Chocolate pecan slice and bake cookies

Ingredients

• 280 g (1¼ cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
• ½ orange, zested, optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 2¼ cups (305 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (67 g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 100 g dark or semisweet chocolate bar, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• ¾ cup (100 g) pecans, roughly chopped
• Flaky sea salt, optional

Freezing time: 4 hours minimum (or up to 2 months)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugars and orange zest, if using, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and egg white and beat well to combine.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt and baking soda. Stir in the chocolate and pecans.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and stir just until combined.

4. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, roll each into a 15 cm (6-inch) log and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the cookie dough in the freezer for at least 4 hours or for up to 2 months.

5. When ready to bake (see Note), preheat the oven to 175°C  (350°F) and line a baking sheet with baking (parchment) paper. Slice off as many cookies as you’d like to bake into 1 cm (½-inch) thick rounds and place on the baking sheet leaving 2 cm (1 inch) in between each.

6. Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt, if using, then bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are no longer shiny. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note

• If you find the cookies too firm to cut straight from the freezer, temper the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting.