Choco - Nut Cookies | Chocolate - Nut Biscuits (Step by Step Pics)

How many of you remember these butter cashew cookies ? I had posted these a long time back and loved them a lot. Today's post is another cookie recipe- Choco Nut Cookies. These are similar to the store brought cookies and tastes the same way as the  famous biscuit of chocolate and nuts. These cookies or biscuits are soft immediately after bake and turns crunchy as it cools down.The nuts and chocolate chips in the cookie adds a nice crunch and cocoa adds to the chocolaty flavor. I have already baked these cookies thrice. I roughly made my own calculations and made up the ingredients to match the taste of the store brought ones. The first time I baked these was three years back, though the bake time and look of the cookie was correct but the cookies tasted dry so I made some matches again and re did couple of months back which was almost perfect. Kids loved the cookies and so made these again now. This is the latest attempt in pictures. Adding rice flour to the dough adds the extra crunch. Its been quite some time since I posted a bake recipe. My baking has taken a back seat ever since we relocated and hardly find myself motivated to bake these days. One good reason is that we get all baked goods ready at hand in bakeries and second is the lack of time. Anyways these are just excuses to not operate my oven and I know nothing can beat the smell and flavors of a freshly baked bread or cookies. Hopefully will try to be more active in baking in the coming months till then you guys try this out !!

Preparation time~ 20 minutes
Cooking time~ 15 minutes
Serves ~25-28 cookies

Ingredients
dry ingredients
wheat flour or all purpose flour (maida) 1 1/4 cup
rice flour 2 tbsp
corn starch/ corn flour 1 tsp
baking powder 1 tsp
cocoa powder 3tbsp
salt 1/4 tsp

wet ingredients
unsalted butter(at room temp) 7 tbsp/ 100 gms
powdered sugar 3/4 cup
chocolate extract /vanilla extract 1 tsp
milk 2 tbsp

toppings
mini choco chips 1tbsp + 1tbsp
cashews 1tbsp
almonds 1 tbsp

Method

• Sift the flours,cocoa,corn starch(flour), baking powder and salt twice.Keep aside.
• In a blender,add the granulated sugar 1/2 cup to powder to get 3/4 cup powdered sugar.
• Dry roast the nuts in a wok or place in a pre heated oven at 200 degrees F for 10 mins without burning or browning.Add in a blender jar and coarsely powder by pulsing once or twice,leave out small bits. Keep aside.
• In another bowl,cream the butter and powdered sugar very well until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate/ vanilla extract. Beat again until mixed well.

• Add the flour mix in three additions until combined well.Scrape down the sides and add a tablespoon of milk to combine the dough well(I used about 2.5tbsp of milk,add a tbsp each and check).Add in the coarsely chopped nuts and chopped chocolate chips(1tbsp).Combine well.
• Transfer the dough and shape it lightly. Divide in two equal balls, flatten like patties and cover with a cling wrap, refrigerate for one hour.
• After one hour, Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F/ 170 degrees C and line two trays with parchment paper.

• Remove the dough and place one part of the dough on a lightly floured surface.Roll it out upto 1/4" thickness.Lightly press the edges so as to bring it together.Sprinkle the remaining choco chips(half of it) and lightly press the chips with the rolling pin(use the remaining choco chips for the next part of the dough). Using a cookie cutter or bottle lid,cut out rounds or cut in squares. Using a tooth pick make the impressions on each cookie. Transfer the cookie on the cookie sheet using a spatula(dip the spatula in flour and then use to slide the cookies,makes easier to lift them off the counter).
• Arrange the cookies leaving a 3/4" space.Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until sides or the bottom of cookies are lightly browned(the cookies may be soft on touch then). The bake time may vary as per oven so please keep a close watch from 10 minutes onwards.
• Cool on wire rack,it turns crispy and then store in air tight containers or serve with tea.

NOTES
* Use all purpose flour/maida instead of wheat flour if you desire. The maida ones are more crunchier than wheat flour ones. Use 3/4  tsp baking powder only if using maida.
* I have used vanilla extract but if you have chocolate extract that will enhance flavors.
* You can shape the cookies like squares instead of roundels.
* You can even omit the nuts and make chocolate cookies alone.That tastes similar to the 'hide and seek' cookies.
* Roughly chop the choco chips if using the large chips so that they aren't very prominent in the cookies.
* If you are using icing sugar then omit the corn starch in the recipe and proceed further.
* You can even roughly powder half of the almond,cashews and add half as chopped nuts. This will enhance the flavor of cookies.


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