Author Adapted by Lisa Fain from Sweet on Texas by Denise Gee
Ingredients
1/2cup1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2cuppacked brown sugar
1/2cupgranulated sugar
1large egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1tablespoonorange zest
3/4cupall-purpose four
1/4cupcocoa powder
1teaspoonespresso powder
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1/8teaspoonground cloves
1/8teaspooncayenne
1/2cuprolled oats, not instant
3/4cupsemi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4cupchopped roasted pecans
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line with parchment paper two baking sheets. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and beat until creamy.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa power, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne. Add the dry mixture to the liquid mixture. Stir until well combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and pecans.
Working in batches, form the dough into walnut-sized balls (if it’s too soft, you can place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes) or scoop out the dough using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoope, and then place on the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies have expanded and puffed. When they come out of the oven, the cookies will still be soft but as they cool, the cookies both harden and flatten. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Repeat for the remaining cookie dough.
Notes
Espresso powder is a dark, finely ground instant coffee. You can usually find espresso powder next to the regular instant coffee at the supermarket or at gourmet stores. If you can’t find it, then finely ground coffee beans, preferably a dark roast, can be substituted instead.