Smokey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever been to a chocolate festival?

I have been now been to the NW Chocolate Festival twice.

To chocolate lovers everywhere, chocolate festivals are magical places, they really are, but I must warn you…

You will leave feeling mildly uncomfortable and vaguely sick.

But it’s okay because it’s only because of the ridiculous amount of chocolate you managed to cram into your belly.

People are doing a lot of things with chocolate these days, making it really hard just to eat just a little chocolate. I mean, it’s chocolate, so it’s always hard. But there’s not even the excuse of “I’ve eaten 12 different dark chocolates now, maybe I should stop.”

Because it’s not just dark chocolate. It’s dark chocolate and black fig chocolate and whiskey chocolate and habanero pineapple chocolate..

And smoked chocolate chips.

So many things that I didn’t know were possible with chocolate were at that show, but smoking chocolate was pretty high on the unexpected list.

They let me try a couple and I immediately bought a bottle.

They taste as unique as they sound. They’re still definitely chocolate, but when you first try one…

The real funny thing about smokey chocolate chips is the fact that there’s not much food that is smoked in the world other than meat.

This means that when you first try a single chip or take a big bite out of one of these cookies, the first thing your brain wants to yell is “MEAT?”

But then as things move around your mouth, it becomes clear it’s just a great chocolate chip cookie with a smokey flair.

I will admit, it’s not for everyone. You may not be able to get past the association with meat.

Or maybe you like meat in your baked goods?

I will say, if you’re a fan of bacon chocolate or bacon and sweets in general, you will take positive note of this cookie.

I would also recommend that if you decide to experiment with these chips, aim for keeping the recipe simple. The smokiness is not subtle, and you don’t want it to have to compete with too many other flavours.

I picked my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe! Smokey chocolate, the light saltiness of the dough… it worked great.

Like a vegetarian bacon cookie.

I had a vegetarian friend tell me once that bacon is allowed because it’s classified as a fat by the FDA.

I have no idea if that’s real, but I like the cut of her jib.

I got these smoked chocolate chips from the NW Chocolate Festival, but they’re also available online!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 7 oz. smoked chocolate chips
• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Refrigerate dough for at least 1-2 hours. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. (Cookie centers will not look completely baked and will finish off after being removed from the oven.)
5. Cool on pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies

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