....is Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last month, when I flew to Boston, I was so excited to see the Spirit Magazine article: 'Hello Cookie'. An entire inflight article on cookies?! They must have known I was flying. When I got home, I found the compiled recipes online, and wanted to make them all, immediately. (I've managed to hold out so far and only made the one but I plan to make more soon.) MMcK & I had another baking day and CPB helped decide which one we made first. He loves Chocolate and the Bacon & Chocolate combination sounded intriguing to all of us. They turned out to be a nice salty versus sweet treat to add to my cookie recipe collection. (Two cookies in one week, 'tis the season for baking!)

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Nadia G, host of Cooking Channel’s Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen and author of Cookin’ for Trouble

makes 48-52 cookies

12 slices Bacon, minced
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1 Cup Butter, cut into large pieces
1-1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Flaky Sea Salt

Center an oven rack, then preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté bacon until crisp. Drain fat, add maple syrup, and stir to blend. Sauté until maple syrup becomes thick, 1–2 minutes. Transfer immediately to a small bowl, and let cool.

Using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer, blend butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Add egg and beat until well blended, 1 minute. Add vanilla, and beat 30 seconds.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour and baking soda. Add bacon and chocolate, and stir to combine.

Scoop heaping teaspoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle dough with sea salt. Bake until golden around edges, 9–10 minutes. Let cookies cool 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Cooking!