Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am definitely a late-comer to this internet viral cookie craze. If there is such a thing as a an ‘it’ cookie, then this one was a sensation. I’m not sure why I waited so long, except that I had my two favourite, go-to chocolate cookies (World Peace and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread) and those are the cookies I made when I had a cookie craving. But that is crazy! There is no such thing as too many delicious cookies. There is an endless well of cookie recipes out there worthy of our love. And this recipe earned all of the hype and devotion.
For those of you who also missed the bandwagon, these cookies took Instagram by storm a few years back. They have beautiful ridges and the perfect texture- the edges maintain a definite bite, while the interior remains chewy. All of this is obtained by the unique technique of banging the pan during baking. And I mean literally lifting the pan from a height and loudly dropping it down in the oven so that the cookies smack down and flatten. The process was a little involved- you have to open the oven several times during baking to bang the cookies. But the results can’t really be argued with.
Another note- these cookies are LARGE. I ended up splitting the cookie in half when I ate it, and saved the rest for later in the day. I guess I am one of those strange people who want only a tiny treat. Unfortunately you can’t play with the portions; their large size is necessary to create the wavy texture.
Also- while you may be tempted, do not skip the freezing step. This prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly!
Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Sarah Kieffer, The Vanilla Bean Blog
Makes 10 large cookies
2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks, 227 g) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (297 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite size pieces averaging 1/2 inch, with some smaller and some larger
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 3 baking sheets with alumnium foil, dull side up.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and water and mix on low to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the chocolate and mix on low into the batter.
Form the dough into 3.5 oz (100 g) balls (a heaping 1/3 cup each). Place 4 balls an equal distance apart on a prepared pan and transfer it to the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. After you put the first baking sheet in the oven, put the second one in the freezer.
Place the chilled baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down. After the cookies puff up again in 2 minutes, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Repeat a few more times to create ridges around the edge of the cookies. Bake 16-18 minutes in total, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are golden brown but the centers are lighter and not fully cooked.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan. Repeat with the remaining cookies.