Chocolate Chip Cookies

The humble chocolate chip cookie reaches new heights when studded with walnuts—toasty, earthy, and just a little bitter, they cut through the sweetness of the dough like a counterpoint in a perfect melody. Each bite is a dance of textures: the crisp edges shatter delicately, giving way to a chewy center where pools of melted chocolate mingle with the crunch of roasted walnuts. There’s an art to balancing them—too few, and they’re merely an afterthought; too many, and they overwhelm. But when done just right, the walnuts add depth, their nutty richness amplifying the brown sugar and butter in the dough. Best eaten at room temp, they’re irresistible—the chocolate still gooey, the walnuts fragrant, and the scent of vanilla and caramelized sugar filling the kitchen.