Crunchy and Chewy English Toffee Cookies

I think I must have had my first English toffee cookie at Au Bon Pain several years ago... their cookies are huge and always soft and chewy. While they were a special treat in the late afternoons when they are sold for half off, I wanted to try and make my own at home. Back then, as I searched for recipes, I kept coming upon ones that used an egg white wash on the tops of cookies whose dough base was essentially like a chocolate chip cookie. It baffled me that such cookies were called toffee cookies, and I actually went ahead and tried to make them. Of course, they didn't come out as I had hoped.

Fast forward several years, and I'm standing in a grocery store baking aisle, eying those bags of English toffee bits for baking that sit right beside the chocolate chips. No more egg white washes! I slapped down the $2.49 for an 8 oz. bag of Heath "bits o' brickle" English toffee bits, and I just knew that this time I would be able to make the toffee cookies I've always dreamed of - thin and chewy, crunchy at the edges, with bits of real toffee buried in the cookie. You always know that a cookie is going to be just the perfect amount of chewy when it's nice and flattened. I really didn't want to change this recipe, because I just wanted to get the classic toffee cookie experience. Now I share this mouthwatering cookie recipe with you as well :)

Chewy English toffee cookies

Chewy English Toffee Cookies   (makes 4 dozen)                                 recipe at Recipezaar.com

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
8 oz. package of Heath toffee bits

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheet, or cover with foil/parchment.

2. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until well blended.

4. Add eggs and blend thoroughly.

5. Gradually add flour mixture to the batter, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in toffee bits.

6. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies are golden, and browning around the edges. They will have flattened and crackled on top.

7. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack.

Chewy English toffee cookies with milk

All I can really say is that these cookies are amazingly delicious. Whoever came up with this recipe is a genius! These cookies have the perfect amount of crunchy toffee bits in them, and every bite is just wonderful. Eat them with milk for the ultimate indulgence... mmm.....