Cashew-Chocolate Chip Crisps

2 1/2 cups roasted cashew nuts

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 orange

2 large eggs

1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 1 cup milk chocolate chips and 1 cup semisweet)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Spread the nuts out in one layer on a baking sheet and bake them until they are golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. 

In a food processor, finely grind 1/2 cup of the nuts with 1 tablespoon of the flour.  Add the ground nut mixture to the remaining flour and mix in the salt.  Coarsely chop the remaining 2 cups of nuts.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add the vanilla and orange zest and beat well to combine.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. 

In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1 teaspoon of water.  Add the mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine.  Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the chocolate chips and remaining cashews and mix well.

Form heaping teaspoons of the dough into balls and place them 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper.  Bake the cookies until they are golden brown all over, about 15 minutes.  Rotate the baking sheets after 5 minutes.

Makes about 10 dozen small cookies.

From The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern by Claudia Fleming