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The #1 Chocolate Chip Cookie Hack

Prepare to stop baking mediocre cookies and start making ones you can't get enough of.
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A warm, delicious chocolate chip cookie is one of the most satisfying desserts out there, and one that pretty much every palate enjoys. Not everyone is an oatmeal raisin or sugar cookie lover, but we think most people would happily sink their teeth into a chocolate chip cookie.

However, what if we told you that there's a way to amplify the flavor of this already delicious—albeit pretty standard—dessert? We consulted recipe developer and wellness writer Beth Lipton to see how she makes this a possibility with her secret hack to making the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

And for more, don't miss these 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback.

What is the #1 ingredient you need to add to bake the best chocolate chip cookies?

The trick to upgrading your usual chocolate chip cookie is combining dark chocolate with a hint of orange.

"Straight-up chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite treats. But if I want to add a twist, I'll put some grated orange zest in the batter, and I'll chop up a really dark chocolate bar (at least 70% cacao), instead of using semisweet chocolate chips," says Lipton. "I love that chocolate-orange combo, and the really deep, dark chocolate offsets the sweetness in the batter and the zing from the citrus." OK, anyone else's mouth watering uncontrollably right now?

Seriously, just a touch of citrus is enough to elevate your cookies to the next level, and it's the one trick you'll want to always do moving forward.

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An even more delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe

Put Lipton's advice to good use with her chocolate chip cookie recipe below!

Note: She prefers to follow a paleo-style diet, so know that her recipe will exclude grains and refined sugar. Imagine that—a chocolate chip cookie recipe that tastes better and is also better for you. Healthy dessert recipes really do exist!

Paleo Orange-Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: 20 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 scoop collagen peptides (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
8 Tbsp (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup cashew butter
3/4 cup packed coconut sugar
1 tsp orange zest
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped (preferably a paleo-friendly brand, such as Hu Kitchen)

How to Make It

  1. In a small bowl, mix both flours, collagen (if using), baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together butter, cashew butter, coconut sugar, and zest until light. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add almond-flour mixture and stir in, then fold in chopped chocolate.
  3. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; line a baking sheet with parchment.
  5. Scoop dough into 10 to 12 balls; place on a baking sheet and use your hands to flatten into disks.
  6. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until just cooked but still soft.
  7. Let cool on a sheet pan on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to four days (though they never last that long!).

Any other tips?

"No matter what recipe you prefer, make sure to use the best ingredients you can," says Lipton. "Organic butter, high-quality chocolate, unbleached flour or blanched almond flour, real vanilla extract—the quality of your ingredients really makes a difference."

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Cheyenne Buckingham
Cheyenne Buckingham is the former news editor of Eat This, Not That! Read more about Cheyenne