Cookie Brittle

Cookie Brittle is the quickest and easiest way to get your chocolate chip cookie fix. It takes about ten minutes to put together and can eaten about fifteen minutes after baking. This treat, when properly baked, is similar in taste and texture to a very crisp cookie. I always have a batch baked and frozen for snacks or ready to bag up with a lovely bow as a last-minute gift. Loads of variations can be made to the printable recipe below with a few suggestions at the bottom of the post.

There are no eggs in this recipe. Ingredients include unsalted butter, brown and white sugars (all granulated sugar can be used resulting in a slightly less caramelised flavor), vanilla, salt, flour and chocolate chips.

Cut cold butter into chunks and beat until a few visible chunks remain. Do not use room temperature butter or final texture will be less desirable. Add sugars.

Beat on high speed until smooth and butter is fully combined with the sugars. Add vanilla and salt. Turn mixer to low and add flour. Mix until just combined then add chocolate chips.

Press evenly into a half sheet pan.

Bake at 350º for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating every 15 minutes, until nicely browned. If under-baked, the cookie brittle will not be crisp.

Cool in the pan then break into pieces.

There are endless variations. A few I like include:

• Add 1 cup toasted, chopped almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts to the batter.
• Strew 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips over the baked dough then returning to the oven for a minute or two until melted. Spread evenly then top with toasted and chopped nuts or crushed peppermint candies as a Christmas treat.
• Add finely zested orange peel and substitute one teaspoon of orange oil for the vanilla.
• Add 1 cup of chopped, dried cherries to the batter.
• Use a mixture of white, milk and dark chocolate chips.
• Add one cup of toasted coconut to the batter.

Note: To toast nuts or coconut, spread evenly in a sheet pan and bake at 350º until lightly browned and fragrant.

 

Cookie Brittle