Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Salty and sweet is a classic combination. I’ve always upped the salt in my cookie recipes. Together they create just the right balance for the perfect cookie. I was intrigued by the the use of sea salt in the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie recipe that was featured in the New York Times last month. At the bitter end he sprinkles the cookies with course sea salt as they enter the oven. Great idea! I have to say his recipe is fantastic and I’ve made them a bunch of times with great reviews. Then I added a secret ingredient that made them something truly unique and absolutely addictive: Bacon.

Yeah, bacon. I’d gone to Cooks of Crocus Hill to pick up some kitchen essential and there it was at the check out counter, the Vosges Mo’s Bacon Bar. I’d had smokey bacon as a garnish on a caramel sundae and loved it, but in chocolate. This was something as a culinary professional I was obligated to try.

Bacon Chocolate Bar | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

The first bite was intense, a wonderful blend of salty, sweet and incredibly rich. The bacon was much stronger than I expected and that pleased me, at first. But, it sat in my chocolate drawer for a couple of days and neither my husband nor I were secretly dipping into it, which is highly unlike us. I really liked the flavor, but it was too much, too overbearing. It needed to be diluted so I would have just the slightest hint of the bacon. The solution hit me when I was planning the meals I wanted to prepare up at the cabin. I had intended to bring a batch of the Jacques Torres cookies for those late night puzzle marathons. Nothing like cookies to keep you energized while tackling a 2000 piece Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night puzzle. Which, despite the dozens of cookies we ate, was left unfinished! Next year I’ll bring at least a double batch.

The combination of the cookie dough, the bittersweet chocolate, and the sea salt was exactly what this Mo’s Bacon Bar needed. I only used one 3 ounce bar in the entire recipe, but it was the perfect amount to give that hint of bacon, but not entirely take over the taste of the cookie. As soon as they would leave the oven they were gone. My entire extended family (with the exception of Katherine, who is vegan) is now addicted to these bacon chocolate chip cookies.

*update~I just talked to Tyler at WhatWe’reEating.com, and he was inspired to find out all the crazy bacon combinations people have come up with. Let me know below or go to his survey. I have a feeling my cookies are only the tip of the iceberg.

Mo’s Bacon Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from a recipe by Jacques Torres which appeared in The New York Times.

Time: 45 minutes (36 cookies), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cup) unsalted butter (salted in fine)

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 3-ounce bar of Mo’s Bacon Bar, finely chopped

1 pound bittersweet chocolate (or whatever combination of high quality chocolate you happen to have laying around your house. I used some Valrhona 64% Cocoa, Dark Chocolate Bar, some El Rey White Chocolate and Callebaut Milk Chocolate.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (place rack in the middle of the oven. If baking two trays at once then be sure to rotate the cookies midway through baking so they bake evenly)

(Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. This makes for easier clean up and the paper acts as a slight insulator form the pan and will not brown as much.)

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, set aside.

Cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar (make sure it is not dried out or too lumpy) and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until very light in texture and color, about 5 minutes. (When I was a kid I made them by hand but now I use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.)

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Gradually beat in flour mixture. (mix the flour in only until combined.) Stir in chocolates.

Form the dough into logs on a strip of plastic wrap. Wrap well and refrigerate for about 24 hours. (If you can’t stand it, just bake them whenever you feel like it! We won’t tell Jacques.)

Slice the cold dough into equal discs and place onto baking sheet lined with parchment. (Make sure your cookies are the same size so they will bake evenly. I always bake on parchment to eliminate the clean up of my pans.)

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. (This is just about perfect timing if your oven is calibrated and you are only baking one sheet at a time. If you have two or more sheets going you must rotate them half way through baking so that they bake evenly. They may also require a minute or so more baking.) Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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41 thoughts to “Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies”

  1. How interesting Zoe! At first I thought you had used real bacon in your cookie but now it makes more sense! I would like to try that chocolate, just a tiny bit. i’m guessing it’s not the kind to eat a whole bar in one sitting, but I’m curious about what it gave to the cookie. I’ve also made the NY Times cookie ans they were good! I’ve actually put chilli in mine 🙂

  2. what a great idea! I loved that article and the chocolate bar. Although, with the bar, I thought it was the gray sea salt that was the overwhelming factor, to the point that it was overpowering the bacon. I thought they should have had less salt and added in some smoked paprika.

  3. I have a bar of that with me right now! A friend brought it back from the states….this sound like a fantastic way to use it 🙂

  4. I grew up on a hog farm so I’m used to pig in just about everything, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never had it in chocolate chip cookies. That, of course, is going to change very soon!

  5. Zoe, did you weigh or measure the flours for the NYT recipe? I’m just wondering, because The amount of bread and cake flour are listed as follows:

    2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

    (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

    1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

    Using measuring cups, 2c – 2 T. doesn’t equal 1 2/3 cups, but they’re both listed as 8 1/2 ounces. I can’t wait to make these, and want to make good use of the luscious (expensive!) chocolate called for. Thank you so much!

  6. Ok..I could eat a whole pound of bacon if my hips would let me! ANd the chocolate..well I am a chocolate freak! Mix the two together and I am in heaven!!!!

  7. Hi recipes on the fly,

    I love the paprika idea. I was thinking of adding espresso powder to the mix and making a full on breakfast out of it! 😉

    Thanks, Zoë

  8. Hi Beth,

    I did weigh the flour for the recipe. Truth be told I have tried it using cake/bread flour and also using all-purpose to replace them both and I couldn’t really tell the difference.

