Right along with politics and the most effective way to load a dishwasher, defining the perfect chocolate chip cookie is guaranteed to spark a debate. The winning argument: chewy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies!
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Chocolate chip cookies are a source of (mostly) good-spirited debate in our household.
Which is the greatest chocolate chip cookie?
- Is it chewy or crispy?
- Fluffy or flat?
- Nuts or no nuts?
- Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Though I know you are narrating a declarative answer to each of these questions in your head, today I’m excited to tell you about my second favorite chocolate chip cookie of all time: chocolate chip walnut cookies.
They are:
- Gratifyingly chewy
- Not too thick and not too thin
- Punctuated with toasty walnuts (you’ll like ’em!)
- Dark chocolate is the only chocolate that has business in my cookie dough
The World’s Best Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Wondering where my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe of all time can be found? My cookbook!
Those cookies are the world’s best and worth a copy alone. YES, I SAID IT.
While I am no stranger to gussying up a chocolate chip cookie (Banana Oatmeal Cookies with chocolate chips, Zucchini Cookies with chocolate chips, and Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are three faves) or doubling up on the chocolate (hello, Dark Chocolate Cookies), I adore classic chocolate chip cookies with all of my heart.
If you are a fan of soft, chewy cookies made with more nutritious ingredients, you’ll fall for them too!
5 Star Review
“These are our new favorite chocolate chip cookie, by far. We cannot keep enough on hand. SO delicious and they keep really well and stay chewy for literally weeks. They’re the current favorite dessert in our household, and I have made them several times now!”
— Anna —
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
This recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip walnut cookies is inspired by the thick, chewy DoubleTree Hotel chocolate chip oatmeal cookies (if you’ve stayed at a DoubleTree, you know the ones).
I revamped the original recipe to suit my ideal cookie preferences.
- They are ooey-gooey (sorry thin, crispy cookie-lovers; these are for my fellow chewy fans).
- Use all butter (key for the fullest flavor).
- Have more brown sugar than white (for extra softness).
- As with my full lineup of healthy cookie recipes, I used whole grains, without sacrificing taste or an ounce of cookie softness.
The Ingredients
- Oats + Flour. Regular readers know I’m a serious advocate for incorporating whole grains wherever possible, but never at the expense of taste. These cookies are 100% whole grain, thanks to a combination of ground oats, which give the cookies extra body and chewiness (think the DoubleTree Hotel cookie) and white whole wheat flour.
- Butter. We’re going all in with the butter in this recipe. It’s critical for achieving the perfect flavor and texture. (Prefer a chocolate chip cookie made without butter? Check out my Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies or Healthy Oatmeal Cookies.)
- Dark Brown Sugar. Makes our cookies deliciously sweet, moist, and chewy.
- Espresso. Though you can’t taste the coffee flavor in the cookies, the espresso intensifies the chocolate flavor (as these Brownie Cookies prove). It is magical and well worth trying!
- Cinnamon. A pinch for extra warmth. It’s subtle, but completely delectable and adds another dimension of flavor.
- Vanilla. Vanilla anchors the chocolate and espresso, so no imitators please! We are baking cookies from scratch, so let’s use real, pure vanilla extract and do them justice shall we?
- Apple Cider Vinegar. This ingredient sounds odd, but trust. It keeps the cookies from being too sweet and tempers the taste of the whole grains.
- Dark Chocolate Chips. Good quality chocolate chips are very important to creating the best-possible chocolate chip cookie. After all, what’s a chocolate chip cookie without the melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey goodness? Want more? This Cookie Cake will be perfect.
- Walnuts. Old fashioned chocolate chip cookies with walnuts are a classic for a reason. Finely chopped, walnuts add an extra richness and toastiness to the cookies without overpowering them.
The Directions
- Grind the oats. Mix them with the flour in a bowl.
- Beat the butter, sugars, vanilla, espresso, cinnamon, and salt together.
- Add the baking soda, vinegar, and egg.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts. Chill in the refrigerator overnight (it’s worth it!).
- Drop the dough onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. DIG IN!
Chilling Cookie Dough
For cookies with a richer flavor and that won’t spread on the baking sheet, YES you need to chill the dough.
