DoubleTree cookies mix in extra nuts and chips
Frequent travelers have probably spent a night at a DoubleTree Hotel property at least once and had the sheer pleasure of being greeted by the person behind the desk asking if you’d like a warm chocolate chip cookie. That’s been my experience, and I always smile and nod affirmatively, all the while saying to myself, “Duh, yes, do you really need to ask? Can’t you see the smile on my face and twinkle in my eye, both of which are the telltale marks of a chocoholic when the word “chocolate” is mentioned?”
During these days of self-quarantining, I, like millions, have taken to baking. But it’s sometimes hard to find flour, sugar and all the
other products you need to bake. So when the recipe for DoubleTree’s chocolate chip cookies appeared on Hilton’s website, I was ecstatic when I realized I had every single ingredient in my cupboard and refrigerator.
Nestle’s Tollhouse cookie recipe has always been my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies — it’s been hard to beat for generations of cooks. But DoubleTree’s recipe has now replaced it, having many of the same ingredients, plus a few extra seasonings and rolled oats, too. The amounts of flour, eggs and sugar are about the same as in the Tollhouse recipe. But the primary difference between the two is the amount of chocolate chips and nuts called for — almost double the number, pretty clever for DoubleTree. Maybe we should call this recipe DoubleTree Double Chip Cookies.
I had a Zoom cookie party with my daughters and grandchildren and felt a little guilty that I couldn’t share through the computer screen, but not so guilty that I didn’t reach for another cookie.
The only change in the recipe I made was using my stand mixer to mix in the chips and nuts. The cookie dough is so thick, doing it by hand, as the recipe says, is rather difficult. A couple of turns of the mixer paddle on low did the job very nicely.
DoubleTree Signature Cookie Recipe
1/2 pound butter, softened (2 sticks)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt Pinch cinnamon
2 2/3 cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts
Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.
With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
Remove bowl from mixer, and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown and center is still soft.
Remove from oven, and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.
Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw.
Heat oven to 300 degrees, and place frozen cookies on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
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