Orange Pecan Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Soft Middle

For Orange Pecan Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Soft Middle, the counter starts with all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Portion it for 36 Cookies.

Count on 30 minutes of prep, 12 minutes of cooking, about 42 minutes from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

• 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon orange zest from, about 1 orange – only the bright orange parts!
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup toasted pecans coarsely chopped
• ½ cup candied orange peel finely chopped (Recipe here for homemade!)
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips

How the cooking goes

1. You add the orange zest directly to the granulated sugar and toss it around to break up the clumps. This helps distribute the zest throughout the batter and the sugar also helps draw out some of the orange flavor. You do this first because the longer the zest sits in the sugar, the better the flavor!
2. Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Keep it to one side.
3. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter, cream cheese, sugars, and zest together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture; mix until just incorporated.
6. Put the chocolate chips, pecans and candied orange; mix briefly on low to distribute.
7. You can bake the cookies right away or refrigerate the dough overnight. Your cookies will be thicker and will spread less if you chill it, but it isn’t totally necessary. You do, however, think the flavors are enhanced after a little refrigeration. When you are ready to bake, proceed to the next step.
8. Pre-heat your oven to 375°F and line sheet pans with parchment or silpat.
9. Portion the dough using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or roll into balls and place 2” apart on the cookie sheet.
10. Oven-bake 12 minutes. The sides should just be starting to brown. You don’t want them to be brown. Just have a nice kiss of color. Let them cool 5 minutes on the sheet pan and then move to a wire rack to cool until it is no longer warm.

After it comes off the heat

Cool the sheet on a rack before the pieces are stacked. A covered tin keeps them for a few days.

If you want another plate from Cookies, open Cinnamon Twist after Supper and Apricot Kolacky Cookie (Kiffles) Baked Until the Edges Set.