I know we post a lot of things that are fun to look at, but they’re not always super practical. I mean, I’m pretty sure most people don’t feel the same way about their ice cream makers that Sara and I do. Today, I wanted to post something simple like back-to-basics cookies, but with a little flair that makes them extra-delicious. I believe this recipe for toffee chocolate chip cookies was originally from a Hershey’s cookbook, but I tweaked a few things to make them extra-special. Their texture is perfect–a little crispy on the outside, chewy and soft in the middle. They remind me of how my chocolate chip cookies were in Utah, which is a good thing because try as I might, I just can’t get ’em right in Louisiana.
Not only are these cookies perfect for a weekend treat, staying soft for a couple of days (like they’ll last that long!), but they are amazing as the base for pizzookies. Excited? Ready? Yeah, I thought so… 🙂 And then try and only eat one.
Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Yield: 36
Description
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with rich, buttery flavor, these toffee chocolate chip cookies will become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a knife (high altitudes should add 2 additional tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
- 1/4 cup Smart Balance margarine (or similarly high-quality margarine)*
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup packed DARK brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Heath bits
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine brown sugar, white sugar, butter, margarine, and vanilla in a large bowl until well-blended. Add in eggs and beat well. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. Add in chocolate and white chocolate chips and then mix the toffee bits until they’re just combined. Drop dough (I use a cookie scoop) onto the cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes (10 is perfect in my oven, but each one is different) until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges, even if they don’t look like they’re done on top. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. The cooling rack is very important in this recipe because the toffee will make the cookies stick to the pan if you’re not careful. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Notes
- If desired, you can use all butter instead of the butter/margarine combination; all butter has a richer flavor, but a little bit of margarine gives these cookies an incredible texture and tends to make this dough easier to work with.
Sorry for another question, but do you soften the butter and margarine?
Yes. 🙂
Is that the Heath bits with or without chocolate? Thanks!
Either–doesn’t really matter. 🙂
Do you think I could use butter shortening instead of margarine? I really want to make these, but I don’t want to get out of my PJs 🙂 It’s that kinda day.
For sure! 🙂
I just made these tonight into pizookies and oh. my. heavens. They were delicious! Lets not talk about the calorie content in these puppies, but they really were heavenly! A huge hit with my family and our dinner guests!
I have made these cookies several times in a convection oven and they have been voted our favorite cookie in the office. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
These are AMAZING! I'm making them for the second time right now.
I must add though, that Smart Balance is by all accounts, crappy margarine. It contains artificial ingredients and EDTA. My son has a dairy allergy, and Organic Earth Balance is by far, the best margarine out there. It's the holy grail of vegan baking. (It also comes in stick form for baking, as well as in a soy-free version as well.) I actually used all Earth Balance and zero butter when I made these the first time so that my 3 year old could have some. (Dairy allergy.)
I challenge you, OBB, to switch to Earth Balance and see what a tremendous difference it makes compared to Smart Balance!
Megan, that happens sometimes with toffee. I don't know why, but when I try to put toffee in any other cookies they always flatten out. These are the only ones that actually work for me! So who knows…it might work the next time you try. Toffee is weird like that!
Bummer, I'm not sure what I did wrong…mine ran all over the place.
Christine–This yields about 48. 🙂
How many cookies does this recipe yield? I'm thinking about using this recipe for my cookie exchange this year. It sounds delicious and just the perfect bit of different for a cookie exchange!
Laura–I guarantee that they were flat and hard because of the butter. 🙂 The margarine should help with that (and the sticking) next time.
I made these tonight but didn't have margarine and used all butter. Even though they were DIVINE (I ate 9 and tons of dough), they were a little flat and hard for my taste. I also had a ton of trouble with them sticking, so I will be sure to use parchment paper next time.
These are AWESOME cookies! I LOVE toffee!! I've made them probably 7 times. I love giving them as gifts. It makes 3 dozen if my kids and I don't eat too much batter and use a cookie scoop (love that thing!). My first batch is always a little softer and the last batch is a little crispier (oven issues??). I really like them both ways so it's fine with me. It gives me a variety. LOVE LOVE your blog. THANKS!!!
I am so happy to say that I finally got it! I switched margarine ( I originally used a butter margarine blend that still tasted good but the texture was off) and they turned out oh so good. So worth the calories.
These cookies are great. I live at 8k feet in Colorado so I of course had to make some adjustments. I increased the flour to 2.5 cups and decreased the sugars to 2/3 cup each. I also added a touch of water when I added the flour. I also used a cup of butter since fat is good for high altitude cooking.
My family loved them and were sad when I told them I was planning to take them to an event.
I can't tell you how many yummy and inspiring recipes I plan to make this Christmas. I just love your blog, so many wonderful tasty treats. Have you ever tried to make gluten free baking? I have not had much success that for my daughter but trying to make some gluten free recipes will open up a whole new market for you! Just a thought and thanks.