicone baking mat, cookie sheets
- Rough chop the pecan and place on baking sheet at 350° for 5-8 minutes.
- Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together dry ingredients.
MAKE BATTER
- Beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and yolk, and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix together.
- Add in chocolate chunks, toffee bits, and pecans and mix until just incorporated.
- Use a medium cookie scoop and drop dough on baking sheets roughly 1" apart.
- If time allows, place cookie pucks in airtight container and chill one hour or overnight.
BAKE
- Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes. Let cookies cool and store in air-tight container.
