Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Almonds and Oats

I love chocolate chip cookies. I started making them when I was about 10 or 11 and became a fanatic.  I remember trying really bizarre recipes that called for vinegars and lemon juice that never seemed to turn out. I've steered away from the stranger ones to find some reliably delicious cookies.  This recipe makes a tasty cookie that is chewy and packed with a rich nutty flavor. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Almonds and Oats

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I pretty much only buy almonds, thus they are always in my recipes.  You can easily sub another nut that you have on hand.  Also, I use a KitchenAid mixer, but you can use a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon and your muscles.  Finally, keeping your dough cold right before baking produces a chewier cookie. If you have time, throw your dough in the fridge for 30+ minutes. The batch in these photos are a little flat, and I think it's because they sat out for a while before I baked them.

vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
8 Tbs (1 stick) butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla (I use homemade vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt 

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)
3/4 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (a bit smaller than pea size)*

1/4 cup oats

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place the oven rack at the lower third of the oven.

In your mixer bowl, or just in a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla, egg and baking soda, mixing until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt. Slowly add to the butter-sugar mixture.  Stir in the nuts, chips, and oats. 

With two spoons, scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough with one spoon and using the other spoon, slip the dough onto a cookie sheet.  

 

Bake the cookies for 16-18 minutes or until lightly golden (I usually take them out on the lighter side, though I didn't with this batch - whoops).

*To toast almonds: Lay out almonds on a cookie sheet. After the oven has preheated (300 degrees) for the cookies for about 5 minutes, put the almonds in the oven and toast for 10 - 15 minutes.  After 5 minutes, stir the almonds with a spatula. Once you smell their fragrance, they are done.  Alternatively, you can toast them on medium-low heat on the stove in a frying pan, stirring often until they become fragrant.