Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies, but there's a new sweet in town: cookie brittle. This treat from Midwest Made is so simple and delicious, you might forget all about your cookie scoop.
I am a chocolate chip cookie fanatic. Store-bought, homemade—I’ll take them all. Chocolate chip cookies are also my most common bake. They’re just a great all-purpose treat. I can bring them to book club, pop a few in my lunch bag or—if I’m being honest—snag one for a breakfast on my way to Taste of Home HQ.
Because I’m such a fan, I’ve tried countless recipes trying to find one that suits me perfectly. These big and buttery cookies are the closest I’ve come, but I’m always open to new options. That’s why when I cracked openMidwest Made by Shauna Sever, I knew I had to try a new rendition of the classic chocolate chip cookie—one that’s not really a cookie at all: cookie brittle.
It had all the components of a chocolate chip cookie—butter, sugar, vanilla, chocolate—but without the hassle of scooping cookies and swapping trays in and out of the oven. I knew I had to try this one (and about a dozen other recipes from the book).
How to Make Cookie Brittle
Lisa Kaminski/Taste of Home
Shauna’s cookie brittle recipe is so simple. You need just a few ingredients—fewer than any chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever seen (a bonus for when your pantry is looking a bit bare). All you’ll need to make these cookies are:
- 1 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Also, there a few supplies that you’ll want too (plus, snag a copy of Shauna’s book—you won’t regret it!).
Stirring Up Cookie Brittle
Lisa Kaminski/Taste of Home
Making this snack is so simple—I don’t even bother with a hand mixer for this one.
Start by whisking together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until it forms a paste-like consistency. Because this recipe only has a few ingredients, I make sure to pull out my favorite vanilla; you’ll really taste it here.
Then switch to a spatula or a wooden spoon and stir in the flour and salt until it comes together in a dough. Then just stir in your chocolate chips and toasted pecans. And yes, be sure to toast the nuts—it makes a big difference in flavor!
All that’s left to do is to press the cookie dough into an ungreased 12×17″ rimmed cookie sheet (seriously, can this get any easier?). You can just use your palm to press the dough flat or use the bottom of a flat measuring cup.
Baking and Breaking
Lisa Kaminski/Taste of Home
To bake, pop the cookie sheet into a 350º F oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through. When the top is golden and the edges are turning a bit brown, this sheet pan cookie is ready to come out of the oven.
Let the brittle cool completely on a wire rack. Then comes the fun part: the breaking!
Once this giant cookie is room temperature, you can slide it off the cookie sheet and break into pieces. I like to break it into all sizes so there’s always a piece of cookie brittle that’s just the right size for your level of snackish-ness.
After sampling a piece (or two… or three), store the cookie brittle in an airtight container for up to a week. I promise you, though, that it will not last that long.
Lisa Kaminski/Taste of Home
Cookie Brittle Variations
Shauna points out in her book that this recipe is perfect for customization. You can take out or add in all sorts of mix-ins. I think almonds, mini chocolate chips and coconut would be amazing. But try other flavored baking chips, toasted nuts—whatever floats your boat and whatever’s in the pantry.
My only advice would be not to go past two total cups of mix-ins. Otherwise, it’s your cookie brittle to tailor.
So, How Does It Taste?
Lisa Kaminski/Taste of Home
I don’t think I need to tell you that this recipe is delicious because you can just tell that it is. The cookie brittle is buttery and crunchy—extra crispy if you pick up an edge piece. I’m typically a chewy cookie gal, but this brittle is so darn good that it converted me.
But you don’t have to take just my word for it. Everyone who’s sampled this—my husband, my book club gang and my teammates at Taste of Home—have devoured it. It’s simply a satisfying sweet snack that you can make in minutes, and who couldn’t use more of those?
