Play Me a Recipe

Rose Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

by:
April 27, 2021
5
3 Ratings
Photo by Thalia Ho
  • Prep time 50 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • makes 16-20 cookies
Author Notes

I’ve always thought that adding anything but chocolate to cookies was sacrilegious, but then I made these and that changed. They’re seductive and musky—perfumed, but not overly so. If you aren’t a fan of rose, it can hit you on the nose a bit, so I would recommend using half the amount and going from there. They’re amorous.

Excerpted from WILD SWEETNESS by Thalia Ho. Copyright © 2021 by Thalia Ho. Reprinted courtesy of Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

This recipe was featured on our new cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Thalia melts, scoops, and bakes her way through this recipe, offering tips and backstory along the way.thalia ho

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Ingredients
  • 2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 2/3 cup (1 1/4 sticks plus 1 teaspoon; 150 grams) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon (170 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (170 grams) coarsely chopped dark chocolate
  • 1/2 cup (70 grams) chopped walnuts
  • Fleur de sel, for finishing
  • Rose petals, optional
Directions
  1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. Put the butter into a medium-size saucepan set over medium-low heat. Heat, stirring often, until melted. Pour into a large bowl then add in the sugars and whisk until combined. Whisk in the egg, followed by the rosewater and vanilla. Tip in the dry ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until a soft dough has just begun to form, then mix in the chocolate and walnuts. Cover and chill until firm, 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, set racks in the lower and upper thirds of an oven. Preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Using a scoop or tablespoon as a measure, portion out evenly sized amounts of the dough. If you’re using a spoon, use your hands to roll them into balls. Divide between the prepared sheets, placing them a few inches apart for spreading. You should be able to fit 8 to 10 per sheet. Sprinkle with a little fleur de sel. You can set leftover dough balls aside to be baked off later, or, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking from frozen.
  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets between the upper and lower thirds of the oven halfway through, until golden, the edges crisp, but the centers still soft. Let the cookies stand on the sheets for a few minutes, before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool further, before serving.

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2 Reviews

Joelle B. October 30, 2022
I am an avid baker, always trying new things. But these cookies are my go-to. My version uses white chopped chocolate and lightly toasted coarse chopped pecans. I press a few extra of the mix-ins on top just before baking. They are so beautiful with the rose petals. I use rose extract instead of rose water, not more than a tsp -- you must not over do it!

I have had innumerable people eat these and say it is the best, handsdown the best, cookie they have ever eaten!
rachel April 27, 2021
These cookies were excellent! I love rose, but was sharing the cookies with others, so I reduced the rosewater to 2 tsp and I think it was perfect that way. I also used a combination of chopped dark chocolate and semi-sweet mini chips because that's all I had on hand. I would increase the walnuts because they pair so nicely with the rose flavor and their presence is a little lacking for me. But, otherwise, the texture and ratio of chocolate to cookie was perfect for me. I will be saving this recipe and making it regularly.