Chocolate Chip Cookies with Espresso and Cinnamon

This recipe originally appeared in Bon Appetit (August 2002), p. 87. I substituted in some white whole wheat flour. I also find that espresso powder incorporates better if mixed in with dry ingredients. The original recipe used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half milk chocolate chips. I've re-worked the directions to make them more baker friendly.

Makes about 4 dozen

1 3/4 cups AP flour (I used Gold Medal)
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
4 tsp. instant espresso powder (I used King Arthur's)

1 1/2 cups golden brown sugar, packed
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Oven: 350F
Large baking sheets lined with parchment

Whisk together, in a small bowl, the first six ingredients.

In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until well blended. At low speed, beat in flour mixture, then add chips and walnuts.

Use a Zeroll #40 scoop (or 1 Tbs. scoop) to drop cookies onto baking sheet. (12-15 per sheet, depending on sheet size), spacing 2-inches apart. Do NOT flatten dough.

Bake until brown on top but still slightly soft to touch, about 14 minutes. (On my heavy baking sheets, they needed 15 minutes.) Let cookies cool 5-7 minutes on cookie sheet on rack before transferring cookies to rack to finish cooling.

These are excellent with milk or with coffee.