- Allowing the dough to chill overnight in the fridge gives the flavors time to get friendly, allows the wet and dry ingredients to fully incorporate, and results in a cookie of superior taste and texture.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze. Freeze baked cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Meal Prep Tip
You can prepare the cookie dough in advance and freeze it for easy cookies on demand. This is ideal for last-minute entertaining (or late-night “emergencies”).
- Prepare the cookie dough, and drop it as directed onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until solid.
- Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag.
- Bake directly from frozen on demand, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
What to Serve with Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheet. Great for making cookies and so much more.
- Mixing Bowls. Mixing bowls are a must-have for making cookie dough.
- Food Processor. Perfect for grinding the oats.
OK, now that I’ve given you the full spectrum of what makes these chocolate chip walnut cookies my idea of the perfect chocolate chip cookie, here is what you actually need to know: these cookies are out-of-control amazing.
I’m sorry, that wasn’t very food bloggerish of me.
I should have written you a beautiful description about how these cookies have a perfectly soft and lightly chewy texture from the ground oats and brown sugar, deep dark chocolate flavor intensified by espresso, plus warmth from the cinnamon, toasted walnuts, and good quality vanilla—all while being not overly sweet and 100% whole grain.
Like I said, out-of-control-amazing.
Though I know you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe of your own, I sincerely hope that you give these chocolate chip walnut cookies (or the World’s Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from my cookbook) a try very soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
While I’m partial to the flavor of dark chocolate chips, you can make these into milk chocolate chip walnut cookies instead. Just make sure to use good-quality chocolate chips.
The espresso powder amplifies the chocolate flavor and makes these cookies taste truly special, so I highly recommend using it. However, it is optional, so you can omit it if you prefer.
Letting the dough chill is important for both the taste and texture of these cookies. I’ve found that letting it chill overnight produced the best results, but even an hour of time in the refrigerator will help.
While oat flour is an easier swap than most for wheat flour, I have not tested the cookies this way. Oats have unique properties and do not react the same way in baking as other flours do.
If you’re craving chocolate chip cookies and don’t have any oats on hand, check out my other delicious cookie recipes for inspiration.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder (optional but delicious)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, grind oats until fine. Transfer to a small bowl, then stir together with the whole wheat flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
- Beat in the baking soda, vinegar, and egg.
- By hand, stir in the flour mixture, then the chocolate chips and walnuts, just until combined. For the best results, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheets, then bake for 9 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are barely beginning to brown. The cookies may appear underdone.
- Remove cookies from oven, let cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- TO STORE: Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They will lose a bit of softness but still be absolutely delicious.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze baked cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
- TO MAKE IN ADVANCE: You can prepare the cookie dough in advance and freeze it for easy cookies on demand. Prepare the cookie dough, and drop it as directed onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag. Bake directly from frozen as needed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
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These cookies are Excellent!! Totally my type of cookie- they have a nice rise to them, a little crispy on the outside, but when you bite into them they have a pillowy, nutty, chocolatey gooey center. Yum!! I have made them twice in 2 days because the first night my family ate almost all of them:) And I feel a little less guilty about eating a cookie since they have oatmeal and whole-grain flour. Thanks for another great recipe!
Hi Danielle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So yummy, loved the nuts and dark chocolate together!!
Made 2 batches not going to last in my house 😋
Shirleen
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Shirleen! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I absolutely loved these cookies and will make them often. My dough was a tad on the dry side though – what could I add to help make it a little more moist?
They are still delicious!
Hi Mary, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for this kind review and feedback. I’ve only tested the recipe as written and have not had an issue with it being dry so I am unsure of what you could add to make it more moist. A few tips, maybe just make sure that your oats are ground up really well and that your flour is measured correctly. Hope this helps!
Excellent cookie, had to put it in my recipe book. I like the fact that we use whole wheat flour and oats.
Thank you John! Glad you enjoyed it!
Great recipe! I kept the oatmeal whole, and it turned out lovely. Thank you so much!
Thank you Angeli!
I’ll be making these again! Delicious, and easy. I need to figure out why mine were so hard to scoop straight from the fridge. My fridge runs very cold, so maybe I’ll try letting them stand for a few minutes. Great flavor and stayed fresh!
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Marnie! Thank you!