Joanne Chang’s Chunky Lola Cookies Recipe

• 1½ cups bittersweet chocolate (62 to 70 percent cacao), roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces from a brick
• 1¼ cups pecan halves, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (1⅜ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

Note: The total time does not include 4 hours and 20 minutes of inactive time.

Make the cookie dough:

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk everything together, and set the bowl aside.

2. 2

   In a small mixing bowl, crack the egg. Add the vanilla extract to the eggs, and whisk to combine. Set the bowl aside.

3. 3

   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together, starting on low speed, then increasing to medium speed. (Alternatively, place the ingredients in a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to combine.) Scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, whip the ingredients until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

4. 4

   Continue mixing the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes more until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix on medium speed for an additional 2–3 minutes to aerate the mixture, which will ultimately give the cookies a crispier, lighter texture. Pause the mixer.

5. 5

   With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle the eggs and vanilla extract mixture into the creamed butter and sugar. Continuing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go, mix everything together until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the mixture is light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Pause the mixer.

6. 6

   Add the chocolate, pecans, and coconut to the bowl with the flour mixture, and stir gently to combine.

7. 7

   Add the chocolate-flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, and pulse in the standing mixer on low speed for 1–2 minutes, until mostly combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.

8. 8

   Using a rubber spatula, finish combining the chocolate-flour and butter-sugar mixtures. Gently fold the dough by pushing your spatula into the center of the bowl, and scoop it up from the bottom while turning the bowl. Mix until the dry ingredients are no longer visible.

9. 9

   Transfer the dough to an airtight container just large enough to hold it, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours and up to overnight.

Bake the cookies:

1. 1

   Once your dough is done chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Position two racks as close to the center of the oven as possible. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop (or a large spoon, a wooden spoon, or even your hands), drop balls of cookie dough onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet, spaced 2–3 inches apart (you may need to use multiple baking sheets). If your dough is still slightly cold, use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball slightly.

3. 3

   Transfer the cookies to the oven and bake until they are golden brown at the edges and slightly soft in the center, about 18–20 minutes. If you’re baking multiple sheets at once, place the bottom sheet on the upper rack and the top sheet on the lower rack halfway through baking. Rotate both sheets 180 degrees to ensure an even bake.

4. 4

   Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on their baking sheets for 15–20 minutes. Next, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Become a better baker with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Joanne Chang, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Chef Thomas Keller, Mashama Bailey, and more.