Life can be simple: Chunky Lola Cookies

Whoever is Lola, you would probably ask? It was also one of the questions I had when I first saw this recipe from Flour. It was definitely a name given in cheek in place of these pantry cookies. Chunky Lola is one of Boston's Flour Bakery's bestseller cookies and surprisingly, you would note that its combination of some random ingredients make you think if they would all go together. Surprisingly, they do. So what are you waiting for if you want to clear your pantry? See my modifications in blue.

Ingredients:

156g unsalted butter, softened

~~140g~~ 80g granulated sugar

~~150g~~ 100g brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

175g all purpose flour

70g rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

255g bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

125g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

120g sweetened shredded coconut (I used dessicated coconut)

~~112g pitted dates, roughly chopped (optional)~~

Method:

Preheat the oven to ~~350 degrees F~~ 170 degrees celsius.
Using a stand or hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix an additional 2 to 3 minutes until well combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, chocolate, pecans, coconut, and dates.
On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated and the dough is evenly mixed.
Line sheet pans with parchment paper or silpats. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (Flour suggest about 1/4 cup per cookie, which makes quite big cookies) onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes (more for larger cookies) or until golden around the edges and slightly soft in the center.
The cookies keep well 2-3 days wrapped at room temperature.

My tips:

Keep dough batter in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days before baking. This brings out the flavour in the cookie dough as well as allow the sugars in the dough to crystallise, hence giving the cookies a richer flavour.
Alternatively, scoop the cookie dough onto baking sheets or square pans and place them in the freezer for about 10 to 15 mins to allow to harden. Once they are hardened, you can keep them into freezer bags so you can bake whenever your cravings start acting up ;)

Mr G was walking in and out of the kitchen whilst I was doing Chunky Lola. When I was done preparing the batter, I told him I made Chunky Lola with some interesting ingredients. He was like yeah, I noticed the coconut and the oatmeal. They all look really grainy together. I wonder how they taste like. Haha soon, Mr G. Patience will reward you ;)

Don't you just love the oozing chocolate from the chocolate chips? Yes that is the exact perfect reason for me not to use mini chocolate chips anymore. I need them to GO BIG!!! I just love the taste of the oozing chocolate.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY, hosted by Vivian of Vivian Pang’s Kitchen.