Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pepitas and Halvah

The key to a soft and luscious cookie is not overmixing the dough and adding enough flour. No more thin and crunchy, disappointing cookies for you!

I've been reading up on chocolate chip cookies, because the only real recipe I've ever used is the Toll House one. These are great: crispy, chewy, chocolatey, you get the picture. But what I'm always (or, I mean, right now) craving is the soft, doughy cookie with just a hint of crunch. I took some advice from Pinch of Yum, The Vanilla Bean Blog, The New York Times, and, of course, Bon Appetit, and have a recipe that hits all the marks in my criteria.

You could definitely make these without the add-ins (the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and halvah), but I'd, of course, recommend keeping them. That almost-bitter, nutty sesame taste just soars when it's combined with sugar and chocolate. (Also, if you can't find halvah — a sugary, fudge-like tahini candy —  you can either omit it or add a 1/4 cup of tahini in with the egg and vanilla).

Makes 24 small cookies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup/99 grams sugar (I used cane sugar for added texture)
1/4 cup/53 grams brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups/210 grams flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (preferably dark)
1/3 cup pepitas, toasted
1/4 cup/70 grams halvah, crumbled
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Flaky sea salt (like Maldon), for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Heat butter until just melted, either for about 30 seconds in the microwave or a minute or two on the stove.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter with sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat on low until just combined, no longer than 10-15 seconds.

Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined and still slightly crumbly. Dough will be soft. Remove bowl from mixer and, with hands, mix in chocolate chips, pepitas, halvah, and sesame seeds. You don't want to overmix this, so be gentle! It's fine if there are loose scraps at the bottom of the bowl.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until just golden, 10 minutes. Cookies will still be soft, but let them sit on cookie sheet at least 30 minutes once removed from oven. They will firm up! Then voila! All done and ready to enjoy.