Kitchen Mistake Grows Into Special Cookie

“This recipe was born from a mistake,” Terry Stratton writes. “I accidentally added too much butter to a chocolate cookie recipe. After adjusting the other ingredients, I came up with a really good lunch-box treat. As brownies tend to dry out and crumble, these do not.”

BROWNIE COOKIES

5 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup chopped walnuts

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Heat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and water in saucepan over low heat.

When butter is melted, add 1 cup chocolate pieces and vanilla. Stir to melt. Beat in eggs, then add sifted ingredients. Fold in remaining chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 40 to 43 cookies.

--TERRY STRATTON

Mission Viejo