Lard Chocolate Chip Cookies

Is there anything better than a chocolate chip cookie? I think not. You would think the same ole same ole would just get boring. But chocolate chip cookies are just in a league of their own.

There’s nothing ground breaking about this recipe. I mean, it’s hard to mess up a classic. But in the spirit of using our food responsibly its hard to go buy pounds and pounds of butter from the store when the freezer is stocked with pork lard.

When rendered correctly this fantastic animal by-product is snow white and doesn’t have any of that “pork flavor”

It really makes baked goods so light and fluffy.

So without further ado, my recipe…

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 generous teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup lard

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs (maybe a third depending on the size of egg and how chalky the dough is)

1 bag chocolate chips (I prefer a mix of milk and dark chocolate)

DIRECTIONS

-Cream the butter: mix butter, lard, and sugars in stand mixer and cream together for much longer than you think you should.

-In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients

-Add vanilla and two eggs to stand mixer and mix until just combined

-Slowly add dry ingredients to mixer

(If your dough looks too chalky whisk one egg by hand and add to mixer. This will require mixing, stopping to scrape paddle and bowl, and then mixing again.)

-Mix in chocolate chips

-Now for the most important part… do not bake right away! You must chill the dough for AT LEAST 30 minutes. Two hours would be ideal. It really allows the butter and sugar to meld together and the fats can firm up which means they melt slower in the oven resulting in taller cookies that don’t smoosh like pancakes.

When you’re ready to bake preheat oven to 375. Bake for 11-15 minutes. But this really depends on the size of your cookie and no two ovens are calibrated the same so just keep an eye on it. Take them out when the middle still looks gooey and allow to cool on baking sheet for a minute or two which will continue to cook the center a bit. Okay, this is the second most important part… while they cool, sprinkle with course sea salt.

Then remove to cooling rack. And feel no shame for the lack of self control. You’re welcome.