Chocolate Chunk and Crab Chip Cookies
May 19, 2017 by Nicole Collins
We’re stepping a little bit outside of the box today. But I need you guys to trust me!
Today’s recipe is another one that was inspired by my trip to St. Michaels. I know shocker. But, I’m telling you, that trip was pure gold for my creative juices! I'll do my best to stop talking about it, but no promises.
So, on the trip, I’ve already told you that Old Bay Crab Chips were pretty much the star of the show. The Florida ladies couldn’t get enough. The Maryland ladies knew the joy of having access to this yummy snack 24/7. The crab chips were the inspiration for this Old Bay Snack Mix that we made the other day.
But, what I didn’t tell you is that chocolate chip cookies were a close contender for first place. We definitely had a couple of cookie monsters on the boat…myself included. My Vanilla Cupcakes with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting were a big hit too, but it was definitely the chocolate chip cookies that at least one person had in their hands at all times.
I mean, who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip cookie? You get just enough chocolate to satisfy a craving without it being way too crazy rich. They’re soft (at least the ones I like), but not mushy. They’re portable, so you can take a couple on the go. And best of all, they’re small enough to only require a few bites…which means you can have many cookies at once! That’s what I tell myself anyways…
Somewhere in my unique brain, I thought it would be a good idea to collide the two worlds of the crab chip and the chocolate chip cookie. I’ve read recipes before that have plain potato chips in cookies. I’ve made cookies that are chocolate dipped with crushed potato chips. It didn’t seem like that much of a stretch to make a slight adjustment and use crab chips.
I took my test batch to work and got rave reviews. I didn’t tell anyone what was in them until after they took a bite. I know that crab chips in cookies sounds strange, and I didn’t want to scare anyone off. It was really funny to watch people try to guess what was in them! Someone said cinnamon. Someone said banana. Someone said “I don’t know what’s in there, but I know it’s delicious”. Only 2 out of 12 people could pick out the Old Bay in the cookies.
These cookies really are incredible. I was hooked just while it was still at the cookie dough stage. (Don’t tell anyone that I probably ate 2 cookies worth of dough…sssshhhhhhh!) I LOVE the salty sweet combo, and these are that for sure. When you bite in to the cookie, you know there’s something special in there. But it’s hard to put your finger on what it is. The chips get crushed enough that they add some texture, but they’re not such big pieces that it’s easy to identify what’s happening. It’s the perfect balance of salty and sweet.
I also made these a little extra special by using chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. There’s just something that seems elevated to me by not using the traditional chips. I generally make cookies with milk chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate is the way to go here. Again, it’s about that balance between the salty and sweet.
The last thing I did to make these cookies special was added some cornstarch to the dough. It’s helps keep the cookies soft and fluffy which is a nice contrast to the crispiness you feel when you catch a piece of chip in your bite. Mmmmm….
So, remember that trust we talked about earlier? I’m ready to call upon it, because you guys HAVE to make these cookies…like yesterday. And play the same game that I did and see if anyone can figure out the special trick to these cookies!
I'm off to Florida today, so maybe we'll have to whip up a batch and see if the ladies approve. Enjoy, and let’s snack!
Chocolate Chunk and Crab Chip Cookies
Serves: 36 cookies Print
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or chips)
2 cups crushed Crab Chips (roughly 4 cups chips before crushing)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch with a fork to incorporate the ingredients. Set aside.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, both sugars, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mix looks light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Add eggs 1 at a time, and beat until incorporated.
Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add in the flour mix until it is just incorporated into the dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add chocolate chunks and crushed chips to the bowl. Stir the chocolate chips and any flour from the sides of the bowl into the dough by hand using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 2 tbsp balls, and place them on the prepared cookie sheet spaced roughly 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 mins until the edges just start to turn golden brown and the tops look set but still light in color. Remove from oven, and immediately smack the tray of cookies on the countertop to release any air bubbles. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat as necessary with remaining dough, making sure the cookie sheet cools down between each batch. Serve!
Recipe notes:
*If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough using a hand mixer. Beat the butter and sugars as listed in the recipe. Add eggs one at a time. But, beat in 1/3 of the flour mix at a time until it is just combined. Stir in the chocolate by hand.
*I like to use a 2 tbsp (medium) cookie scoop for portioning out the dough. Then, I just quickly roll it in my hands to form a ball.
*It's tempting not to chill the dough, but it really does help keep the cookies from spreading like crazy. It will take a few batches to make all of these cookies, so make sure you keep your dough chilled in the fridge until it's time to roll the next batch of dough.
*To crush the potato chips, put the chips in a freezer bag, let out the air, and squeeze the bag with your hands. Measure the chips after they're crushed.
*I like to use chocolate chunks in this recipe, but chocolate chips would do the same thing.
*Leftover cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
*Recipe updated 6-10-2021.
