Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Simple, but Gourmet!

These large Deluxe & Delicious

Chocolate Chip Cookies are

so simple to make! ❤

My husband tried one of these cookies and declared that it was "the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever made." I was surprised because the cookies included pecans and even though he will eat pecans, he prefers cookies without nuts. If you do not like nuts, or have an allergy, omit the nuts or substitute butterscotch, peanut butter chips, toffee bits or dried cranberries instead.

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter (1 cup) butter at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups pecan pieces**

Method:

Preheat oven to 350*. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed, to cream together the butter and sugars. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix for two minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Sift together the flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the sifted ingredients and oats. Mix on low just until blended (about 45 seconds). Do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Scoop 3 tablespoon portions, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. (6 mounds of dough per cookie sheet)

Bake for 23 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Carefully slide the parchment and cookies onto a cooling rack to finish cooling for an additional 20 minutes. 

If desired, enjoy a warm cookie. Transfer to a plate and chill in the refrigerator to set the chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (I place waxed paper between layers.) I like the cookies chilled, but they may also be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 33 large gourmet quality chocolate chip cookies.

**Walnuts may be substituted for the pecans. If desired, you may omit the nuts and add butterscotch chips, toffee bits or dried cranberries.

Notes: The original recipe for these cookies is a copycat for the cookies served at the DoubleTree hotels. (I made a few small changes.)

Some Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes include oats or cinnamon, but this is the first recipe that I have seen with lemon juice. There is not enough juice or cinnamon to make either a prominent flavor and no one who tried them detected those ingredients. The resulting cookie instantly became a family favorite!