Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

We are sharing this recipe for Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies just in time for your holiday baking. This should come in handy whether gifting tins of cookies, preparing for a party, or just stocking up for guests. We always have a variety of fresh baked cookies at the inn for guests during Afternoon Tea, which of course you know if you have spent time with us.

This recipe comes from our first cookbook Hartstone Inn Cookbook. These chocolate chip cookies can be made without the walnuts if desired, or another type of chopped nut can easily be substituted. If you really like chocolate, add 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder and 2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup to the recipe, and replace the chocolate chips with an equivalent amount of 1/2-inch dark chocolate chunks.

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

Makes 40 cookies.

1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup walnut pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

3. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnut pieces by hand.

4. Make balls with a #40 ice cream scoop and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat or on a lightly greased baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool.