Discover Santa Fe’s Sweet Haven: Chainé’s Piñon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Explore the charming Burro Alley in Santa Fe, where Modern Folk Ware and Chainé create a sweet haven for locals. Dive into the story of Chainé Pena’s passion for desserts and her famous Piñon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Learn the art of baking these treats at home with Chainé’s exclusive recipe.
- Prep Time: 1.25 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1.5 hours
- Yield: Around 30 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: bake
Ingredients
- 1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature, and the best quality you can get your hands on
- 3/4 c. light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 t. vanilla paste or extract
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, her favorite is Bob’s Red Mill
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1/2 t. sea salt, she uses pink
- 2 t. cornstarch
- 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, her favorite is Ghirardelli 5mm baking chips
- 2 c. piñon nuts, unsalted & shelled
Instructions
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or with a wooden spoon by hand), cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until it’s fluffy and fully incorporated.
Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl one to two times between mixing to ensure all the butter and sugar remnants combine with the eggs.
In a separate bowl, using a sifter or a fine mesh strainer, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cornstarch. Add ¾ of the dry mixture to the wet. Mix just until it slightly comes together. Add the chocolate chips and the nuts to the remaining flour mixture and give them a toss. (this step helps the chocolate and nuts disperse evenly throughout the dough).
Using a cookie scooper, a large tablespoon, a ¼ c. measuring cup, or a scale (about 2 oz) portion out rounds of dough. Refrigerate pre-portioned cookie dough for 45 min to one hour.
Time to bake! Preheat your oven to 375. On a parchment-lined cookie sheet place your cookies and give them plenty of room to grow. Bake for about 11 – 13 minutes until the edges and top are just browned. Allow cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.