The Gouda Life

It’s rare that we talk about cookies around here. If we’re being honest, it’s rare that we even eat cookies around here. 

Not because we don’t like them. Oh helllllll no! We like them a little too much. A plate piled high with 2 dozen cookies magically turns into crumbs in a matter of hours around here. Especially when there’s cold milk in the fridge. We can’t help ourselves! I’d feel bad if I wasn’t certain this was a universal issue. Who among us can practice self control while the scent of freshly baked cookies is wafting through the air?! The answer is; nobody. Not one single soul. And if you’re about to tell me “Kelly, I can totally control myself around cookies”, then I don’t know if we can be friends anymore. I’m sorry. It’s just too painful. 



I’ve got a backlog of a few healthy post-Thanksgiving dishes, ones that I’m entirely proud of, I really wanted to share with you all, but after yesterday, after THE cookie… they ended up on the back burner so we could talk about THE cookie today. Mondays are hard and deserve some gooey, melting chocolate wrapped in a warm brown-butter dough and speckled with crunchy toasted pepitas. I want to make your Monday better with cookies. Can’t you just let me do that? And promise me you’ll whip up a batch like…TONIGHT. Even this afternoon? As soon as humanly possible? Right this second?! I know I can count on you. 



Brown Butter, Toasted Pepita & Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
adapted from Buns in my Oven
makes approx. 2 1/2 dozen

If pepitas aren’t your thing, you could absolutely swap out for your favourite toasted nut. However, they really are a great addition to the cookie so try them if you’re feeling like something a bit different.

If you don’t enjoy a salty kick in your cookies, halve the amount of salt added.

2 sticks unsalted butter

1/2 cup white sugar
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt 
300g (approx 1 1/2 cups) bittersweet chocolate chunks/chips (Camino makes the best if you can find some)
3/4 cup pepitas, lightly toasted in dry skillet

In a heavy skillet (not a non-stick pan, they make it too difficult to see the colour changed in the butter), melt the butter oven medium heat. Let it cook, swirling the pan every minute or two, until golden brown and nutty smelling, 10 minutes. Don’t let the bits in the bottom burn -that means you’ve cooked too long. Remove from heat and pour into a shallow dish. Refrigerate until re-hardened (if it’s not completely hard, that’s ok). 

Preheat oven to 350.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using your hand-mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs in, one at a time and scraping the bowl in between. Add vanilla.

Mix the baking soda, salt and flour together and add it slowly to the batter, mixing only until combined with each addition. Try not to overmix. Add the chocolate and pepitas and stir again just until they’re incorporated.  If it’s a bit too dry, add 1 tbsp milk or water just to moisten. 



Drop 1 1/2 tbsp balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are just lightly golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack, pour cold glass of milk, dunk cookies in milk and slip into a euphoric cookie-coma.