Amanda’s Chocolate Chip and Salted Pecan Cookies

Food is the perfect balance of science and love. The best food is made with love. The secret ingredient is usually love. Food is love.  

What do I mean by that? 

• I mean it’s important to be in a good mood when you create your concoction 
• Having every ingredient needed before you begin is essential
• Using the right tools will make a huge difference 
• Following the recipe as close as possible including the order in which you put ingredients in, the measurements, and the final touches results in perfection 

With that in mind, I love sharing my food on the blog. Food brings us together, food makes us happy, food can define a culture. In honor of my upcoming birthday, I had to share my favorite cookies.

I took these cookies to work once. I received 2 marriage proposals. Toot toot on my own horn. 

This one comes to us from Granny, Grandma Weezy, Louise, my “nice” grandma, the only person I liked talking on the phone with. The one who taught me faith, grace, forgiveness, love, and baked macaroni and cheese. 

This is a modified version of what my grandmother made. Things to note:

• I changed the fix ins and added coarse kosher salt to the top. 
• I pulsate oatmeal in a chopper before I mix it in. It takes the texture to another world. 
• I implore you, follow the directions precisely and you will not be disappointed. 

Yes, these are involved. This isn’t your Nestle Toll House back of the bag recipe. These need to be made with tender loving care. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups flour 
• 2 ½ cups blended oatmeal 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt 

• 1 cup salted butter , room temperature
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½  teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 12 ounces of chocolate chips ( any shape you prefer) 
• 1 ½ cups of chopped pecans 
• Coarse kosher salt for topping cookies 
• Parchment paper
• love

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pulsate 2 ½ cups of oatmeal in an electric chopper until it is fine. 
3. Mix pulsated oatmeal with flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. 
4. In a separate bowl, thoroughly cream butter with white and brown sugar. 
5. Add in eggs and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients one cup at a time. Dough will become very thick. 
7. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. 
8. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Set on parchment paper on your cookie sheet. Set dough balls 2 inches apart. 
9. Sprinkle raw cookie balls with a light dusting of coarse kosher salt.
10. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. (8 minutes for chewy cookies, 10 for a crispier cookie) 
11. When you remove from the oven, allow the cookies to sit on the hot cookie sheet for exactly 1 minute. After that minute, remove the cookies from the parchment paper and place on a cooling rack. 
12. Devour. 

Enjoy! 

With Love, 

Amanda