I’m sure I had a brilliant plan for the roasted, shelled and unsalted sunflower seeds that I found in the cupboard this morning. Salad toppers? Maybe. Something in a muffin? Seems more likely. Whatever that plan was, we may never know, but I believe I found something even better.

Chocolate chip cookies are a classic and are wonderful as-is. However, they are also an invitation to play and try new combinations. When I saw the sunflower seeds sitting next to the chocolate chips, I knew what I had to do.

Makes: About 3-4 dozen

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (plus more for sprinkling if desired)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup regular chocolate chips)
• 3/4 cup unsalted, shelled sunflower seeds

Directions:

1. Cream together butter (3/4 cup), brown sugar (1/2 cup) and white sugar (1/2 cup) in a stand mixer
2. Add eggs (2) and vanilla (1 tsp) to the butter mixture and mix well
3. In a separate bowl combine flour (2 cups), baking soda (1 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), chocolate chips (1/2 cup) and sunflower seeds (3/4 cup) and stir together
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix just until combined
5. Cover and place in the fridge for at least half an hour and up to 3 days (fair warning, the amount of cookie dough in the bowl seems to mysteriously decrease the longer you wait)
6. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees f
7. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
8. Form the dough into balls about 3/4 inch across (a bit smaller than a golf ball)
9. If you are a salted chocolate fan, sprinkle just a couple of grains of sea salt on top of each cookie
10. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are firm on the edges but still soft in the middle
11. Try to let cool for a few minutes before you eat these, the roof of your mouth with thank you

Notes:

• These could theoretically last in a sealed container for a few days on your counter, but if they do then you should be teaching courses in willpower!
• These can also be made ahead and frozen. Just form the cookie dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer the frozen dough balls into an airtight container until you are ready to use them. Bake from frozen, you may need to add an extra minute to the bake time.