A plate of freshly baked cookies just out of the oven with a glass of milk. Like a warm hug from mum as my daughters like to say. It’s a very popular after school treat in our house.

There are literally hundreds of chocolate chip cookies out there. Everyone seems to have their own special recipe and over the years I’ve road tested a lot of them. My son and his friends LOVE chocolate chip cookies. It’s the third most popular request on my regular Sunday night baking schedule, following closely on the heels of chocolate caramel slice and chocolate cake. These connoisseurs of all things baked love to eat and always give feedback. Here’s the current favourite which uses chocolate chunks in lieu of the traditional chips and includes the addition of chopped pecan nuts. These cookies are delicious even if I do say so myself. I like my cookies crisp on the edges yet soft and chewy in the centre. How do you like yours?

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Pecans

Makes 24 large cookies

250 g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220 g) soft brown sugar
1/2  cup (110 g) white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (300g) plain flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
200g block dark chocolate, chopped into chunks (or 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips)
1 cup (140 g) chopped pecans (or walnuts)

PREHEAT  oven to 180C and line 2 or 3 baking trays with baking paper.
CREAM butter and sugars until light and fluffy
ADD eggs and vanilla and beat again until well incorporated
SIFT flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and mix lightly.
STIR in the chocolate and nuts.
DROP tablespoons of mixture about 5 cm apart onto the baking trays, flatten slightly. Alternatively you can shape the dough into a log, wrap in cling film  and freeze for about 15 minutes before slicing into 1 cm rounds and placing on trays for  baking.
BAKE for 10-12 minutes until pale golden.
COOL on the trays for 2-3 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.