Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

As some of you may know, Matt and I are getting married in about 7 weeks (!!) and while most brides stress out about wedding planning, “shedding for the wedding,” and checklists from The Knot, the last few weeks I have been stressing out about what cookies to make as our wedding party favors.

We are having a tiny ceremony (35 people) so I can definitely handle baking enough cookies for everyone, but the question is: what cookie??

These Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies have made it to the shortlist. I’ve made these cookies multiple times, and for good measure, I recently made them again two weekends in a row to make sure the recipe is fool-proof. And just like that scene in Love Actually, to me they are perfect.

Why? Let me count the ways:

  1. They only require one bowl to make. So easy-peasy, so incredibly simple to make. They require few ingredients, most of which you might already have in your pantry. The only fancy ingredient here is the dark chocolate I used.
  2. I used Lindt A Touch of Sea Salt EXCELLENCE bars. (Yes, I work with Lindt for this blog, but this is NOT a sponsored post!) I just really, really, really love these bars.  I love the smooth and silky chocolate, and the little pops of saltiness. If you want to use something else, feel free to do so, the recipe still works. But I would say to please stick to a large chocolate bar that you chop up into chunks, and not chocolate chips (the irregular size of chunks lend great texture and also will result in little puddles of chocolate). I recommend Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bars, too. Another tip: save a few chunks and press them on top of the cookies before baking! The cookies just look so much more appealing and also will let the eater know that these are chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies, and not oatmeal raisin cookies.
  3. Chewy oatmeal cookies are a crowd-pleaser, and I’ve only gotten rave reviews for these particular ones. They are not THE Chocolate Chip Cookies. You know what I’m talking about: the unattainable perfection of chocolate chip cookies. Everyone has an idea of what their ideal chocolate chip cookie is, and I don’t want all that pressure. A perfect oatmeal cookie is much more attainable. Soft and chewy, with wafts of cinnamon, and a mild caramel flavor from brown sugar. Add some silky chunks of chocolate with sea salt, and we have a winner.

The other wedding favor ideas on the shortlist are: dulce de leche macaroons (a recipe I made six years ago, but I regularly bust out for special occasions) and a classic fudge brownie with walnuts. Or maybe peanut butter crunch brownies? We have a few weeks to decide!

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
8 oz dark chocolate chunks

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
  2. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Fold in oats and dark chocolate chunks. Mix until well combined.
  3. Using a standard (2 inch) cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, portion out dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  4. Cover cookie dough balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or chill in the freezer for 20 minutes) up to 5 days.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F.
  6. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container if not serving immediately. I've had luck freezing these cookies in a large tupperware lined with parchment paper (with more paper in between each layer) and "defrosting" them at room temperature for a couple of hours.

I used Lindt A Touch of Sea Salt EXCELLENCE Bars because it's my favorite! Feel free to use any dark chocolate bar you like (and chop it up into chunks). If you would also like a pop of saltiness, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right after baking.

Even if you are not getting married in a few weeks, I still urge you to make these cookies and share with your loved ones <3

Enjoy the rest of the week. I’ll share our Los Angeles escapades next time!