Salty-Sweet Nut Cookies

The original recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. However if you know me at all I can't ever leave a recipe alone. I try very hard to make a recipe just as it is written the first time. That's very hard for me to do. There are so many ways to "improve" things! Some of my 'improvements' leave a little to be desired though. Thankfully the guys at Allied Precision will eat just about anything. Very little goes to waste.

This batch that I made last night is going to Pocahontas Ford. Late last summer we bought an Envoy from them. Now that the cold weather has arrived I have been trying to use the seat heater. It wasn't working right. They fixed it for free! How great is that? So I thought I would thank them by baking some cookies for them. Last night I made Chocolate Chip and Salty Sweets. I hope they enjoy them.

1 1/2 Cup Pecan Halves
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar (I always use dark)
2/3 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter softened (always the real stuff)
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Vanilla (always the real stuff from Penzey's)
1 Large Egg
2 Cups Flour (Unbleached All-Purpose)
1 1/2 Cups Chips as in Chocolate, Butterscotch, White Chocolate, Cinnamon...
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp Kosher or Flake Salt (table salt works but the larger crystal of the Kosher gives a better hit on the tongue)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the nuts out on it. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until toasted. Set aside to cool.

In your stand mixer bowl combine everything down to and including the vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and beat till smooth again. Fold in the flour, chips and nuts.

At this point you can chill the dough. An hour works well for me. I don't always do this though. If you chill it the cookie holds it's shape better. The warmer the dough the more the cookie will spread out on the baking sheet.

When you're ready to pan the cookies mix the last salt and sugar in a small bowl or bag.

I use my purple handled scooper for these cookies. It's a #40 or 3/4 ounce. Just a nice size for these. Scoop out the dough and drop in the sugar/salt mixture to coat. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

I hope they like them at Poky Ford! Thanks Rob!