    Cake flour is much lighter than bread flour so they will not weigh the same. You will end up with much more cake flour by volume.

    Hope that answers your question, let me know what you think of the cookies!

    Zoë

  9. Okay. Two different people have directed me to your site this morning (being a bacon blogger does ‘brand’ me I suppose) and these cookies look fantastic.

    And BTW, when I saw “bacon bar” I was thinking like “wine bar,” and was extremely excited. That’s an idea.

    Love the site! I’ll be back.

  10. Seriously Jeff, that may be the best idea I’ve heard in a long time. Just let me know when you open and I’ll be there!

    Thanks! Zoë

  11. I’m scared!

    I like to think that I’m the kind of person that will try anything once. But, bacon flavor in my cookie is something that is just not working in my head. I wish I had one to try thou!

  12. Hi Chuck,

    Don’t be scared, unless you are afraid you might eat the whole batch, then be very afraid!

    Let me know if you are a believer after you try them! 😉

    Enjoy! Zoë

  13. So I’m not an expert baker. The recipe doesn’t mention the Bacon Bar at all. Is it chopped up and mixed into the dough? Sprinkled on top? What?

  14. Thank YOU. I confess that I’ve been reading a series of vampire books by J. R. Ward. The vamps are into fine dining (spinach crepes, anyone?), including bacon with chocolate.

  15. Barbara, the book sounds great. Anyone who creates characters who are into food, especially bacon and chocolate is my kind of author!

    Thanks again,

    Zoë

  16. Zoë, a new “food” (I use the term loosely) offering at this year’s Great Minnesota Get-Together is Pig Lickers. Uh-huh. Cooked bacon dipped in chocolate. Famous Dave’s will be the peddler—I mean vendor. ‘-)

    My four baking entries are going to the fairgrounds this morning: white bread, boy and girl brownies, banana bread. Woo-hoo! The white bread is Home Ec class bread, not artisan bread. ‘-)

    See you at the Fair!!
    -Bubbles

  17. Hi Bubbles,

    Good luck to you this year! I’m sure you will be a show stopper as you are every year. What about your JAM? When does that make its way through the gates?

    I can’t believe that Famous Daves came up with this chocolate bacon combo for the FAIR, what a riot. I’ll be making my way over there for sure.

    Jeff and I will be there on Thursday and Friday to do a presentation at St Agnes Baking Stage. Can’t wait!!!

    See you there. Zoë

  18. “If you’re ever in a jam, here I am.” 🙂

    I don’t know if Dave is selling pig lickers on a stick or is serving it another way.

    I entered six jams, seven jellies, three pickles, two relishes, and two tomato products. I know, I know, I could get help for for the sickness . . . but I don’t wa-a-ant to! I picked up my opened and judged jars this afternoon but will not know the results of anything until Thursday, opening day of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Firstborn arrives tonight to accompany me on our annual Ribbon Review. 🙂 The tension mounts. . . .

    If bacon and banana make a good combo (think Elvis and his PB sandwiches), I can surely see bacon and chocolate. Your cookies sound tasty. I had a breakfast cookie recipe that involved crisp bacon so that sweet/salty/smoky thang has been around. Oink!!
    -Bubbles

  19. Wow, I just stumbled upon your blog and love it! I live in St. Paul, MN and had a friend over last night for margherita pizzas on the grill. She’s been making bread from your book the past several months and we spent much of the evening discussing it and what she’s made from it. I’ll have to pass your URL onto her. Oh, great photos, too.

  20. Hi Eileen,

    Thanks for stopping by. I’m thrilled that your friend is enjoying the book and shared her enthusiasm with you!

    Your website is lovely and the tomato tart is just gorgeous.

    Thanks, Zoë

  21. WOW Bubbles,

    You have been BUSY, to say the least. I can’t wait to check it all out. Good luck tonight, I’ll have my fingers crossed for you and all your goodies! Not that you need it. 😉

    Zoë

  22. OMG, there’s another Bubbles LaTour? That’s my family nickname. My relatives are in Pennsylvania Dutch country which means a high fat, high carb diet.

  23. Hi Barbara,

    You are in great company! Bubbles LaTour is a Blue Ribbon winning Jam Lady, not to mention the pickles, baked goods and everything else she takes home prizes for.

    She is busy with the FAIR this week, so just in case she doesn’t check back in, I’ll let her know about her name-twin in PA.

    Thanks, Zoë

    This is her winning jam: Cherry Jam for Gedney

  24. You mean there’s another Bubbles LaTour besides me? Who knew! LOL! It’s my nom de tour — I made it up to use on name tags and somehow it slopped over to being used for posting when I didn’t especially want to be identified. I’ve been outed! I’ve been chronicling a lot of my Fair prep at in a couple different sections there. More to come. 🙂

    Zoë, I’m looking forward to seeing you and Jeff at the Fair on Thursday. What time are you and Jeff doing your bread demo in the Creative Activities building?
    -Bubbles

  25. Hi Bubbles,

    Jeff and I will be there at 5pm on Thursday and Friday in the creative Activity Building and appearing on Channel 9 from the Fair on Friday morning at around 8am.

    I’ll be looking for your stuff, just follow the blue ribbons.

    Zoë

  26. I was wondering about using some bacon fat in place of some of the butter. It seems to me I tried this years ago. If memory serves me I liked it, did it a few times and then memory (at that time) forgot about the good idea.

    Think I may try it again, until I can get my hands on some of the bacon bar.

    BTW found this site totally by accident through an image search. Will check out your site. Thanks!!!

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