Chunky Hazelnut-Toffee Cookies

Chunky Hazelnut-Toffee Cookies
(aka: best freakin' chocolate chip cookies ever)

From Forrest Gump: My Favorite Chocolate Recipes
Oxmoor House, Inc publishing (1995)

Ingredients:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 (1.4 oz) English toffee-flavored candy bars, chopped
2 (10-oz) packages semisweet chocolate chunks
1 c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts or pecans

How to:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients, stirring well. Add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in toffee candy, chocolate chunks, and nuts.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 4 1/2 dozen.

"Note: For English toffee-flavored candy bars, Mama always used Heath bars."

Notes from Beth: 1) make sure you toast the hazelnuts!! It really boosts the flavor depth and gets rid of that bitter undercurrent of flavor in the nuts. 2) Don't buy the bags of toffee bits available now in stores--get the actual candy bars (preferably the bite-sized ones, if you can) and chop those up--they taste different, plus provide an added bonus of a little bit of milk chocolate. 3) Mama may have used Heath bars, but Beth suggests using Skor bars instead.

These cookies have been the family favorite since I first made them for xmas 2000 or 2001 and are always on the requested list of goodies. I don't think we've made a "regular" chocolate chip cookie for holidays since. . . enjoy!