Hey, Good News! If you’re a fan of Claire Saffitz, the former Bon Appétit editor and YouTube star, you probably know that she’s a dessert person. And if you’re a dessert person too, you might want to try some of her amazing cookie recipes that she has shared in her books, videos, and articles.
In this article, we’ll show you how to bake cookies like Claire Saffitz, from her classic chocolate chip cookies to her creative raspberry thumbprint cookies. We’ll also give you some tips and tricks from her baking expertise, as well as answer some frequently asked questions about her cookie recipes. So grab your apron and let’s get baking!
Claire Saffitz’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
What makes them special?
Chocolate chip cookies are a staple of any cookie lover’s repertoire, but Claire Saffitz’s version is anything but ordinary. She claims that these are the best chocolate chip cookies she has ever made, and we can see why. Her recipe uses a combination of milk and dark chocolate disks (not chips), browned butter, and a touch of baking powder to create cookies that are crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, and bursting with chocolate flavor.
She also recommends chilling the dough for at least 24 hours before baking, which helps develop the flavor and texture of the cookies. She says that this step is crucial for achieving the perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and richness in every bite.
How to make them?
To make Claire Saffitz’s chocolate chip cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz/ 227 g), cut into tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk (1 oz/ 28 g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (9.2 oz/ 260 g)
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.22 oz/ 6g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (0.21 oz/ 6g)
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (5.3 oz/ 150 g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5.3 oz/ 150 g)
- 2 large eggs (3.5 oz/ 100 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (0.17 oz/ 5 g)
- 6 ounces milk chocolate disks or wafers (170 g)
- 6 ounces dark chocolate disks or wafers (170 g)
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
To make the cookies, follow these steps:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and stir in the cream or milk. Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
- Pour the brown butter mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Add the flour mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Fold in the chocolate disks or wafers.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 72 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centers are still soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Claire Saffitz’s Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
What makes them special?
Raspberry thumbprint cookies are a festive treat that can brighten up any cookie platter. Claire Saffitz’s recipe is inspired by ricciarelli, an almond cookie from Siena, Italy. She uses almond flour and almond extract to give the cookies a nutty flavor and a chewy texture. She also adds a dollop of raspberry jam in the center of each cookie, which adds a pop of color and a tangy contrast to the sweet dough.
These cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly, making them a great option for anyone with dietary restrictions or preferences. They’re also very easy to make, requiring only a few ingredients and no special equipment.
How to make them?
To make Claire Saffitz’s raspberry thumbprint cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour (7.5 oz/ 212 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (0.1 oz/ 3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (0.04 oz/ 1 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3.5 oz/ 100 g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (2 oz/ 56 g)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (0.17 oz/ 5 g)
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam (2.8 oz/ 80 g)
To make the cookies, follow these steps:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and almond extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) of jam.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden and firm around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Claire Saffitz’s Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
What makes them special?
Molasses spice cookies are a cozy treat that are perfect for the fall and winter seasons. Claire Saffitz’s recipe is adapted from one of her favorite cookbooks, The Last Course by Claudia Fleming. She says that these cookies are \”the ultimate chewy spice cookie\” and we couldn’t agree more. They have a rich molasses flavor, a warm spice blend, and a crackly sugar coating that adds crunch and sweetness.
These cookies are also very easy to make, requiring only one bowl and no chilling time. They’re great for making ahead and storing in an airtight container for up to a week or freezing for up to a month.
How to make them?
To make Claire Saffitz’s chewy molasses spice cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (9.2 oz/ 260 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (0.42 oz/ 12 g)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger (0.35 oz/ 10 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (0.02 oz/ 0.5 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (0.02 oz/ 0.5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (0.08 oz/ 2 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves (0.09 oz/ 2.5 g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 oz/ 170 g), at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5.3 oz/ 150 g), plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg (1.75 oz/ 50 g), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses (3 oz/ 85 g)
To make the cookies, follow these steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, pepper, allspice, salt, and cloves.
- Add the butter and sugar to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Place some granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 3 inches (8 cm) apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are cracked on top and slightly firm to the touch.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
A Table Breakdown of Claire Saffitz’s Cookie Recipes
If you’re wondering how Claire Saffitz’s cookie recipes compare to each other, we’ve prepared a table breakdown for you. The table shows the main ingredients, yield, baking time, and difficulty level of each recipe. You can use this table as a reference when choosing which cookies to bake or when planning your shopping list.
| Recipe | Main Ingredients | Yield | Baking Time | Difficulty Level |
| — | — | — | — | — |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies | Browned butter, milk and dark chocolate disks, brown and granulated sugar | 16 large cookies | 12 to 15 minutes | Medium |
| Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies | Almond flour, raspberry jam, vegetable oil, almond extract | 24 small cookies | 12 to 15 minutes | Easy |
| Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies | Molasses, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, ginger and other spices | 18 large cookies | 10 to 12 minutes | Easy |
FAQs About Claire Saffitz’s Cookie Recipes
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate disks or wafers?
