Betty Ford’s Thanksgiving Chocolate Cookies Are a ’70s Masterpiece

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well. Add the brandy or vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate and the sour cream. (You can melt the chocolate in the microwave, but do this gradually, because baking chocolate can easily scorch. Microwave it one minute, then in 30-second intervals. As soon as the chocolate has lost its solid shape, take it out and stir it until smooth.)

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix them all together with a fork, and then a spoon. Turn the mixer back on at a low speed, and add the dry ingredients, about a cup at a time. Incorporate everything thoroughly.

Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. (You can use ungreased cookie sheets, or line them with parchment paper. I prefer parchment because I found the cookies would sometimes stick to the ungreased cookie sheets, but the cookies can dry out a little with parchment, making them more like a biscotti, so for a gooey cookie, bake them at the lower end of the time scale.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Twelve minutes is enough for a softer cookie; 15 minutes gives you a firmer cookie. These cookies do not spread on the baking sheet, and because they’re so rich, the smaller size seems just right. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for five minutes before you move them to wire racks or towel paper to finish cooling.