I love trying out new chocolate chip cookie recipes and it’s especially fun to try and make famous ones. Ad Hoc Chocolate Chip Cookies are from renowned chef Thomas Keller and served at his Bouchon Bakery. In this post, I share all my best tips for making his chocolate chip cookies at home.
I am a huge fan of Thomas Keller and have been to nearly all his restaurants including The French Laundry, Addendum, Bouchon Bistro and several locations of Bouchon Bakery. When I visit Bouchon Bakery, I always have to buy a few of the famed chocolate chip cookies and recently, after I purchased his book*, I made them at home.
Tips for Making Thomas Keller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Like a lot of fine-dining chef’s recipes, these cookies are a little more complicated, but I’ve made them several times and have learned a few things that will make it easier if you want to try making them.
Type of Sugar
It’s important to use molasses sugar for these cookies which is a very dark brown sugar. Regular light brown sugar will not give your cookies the same depth of flavor or texture like the ones you can buy at Bouchon Bakery. I’ve made them using both kinds of sugar and I can really tell a difference in the quality of the cookies.
Type of Chocolate
The original recipe calls for two kinds of chocolate: 55% chocolate and 70-72% chocolate. Thomas Keller recommends chopping the chocolate, but I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. You can substitute chocolate chips and get the same result with a little less work. Be sure to use the two kinds of chocolate, though, because you can really taste the two chocolates in the cookies which gives the cookies a more complex flavor.
Freezing the Cookie Dough
What I love about these chocolate chip cookies is that you can make the dough in advance and either keep it in the refrigerator for up to five days or you can freeze the dough for two to three weeks. There’s nothing better than fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, so making these ahead to have on hand is really great.
These are definitely one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes, but I still love The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies the best. Luckily, I’m happy to have lots of go-to chocolate chip cookie recipes including my Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies and Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies.
*Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).
Ad Hoc Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 5 oz 55% chocolate cut into chip-sized pieces
- 5 oz 70%-72% percent chocolate cut into chip-sized pieces
- 8 oz (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar preferably molasses sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Position racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
- Sift flour and baking soda into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt.
- Put chips in a fine-mesh basket strainer and shake to remove any chocolate “dust” (small fragments).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat half the butter on medium speed until fairly smooth. Add both sugars and the remaining butter, and beat until well combined, then beat for a few minutes, until mixture is light and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating until the first one is incorporated before adding the next and scraping the bowl as necessary. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed to combine. Mix in chocolate.
- Remove bowl from mixer and fold dough with a spatula to be sure the chocolate is evenly incorporated. The dough or shaped cookies can be refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to 5 days or frozen for 2 weeks. Freeze shaped cookies on the baking sheets until firm, then transfer to freezer containers. (Defrost frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator before baking.)
- Using about 2 level tablespoons per cookie, shape dough into balls. Arrange 8 cookies on each pan, leaving about 2 inches between them, because the dough will spread. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny, switching the position and rotating pans halfway through baking.
- Cool cookies on the pans on cooling racks for about 2 minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to the racks to cool completely. Repeat with second batch of cookies. (The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)
Notes
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
They look delish! A simple chocolate chip cookie is always a winner, but sometimes you’d like a little variety. I’d try different chocolate chips (milk, semisweet, bittersweet…and God forbid white “chocolate”), add dried fruits and/or nuts. I love the combination of semisweet with dried cranberries, or bittersweet with dried cherries.
This one I used 55% and 75%. I think a combination of milk, semi and bitter would be good. I’m not too fond of white chocolate in my cookies. Hehe. I like dried fruits too. Next time I’ll try that.
Sounds like an improved adhoc choco cookies. I bet, it got the taste that’s appealing to mass.
I have my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe too, but I’m always open to trying a new variety. Good tips on using the right kind of sugar, I sometimes forget just HOW important the exact ingredients can be!
I forget too! Yeah I definitely have my favorite, but I love trying out other ones too.
looks delicious. Chocolate cookies are simply marvelous. thanks for sharing.
Yes, I agree. despite all the fancy desserts I’ve tried, the classic chocolate chip cookie is one I never get tired of.
The cookies look great! And I LOVE your new design, so very pretty!!
Thanks and thanks! I like the redesign too though I’ve got a couple of things to work out still.