Yes, you can use chocolate chips instead of chocolate disks or wafers in Claire Saffitz’s chocolate chip cookie recipe, but the results will be different. Chocolate disks or wafers are larger and flatter than chocolate chips, which means they melt more evenly and create larger pockets of chocolate in the cookies. Chocolate chips are smaller and thicker than chocolate disks or wafers, which means they retain their shape better and create smaller chunks of chocolate in the cookies. If you use chocolate chips, you might want to reduce the amount of chocolate by about 2 ounces (56 g) to avoid making the cookies too sweet or dense.
Yes, you can use a different jam flavor for the raspberry thumbprint cookies, as long as it is not too runny or chunky. You want a jam that has a smooth consistency and a bright color that contrasts with the almond dough. Some good alternatives are apricot, strawberry, blackberry, or cherry jam. You can also experiment with different combinations of jam flavors, such as raspberry and lemon or apricot and ginger.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to a month. For the chocolate chip cookie dough, you can either freeze it as a whole batch or as individual balls. If you freeze it as a whole batch, you’ll need to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before scooping and baking. If you freeze it as individual balls, you can bake them straight from the freezer without thawing, but you might need to add a few minutes to the baking time. For the raspberry thumbprint cookie dough and the molasses spice cookie dough, you can only freeze them as individual balls. You can also fill the thumbprints with jam before freezing or after thawing.
You can store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to a month. To prevent them from sticking together, you might want to layer them with parchment paper or wax paper in between. To thaw them, you can either let them sit at room temperature for about an hour or warm them up in a low oven for about 10 minutes.
How do I adjust the baking time for different oven types or sizes?
The baking time for cookies can vary depending on your oven type, size, temperature accuracy, and rack position. The best way to check if your cookies are done is to look at their appearance and texture. For Claire Saffitz’s cookie recipes, here are some general guidelines:
- For the chocolate chip cookies, you want them to be golden on the edges and soft in the middle. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so don’t overbake them.
- For the raspberry thumbprint cookies, you want them to be lightly golden and firm around the edges. They will also harden as they cool, so don’t bake them for too long.
- For the chewy molasses spice cookies, you want them to be cracked on top and slightly firm to the touch. They will stay chewy even after they cool, so don’t underbake them.
If your cookies are browning too quickly or too slowly, you might need to adjust the oven temperature or the rack position. You can also rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking time for even browning.
Yes, you can use a different type of flour for the cookies, but you might need to make some adjustments to the recipe. For example, if you use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, you might need to add more liquid or reduce the amount of flour by about 10% to prevent the cookies from being too dry or dense. If you use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour, you might need to add some xanthan gum or another binder to help the cookies hold together. You can also use a blend of different flours, such as oat flour, spelt flour, or buckwheat flour, to create different flavors and textures.
Yes, you can add some nuts, dried fruits, or other mix-ins to the cookies, as long as they don’t interfere with the structure or flavor of the dough. For example, you can add some chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the chocolate chip cookie dough for some crunch and nuttiness. You can add some dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries to the raspberry thumbprint cookie dough for some extra fruitiness. You can add some candied ginger, orange zest, or white chocolate chips to the molasses spice cookie dough for some extra zing and sweetness. You can also experiment with different combinations of mix-ins, such as chocolate and coconut or cranberry and pistachio.
Yes, you can make the cookies vegan or dairy-free by substituting some of the ingredients with plant-based alternatives. For example, you can use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of butter in the chocolate chip cookie recipe and the molasses spice cookie recipe. You can use almond milk or soy milk instead of cream or milk in the chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can use a flax egg or an aquafaba egg instead of an egg in the chocolate chip cookie recipe and the molasses spice cookie recipe. You can also use vegan chocolate disks or chips instead of regular chocolate disks or chips in the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Yes, you can make the cookies sugar-free or low-sugar by substituting some of the sugar with natural sweeteners or sugar alternatives. For example, you can use maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or date paste instead of granulated sugar in the raspberry thumbprint cookie recipe and the molasses spice cookie recipe. You can use coconut sugar, brown rice syrup, or monk fruit sweetener instead of brown sugar and granulated sugar in the chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can also use sugar-free jam instead of regular jam in the raspberry thumbprint cookie recipe and sugar-free chocolate disks or chips instead of regular chocolate disks or chips in the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Yes, you can make the cookies healthier or more nutritious by adding some ingredients that are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or healthy fats. For example, you can add some oat bran, wheat germ, flax seeds, chia seeds, or hemp seeds to the flour mixture in any of the cookie recipes for some extra fiber and omega-3s. You can add some protein powder, peanut butter powder, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter to any of the cookie recipes for some extra protein and healthy fats. You can also add some dark chocolate chunks (at least 70% cocoa), cocoa powder (unsweetened), cinnamon (ground), turmeric (ground), or matcha (powdered green tea) to any of the cookie recipes for some extra antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this article on how to bake cookies like Claire Saffitz. She is a talented pastry chef whohas shared many delicious and creative cookie recipes that you can try at home. Whether you’re looking for a classic chocolate chip cookie, a festive raspberry thumbprint cookie, or a cozy molasses spice cookie, you’ll find something to satisfy your sweet tooth and impress your friends and family. You can also customize these recipes to suit your preferences and dietary needs, or add some extra ingredients to make them more nutritious.
We hope this article has inspired you to bake some cookies like Claire Saffitz and enjoy them with a glass of milk or a cup of tea. If you liked this article, please check out our other articles on baking, cooking, and food. Thank you for reading and happy baking! 😊