Happy weekend to you! 😀
We went out to dinner last night with our friends – delicious, as always. Hands down my favorite restaurant around (do check it out if you’re in the Columbus area!). I settled on the crab cakes because they’re outstanding, but next time I vow to try something new! Everyone else’s meals looked really good! And their mashed potatoes…heavenly.
But before our guests arrived, I whipped up this batch of cookies. To be honest, I had just scanned the ingredient list of several cookie recipes. Scary thing is, I had all of the ingredients for every last recipe on hand. That is a dangerous thing, people. And a huge reason why my pantry looks the way it does…
But I settled on these cookies. Or brownies. Brownie cookies. Who doesn’t love brownies? And who doesn’t love cookies? No one. I correctly assumed that everyone would love those 2 favorites combined into one: brownie cookies. Home run.
As I was going through the motions, step-by-step, I finally realized that the only wet ingredients in the whole recipe were 2 egg whites and a bit of vanilla extract. I was stumped. That couldn’t be right.
I continued on and resisted my gut instinct to throw in some milk…or something else wet. It was like magic. The powdered sugar sucked up the egg whites and vanilla and it looked just like brownie batter. Imagine that…I was wrong. Certainly not the first time, and I’m so glad I didn’t ruin a perfectly good recipe! 😉
Brownie Walnut Cookies adapted from Self December 2008, as seen on The Novice Chef
1 cup (4 oz) walnuts
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Place walnuts on a surface and finely chop. Transfer to a large baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool.
Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in walnuts. Add egg whites and vanilla, beat with a fork or electric mixer on medium until batter is just moistened (do not over mix).
Drop batter by the tablespoonful onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds, leaving lots of room for spreading. Bake cookies until tops are slightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before moving to wire racks.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Yield: a baker’s dozen (13 cookies).
Nutrition Information (per cookie): 113 calories; 5.2 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 109 mg. sodium; 16.5 g. carbohydrate; 1.5 g. fiber; 2.2 g. protein
Result: They are as they describe: brownie cookies! Thanks to the egg whites, these cookies have that perfectly crisp exterior with the chewy, soft inside. These are packed with walnuts for that walnut brownie crunch. If you’re looking for a lighter brownie, no utensil required, these are your perfect match! Oh, and VERY quick & easy to make! Enjoy!
[/print_this]This is post brief, sorry! We are off to buy planters and soil for my container garden this year (or as Shelby calls it, my “terracotta farm empire” – LOL!). I think I may have started things a bit prematurely for this Midwest weather…they’re already starting to wilt. Bring on the sun already, Ohio!
Question: If you had to choose just one – brownie or cookie?
Love,
OMG. I need these!
Author
Yes, yes you do!
These cookies are calling my name! They look SO good! 🙂
Brownie for sure! These look awesome!
I haven’t started my garden yet – am hoping we can till this weekend and start planting next weekend. I just found out a good friend of ours gardens, so I am planning on making him my “garden mentor.” I have no green thumb at all!
Author
Me either!! Pass along any secrets you learn!
You had me at brownie!
Have a great weekend, Nicole!
Author
Thanks, darlin’! You too!!
Interesting! The chewy inside sounds great. I’m a huge brownie fan, so these look super fun.
Brownie or cookie, I don’t care, as long as I can eat the dough/batter while I’m making them. 🙂
Wishing lots of warmth and sunshine for your terracotta farm empire! Mine is doing okay, but I JUST started leaving my basil outside overnight last week. I remember your garden from last year and it looked awesome, so I’m sure your thumbs are green enough to salvage things. 🙂 Post pics soon!
Author
I love that term, hope you don’t mind me borrowing it 🙂 I don’t have real terracotta, though. I got the cheap $9.97 terracotta-looking plastic ones…lame.
Not at all! I hope we can compare notes as the growing season continues!
That sucks about the pottery prices though…my clay pots were like $2-5 each! I don’t think they’re plastic, but maybe they’re something else? Like everything else about this plant-growing endeavor…I have no clue. 🙂
I am DEFINITELY making these. I love how they’re gluten-free without any weird flours.
Author
I love that, too! Such simple ingredients…and few of them to boot!
The menu of that restaurant looks wonderful :)!! When I’m back home and assuming you guys are still there, I want to eat there when I come visit ;).
Author
We can’t WAIT to take you there 🙂
Cookie- totally.
And even though I just spent last night making cookies, this post has me wanting to make more. I’m out of control.
Author
Haha, there’s no such thing as too much baking…
I have never been to that restaurant…perhaps we’ll have to go sometime! I’m just never in Deleware, but that’s no excuse, it’s NOT that far 🙂
So yeah, only crazies don’t like cookies or brownies. When I was young I hated brownies or cookies with ANY type of nut in them, not I love nuts in baked goods, for added texture and flavor. Thanks for the recipe! Oh, and I’d choose brownies if I had the choice. I’m a true women with a chocolate addiction.
Author
You guys are welcome up any time! We were supposed to get together in April, weren’t we? 🙂 Soon – you let me know when!
What an easy little recipe with such little ingredients! I must make these asap. I have so many walnuts at home that I have no idea what to do with them 😀
Author
You must! ASAP 🙂
Oh man these look so good. I’m pretty sure I have all these ingredients also…and then some. I would say that’s a bad thing….but it’s not. Best of both worlds!
I’ve made cookies like these too (without the walnuts) and I have to say – they are truly magical! I was right there with you, thinking it wouldn’t “work” then completely blown away 🙂
YUM! These look like a cookie they sell at the Nordstrom Coffee Cafe. Thanks!
“What are you taking to Carla’s tonight?” my husband just asked. Uncertain, and wanting something new, I went to the Dessert section for ideas. No need to go any further down the list than #2. These cookies sound and look AMAZING! Oh yeah…I’m doubling the recipe! I expect nothing less than a culinary statement tonight…..
Author
Haha, I love it!!! They’re so simple, too 🙂 But don’t tell people that 😉
Taste test: Oh.My.Goodness. Seriously.
Since I doubled the recipe, I used equal amounts of Hershey Unsweetened Cocoa and Hershey Special Dark Cocoa.
Talk about an emotional superfood!