Allez, Cuisine! Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

There is a reason that chocolate chip cookies are the beginning baker’s standby, but after a while even something as well loved as the classic chocolate chip cookie can get a little boring. People have gone to all kinds of lengths to shake up this kid favorite by adding everything from peanut butter to raisins (ew), but we recently discovered that the best way to put a new spin on chocolate chips is actually to subtract ingredients.

This recipe for chocolate chip cookie “brittle” eliminates the baking soda, brown sugar, and eggs you’ll find in a typical recipe, leaving you with a dough that’s pretty much just butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. The result is a very crumbly, crunchy buttery shortbreadwith a well-balanced, slightly salty

caramelized flavor.

As we all know, impromptu baking makes for a sweet study break. Or, more candidly, it’s procrastination elevated to an art form. Since it doesn’t require an entire bag of chocolate chips, this recipe makes it easy to have everything you need on hand for a few rounds of midnight pick-me-ups. It’s also quick enough that it won’t put a major dent in your midterm study time.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Allow your butter to come to room temperature. It’s best to take it out of the fridge an hour or two in advance, but if you haven’t thought ahead, there’s always the microwave. Just try to avoid melting the butter because it will mess with the chemical reactions you need for

perfect brittle.

3. In a large bowl, combine the vanilla and the salt. Next, add the softened butter to the mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.

4. Cream the butter mixture and sugar together, gradually adding the sugar and beating until the batter is light and fluffy. Then add the flour, and fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Mix until all of the ingredients have pulled together into a uniform, crumbly dough.

6. Transfer the dough to an ungreased cooking pan, and press it until it forms an even layer over the entire bottom of the pan.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the brittle is

golden brown.

8. Before serving, break the slab into free-form pieces by hand, or, for a more polished look, make diagonal cuts to create diamond shapes.