Contributed by GmW, from Pam Anderson's "CookSmart"
- 2 1/4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 12 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons flavorless oil (vegetable or canola)
- 8 ounce good-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks (about 1 1/2 cups chopped) OR 1 cup chocolate chunks and 1 cup toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, macadamias)
- Mix flour, baking power and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Mix eggs, vanilla and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Microwave butter on high power until just melted but not hot, 30 to 45 seconds (orin a saucepan over low heat); set aside.
- Mix sugars in a large bowl. Add butter and oil and stir until smooth. Add egg mixture; stir until smooth and creamy. Add dry ingredients and stir to form a smooth dough. Stir in chocolate and nuts (if using).
- Using a 1 1/2 ounce (3-tablespoon) spring-action ice-cream scoop, spoon 16 dough balls onto a pan that will fit in your freezer. (Don't worry if the balls are too crowded. They pull apart when frozen.) Freeze until dough is hard, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Working with half batches, place 8 frozen dough balls on a cookie sheet (don't press them down). Bake until set but not brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until cookies are golden brown around edges and lightly brown on top, about 10 minutes longer. Let cookies cool completely on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining doughballs. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight tin or container for up to 5 days.)
