Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m a HUGE fan of Waffles + Mochi on Netflix. It so incredibly well done, thoughtful, informative, and just plain fun to watch. I find myself laughing out loud at the puppets, and that’s me watching without kids around! These cookies are inspired by the Salt episode where Waffles + Mochi’s trip to Japan results in them smearing miso on a chocolate chip cookie and then gagged, having not yet discovered the meaning of “salt to taste.” I cracked up watching it, and then spent the rest of the episode dreaming about how delicious a miso chocolate chip cookie would actually be! The miso flavor is not overwhelming in these cookies, but combining the miso with sesame seeds and salt gives the cookies a really nice balance of sweet and savory. I hope you enjoy- if not the cookies, then at least Waffles + Mochi (check it out!)

Ingredients

4 oz (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into cubes to help it melt faster

3.75 oz (1/2 cup) sugar

0.65 oz (1 tbsp) molasses

1.5 oz (2 tbsp) white miso

0.2 oz (1/2 tbsp) vanilla extract

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 egg

4.5 oz (1 cup) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

4 oz (1/2 cup) dark chocolate chips

2 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tsp good quality salt (flaky salt, sea salt, pink salt, etc.)

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the butter, sugar, molasses, miso, vanilla, and salt over medium heat. Stir it constantly, mashing the miso so that there are no lumps of it. Continue stirring just until the butter is completely melted. Turn off the heat and let this cool for about 10 minutes.

2. When the butter mix is warm, but not hot, add the egg, and mix until it is incorporated.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar-egg and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until there are no pockets of dry flour.

4. Mix in the dark chocolate chips. Some of them will melt, but I like the variability of having some streaks and some chunks of chocolate when you eat it.

5. Let the dough chill for at least two hours in the fridge (up to over night).

6. When you are ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350 F.

7. While the oven is heating, form the cookie dough balls (~2 tbsp each). This size makes about 16 cookies, but feel free to make them smaller or bigger if you want. Mix the sesame seeds and good salt together in a small bowl. Dip the top of each cookie ball in the sesame seeds-salt mix, then place it on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between the cookies because these cookies spread a good amount. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need to bake them in multiple batches.

8. Bake for about 13 minutes, until the edges look firm, but the middle still looks puffy. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, gently transfer to a wire rack to cool.

9. Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container once they are cooled.