Chocolate Walnut Cookies

These are closer to a brownie than a cookie. A full pound of melted semi-sweet chocolate goes into the batter along with even more chocolate chips, so every bite is intensely fudgy. A hit of brewed espresso deepens the chocolate flavor without making them taste like coffee.

The batter gets beaten until thick and pale, then shaped into a log and chilled for three hours. That long chill is what gives you clean slices and cookies that hold their shape in the oven. They bake until the tops turn shiny and crack, which is your signal to pull them. They’ll feel very soft on the sheet, almost underdone. That’s exactly right. They firm up as they cool.

Cake flour instead of all-purpose keeps the texture tender and almost truffle-like. These are not crispy cookies.

Pro Tips

• Let the melted chocolate cool to room temperature before adding it to the eggs and sugar. Hot chocolate will scramble the eggs.
• Do not overbake. Pull them when you see cracks on top, even if the centers look wet. They set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Let the cookies cool completely on the parchment before moving them. They’re fragile when warm.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fudgy for up to four days.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for toasted pecans or hazelnuts.
• Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking for a sweet-salty contrast.
• Use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet for an even more intense, bittersweet cookie.