Pecan Butterscotch Dark Chocolate Cookies

I don't know about you but I've got a list of things in my life that I need to work on this summer and at the top of that list is learning to rest.  If you know me you know that the struggle to sit still is real.🤣  I like to work and play and do all the active stuff but when it comes to resting - count me out.  Sitting is not my forte --- unless I'm building a puzzle.🧩 I watch movies while simultaneously working on my computer.  I listen to audio books while I walk so I don't have to sit down to read and don't even get me started on naps - torture.😬😴🤣

I do understand the value of rest.  There's a reason that it's at the top of the list of things that I need to improve about myself.  There are so many benefits to resting and I realize that we all need it - heck, even my chocolate chip cookie dough needs a good rest.
 
​There's a very scientific explanation for why cookie dough improves with rest and if you want all the details ​www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe does a super job of laying out the facts.  I think the science behind it is fascinating but basically, allowing your dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator hydrates the flour and thickens the dough to make darker, richer and more flavorful cookies.  

If I'm being honest, I don't let my cookie dough rest overnight every single time because let's face it - sometimes I whip up a batch of cookies because I need to eat a cookie immediately.🍪  But when I take the time to allow my dough to rest properly, I end up with cookies that spread less, have lots of that butterscotch, caramel and toffee flavor that I love and  cookies that brown to that perfect golden color.  

Tweaking my chocolate chip cookie cookie recipe is one of my favorite hobbies.😅🍪 I like to experiment with different ingredients and play around with how they're incorporated.  I can go full baking geek and adjust the texture and flavor of my cookies changes by changing the temperature of the butter or the color of the sugar. I switch up leavening ingredients, the protein content of the flour and the eggs to see how I can change the outcome too.  There are so many variables that can affect how cookies look and taste - I may never run out of ways to reinvent my chocolate chip cookie recipes. 

One of my most recent cookie creations was a browned butter, butterscotch and toasted pecan chocolate chunk cookie.  I'm not one to toot my own horn but this was like a party in my mouth.  There were so many flavors going on but they all worked in perfect harmony.  If you decide to make these scrumptious cookies - be sure not to skip the important steps: toast your pecans, brown your butter, skip the chocolate chips and hand cut the best chocolate bar you can find and above all... chill your dough.  It'll be worth it.  

Pecan Butterscotch Dark Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter, browned
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour 
1/2 cup oats
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Brown butter in a skillet.  Cool.

Toast pecans on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350.  

Cream together sugars and butter.  

Beat in egg and vanilla.  

Stir in flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  

Stir in chocolate chips, butterscotch and pecans.  Chill dough overnight. 

Scoop into balls and put on a silpat lined baking sheet.  

Bake 13 minutes at 350.  

Ciao!

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