Maple Walnut White Chocolate Chip Cookies
People, I think I may have just discovered my new favourite cookie. (Or at the very least, cookie dough.) OK, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here. These are at the very least in the running, or in the top ten. I’m not speaking out of lust here – I mean I am, but this love is going to last forever. (This time I mean it. And these cookies can’t ever change their minds about loving me back. Perhaps I could just have an affair with them on the side, whenever I tire of the classic chocolate chip kind?)
Except that I still haven’t tried David’s 36-hour cookies yet. Am waiting for company as backup.
Really, you could revamp any chocolate chip cookie recipe to make a maple-walnut-white chocolate version. You could conceivably use maple sugar, but that would be pricey and brown sugar actually does well to mimic maple when paired with syrup or extract. Trade 1/4 cup brown sugar for maple syrup (you couldn’t switch it all, as maple syrup is very much a liquid), and/or use maple extract in place of the vanilla. Swap white chocolate chips or chunks for the semi-sweet, and add some chopped walnuts. Et Voila!
Point of note: A lot of people think they don’t like walnuts because they are bitter. I used to be one of them. But here’s a revelation: walnuts should not be the least bit bitter – they should be lovely and mellow and sweet. If they are bitter, they’re rancid, and you need to toss them out and find yourself a new walnut source.
Maple Walnut White Chocolate Chip Cookies
AuthorJulie
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and maple syrup until well combined — the mixture will have the consistency of wet sand. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt (stir them together first only if you want to) to the butter-sugar mixture and stir by hand until almost combined; add white chocolate and walnuts and stir just until blended. It may seem dry at this point - I always find it easiest to get in there with my hands toward the end.
Drop spoonfuls of dough (or roll rough walnut-sized balls) about 2” apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Flatten each a little with your hand, just to give them a head start. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until pale golden and set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and maple syrup until well combined — the mixture will have the consistency of wet sand. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt (stir them together first only if you want to) to the butter-sugar mixture and stir by hand until almost combined; add white chocolate and walnuts and stir just until blended. It may seem dry at this point - I always find it easiest to get in there with my hands toward the end.
Drop spoonfuls of dough (or roll rough walnut-sized balls) about 2” apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Flatten each a little with your hand, just to give them a head start. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until pale golden and set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
One Year Ago: Corn Dogs & Mini Donuts
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I currently have oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies in the jar + half a pan of date squares to eat. (all from or variations of One Smart Cookie recipes) This new one is top of my list to make when they’re gone!
For those of us who are counting, each cookie is 161 cals, 6.7 g fat, 24 g carbs, 2 g protien
ohhh why did you have to tell! I could have happily lived in an ignorant cookie devouring bliss. 🙂 haha. Those look delicious, now I can’t decide which ones to make.
Printed!!! Can’t wait now..:)
Thank you for all the great recipes..
Sounds wonderful. I use maple syrup as a sweetener a lot of the time (along with agave nectar) and spent many years playing with amounts to convert recipes that originally called for sugar! (But it can be done. . .). I do agree with you completely about the cookie dough, though–I much prefer it to the baked cookies!
These cookies look so good! Your cookies have the perfect thickness. I’m thinking of subbing in some maple syrup for my next batch now, especially since it will help with the browning. I love darker cookies, but like you said, it’s not worth overbaking just to achieve the colour. I haven’t tried David Lebovitz’s recipe either, but honestly, chilling any dough for 36 hours makes a huge difference!
That is so funny, I just bought 4 packages of white chocolates chips today…since the store actually had them in stock!! Just in case I needed an excuse, I have this recipe 🙂 THANKS!
Hmmm cookies with maple syrup, WILL TRY SOON.
Thanks again for the recipe 🙂
MFO
Damn, these might be worth the nut risk! The Monster might be trying walnuts tomorrow for the first time.
Hey, so if you adjust this recipe to make 24 cookies — and they’re still a satisfying size at that, the calories are reduced to 134 each, with 5.6 g fat.
Julie — I’m assuming that this dough would also benefit from refrigerating to get all the ingredients hydrated. Thoughts / Comments?
Yes – my thoughts exactly. I mixed up a batch on Saturday and it’s still sitting in my fridge – I’ll bake them today and let you know! This version is just a variation of that same dough. I don’t see why it wouldn’t apply to every type of chocolate chip cookie dough.
So funny that you would be talking about a new favourite cookie. I have one too this week – Cranberry Orange Cookies from OSC. But these look awesome and I have an addiction to all things maple these days. Thanks Julie. Can’t wait to try them.
I’ll try these out….as soon was we eat up the other cookies sitting around! How did I end up with FOUR different kinds of cookies in the house?
You must try the 36 hour cookie. They changed my life.
Mmmm, these cookies came out of the oven a few minutes ago and they are crisp on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside. One question though, the first batch baked up perfectly, the second spread out and were quite flat. Taste is the same but…just curious. I don’t bake cookies often so they are sometimes a mystery to me. Just had a random “nasty” thought…how would they be with a handful of crispy bacon bits (homemade of course)thrown in?! The maple syrup kind of left the door open for that.
GET OUT. Bacon?!?! Great idea! There is a new trend toward bacon chocolate chip cookies. Perhaps with pecans? Oh my.
I bet I know what happened – did you put the second batch of dough on the same sheet? If you put the dough on a warm cookie sheet, it will start to melt right away and end up flatter.
Yup, you got it Julie, that’s exactly what I did. Guess it’s a neophyte’s mistake. Trying to save time. Still delicious though.
My aunt makes a bacon and cheese cookie with pinenuts. Odd and savoury. But still good.
Now there’s a nice way to enjoy some maple goodness! The cookies sound great!
these cookies are un-f***ing-believably good.
sigh.
You’re right, these cookies quite possibly have the best batter ever. Sadly, I found the maple taste almost disappears when baking. I had that with another recipe of mine. What is it with cooking that makes maplely goodness disappear?
Great recipe Julie! I’ve included this in my Friday Recipes post, thanks! http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/friday-recipes-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Hi
What grade of maple syrup did you use? Grade A, Grade B, etc.
I used grade A, just because it’s what I have! But grade B works great for baking.
Hmm, tried this recipe as I was in the mood for something maple. I substituted macadamias for the walnuts…
The batter was delicious, but I find the finished products are quite hard, but they don’t taste or look overcooked. Might just be my oven. Do you have any suggestions (other than undercooking) to make them softer?
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I think these will be one of my bake sale picks this Christmas. They are quick to make, taste delicious and are photogenic. I could not used nuts because I send baked treats to school in my son’s lunch so I was forced to use chocolate chips…life is hard!
You’re so cool! I do not suppose I’ve read
through something like this before. So good to discover somebody with a few original thoughts on this subject matter.
Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with some originality!
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Just wondering, I have Maple syrup in the house that we use for pancakes.. what would happen if I used that over the maple syrup you suggested?
Pancake syrup instead of pure maple syrup, you mean? it will work fine, but the flavour won’t be as pronounced…
Picking out 4 different recipes for Christmas cookies this year…and this is a very strong contender. A. I love walnuts B. I don’t like regular choc that much C. Love white choc. I am concerned about the possibility of loosing the maple flavor after the baking process. What does anyone think about browning the butter first?
That would be delicious! add a bit of maple extract if you want to boost the flavour.
Oh em gee !!! Probably the best cookies I have made in a long long time .. they turn out perfect!
I kept them in the fridge whilst waiting on the first tray to bake.. Kris’s out and super sweet chewy center .. will be my new go to !!