Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Ingredients

• 30 g (¼ cup)plain flour
• 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoonkosher salt
• 227 g (8 oz)bittersweet chocolate
• 28 g (2 tablespoons)butter
• 2eggs
• 100 g (½ cup)sugar
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)vanilla
• 200 g (2 cups), choppedwalnuts
• 170 g (6 oz)semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oven

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then set the mixture aside.

2. 2

   Melt the chocolate

   Melt the bittersweet chocolate and butter in a double boiler, whisking until smooth. Alternatively, put them in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute at a time at 50% power, stirring until smooth. Leave the melted chocolate to cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Mix eggs and sugar

   In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Slowly drizzle this mixture into the melted chocolate, whisking constantly.

4. 4

   Add dry ingredients

   Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, then stir again.

5. 5

   Bake the cookies

   Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 9–10 minutes, until the outsides look dry. Take the cookies out while their centres are still gooey and soft.

6. 6

   Cool on the tray

   Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. They will still be soft when moved, but will firm up as they cool.

What are chocolate walnut cookies?

These are American-style drop cookies made with melted chocolate in the dough, rather than a conventional flour-heavy base. Walnuts add crunch, while chocolate chips make each bite even more chocolatey.

This version keeps the method straightforward: melt the chocolate and butter, combine them with the egg mixture, then fold in the flour, nuts and chips. A short bake leaves the centres soft.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 194 calories, 3g protein, 15g carbs, 14g fat.

The chocolate, butter and walnuts contribute most of the fat, while the flour, sugar and chocolate supply much of the carbohydrate. Eggs and walnuts provide some protein. Pair a cookie with fruit or yoghurt for a more balanced snack.

Choosing the chocolate

Bittersweet chocolate: this is the main chocolate flavour in the dough, so use a type you enjoy eating. Melt it gently with the butter and let it cool to room temperature before adding the eggs.

Chocolate chips: semi-sweet chips provide extra pockets of chocolate and are stirred in at the end. The original recipe names Ghirardelli bittersweet dark chocolate chips as one option for the melted chocolate.

Getting the mixture right

Egg mixture: whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla thoroughly before adding them to the chocolate. Drizzle it in slowly while whisking so it combines evenly.

Flour mixture: stir in the flour, baking powder and salt just until the mixture is smooth. Fold in the walnuts and chips afterwards so they are distributed through the dough.

How to judge doneness

Outer surface: take the cookies out when they look dry on the outside, after about 9–10 minutes. Do not wait for the centres to look fully set.

Soft centres: the cookies should still be gooey and soft when they leave the oven. They firm up as they rest on the tray and cool on the rack.

Melting without scorching

Double boiler: melt the chocolate and butter together, whisking until smooth. Keep the mixture over gentle heat and remove it once no lumps remain.

Microwave: use a glass bowl and heat at 50% power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each one. The recipe gives this as an alternative to the double boiler.

Serving and cooling

Tray rest: leave the baked cookies on the sheet for 2–3 minutes before moving them. This brief pause helps them hold together while they are still very soft.

Pairing: serve them with tea, coffee or a glass of milk. Their rich chocolate and walnut flavour also works well as part of a simple winter dessert spread.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the melted chocolate cool to room temperature before mixing in the eggs.
• Stir the flour mixture in only until the batter is smooth.
• Use rounded tablespoons to keep the cookies a similar size.
• Line the baking sheet with parchment paper as directed.
• Start checking the cookies at 9 minutes, since they should remain soft inside.
• Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring them.

Variations

• Toast the walnuts: lightly toast them before chopping for a deeper nutty flavour.
• Change the nuts: use chopped pecans in place of the walnuts.
• Add a little spice: stir a pinch of cinnamon into the flour mixture.
• Use a different chocolate: choose dark or milk chocolate chips to alter the sweetness.
• Add dried fruit: fold in a small handful of dried cherries with the walnuts and chips.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Hot melted chocolate: adding it while hot can affect the egg mixture; cool it to room temperature first.
• Overheating the chocolate: it can scorch; use gentle double-boiler heat or microwave at 50% power in intervals.
• Adding the egg mixture all at once: drizzle it in slowly while whisking constantly.
• Overbaking: the centres should still be gooey when the cookies come out; remove them once the outsides look dry.
• Moving them too soon: they are fragile straight from the oven; leave them on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat briefly in the microwave if you would like the centres soft again.

Frequently asked questions