While I cook I like to reminisce about the people who inspired the recipe I’m preparing. Baking these cookies gave me time to think about the women in my life – family and friends – who have been affected by breast cancer and in my own small way pay tribute to them during Breast Cancer Awareness month.
I used a wonderful chocolate chip base that Nigella Lawson created after many attempts (hard work, but someone has to do it!). By melting the butter you get a well-balanced cookie – both thick and moist. I substituted pink chocolate candies (think M&M’s) for chocolate chips for this recipe, but I have made them the traditional way before and they are equally wonderful. I also added coarse sea salt to bring out the chocolate flavor – don’t skip this ingredient as many people commented on how good it was. I recommend chilling the dough for at least an hour to ensure that they cookies hold their shape when cooking.
I baked these cookies for two Council for Women events this past weekend at my alma mater, Franklin & Marshall College. They were enjoyed by many (and gone before those treats prepared by food services), but especially by a woman who starts treatments for breast cancer this week. A fitting recipient and I was thrilled when she took two!
Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Options: You can make these using gluten-free flour (such as Cup4Cup’s Original Flour Blend) and they’re just as good as the “with gluten version.” Chilling the dough is especially important when using gluten-free flour.
| Pink Cookies | Print |
- 1-1/4 cup (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1-1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, refrigerator cold
- 2 egg yolks, refrigerator cold
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 20 ounces pink chocolate covered candies (or 24 ounces chocolate chips)
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Cut butter into pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium heat for a 2 to 4 minutes until melted. Let cool 10 minutes.
- Combine brown and white sugars in a mixing bowl. Pour the butter over the sugars and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla, eggs and egg yolks and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. Batter will be creamy with a caramel color.
- Slowly mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just blended. Fold in chocolate candies (or chocolate chips).
- Refrigerate dough for at least an hour before baking. If you refrigerate it much longer or overnight (both are fine) you'll need to leave it out for a half hour or so as it will be too hard to scoop.
- Shape into rounded tablespoons and drop 1-1/2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Edges should be slightly golden.
- Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely.
* Make this gluten-free by using Cup4Cup original flour blend.
* I had trouble finding pink M&M's (for years they were plentiful at this time of year) and I didn't have time to order them online. I was able to find pink chocolate covered candies at Wegmans - they worked perfectly.
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home (2010)
Always good to remember, and always good to “think pink” every day. Like you, I have had many friends (women and men) who have fought breast cancer. A batch of your cookies in their honor is a great idea! ~ David
Always good to “think pink” and I’m sure you’ll find some takers for your cookies, David!