Taylor Swift’s “Life-Changing” Cookies Are So Delicious, I’ve Made Them Twice This Week

I have to admit something. Taylor Swift might be known for being one of the most popular musicians in the universe, but in my world, she has impeccable taste in recipes. From her favorite spaghetti and meatballs to her favorite go-to cocktail, as well as her chai sugar cookies and chicken fajitas, this pop star knows what she’s doing in the kitchen. So when I stumbled on a cookie recipe that she fancies, I — of course — had to give it a try.

This particular recipe is one from Food Network star Anne Burrel; oatmeal chocolate chip cookies made with dark chocolate chunks and flaky sea salt. Back during the days when Taylor was cooking up a storm with Ina Garten in the kitchen, she made a comment about how baking and eating Burrell’s cookies “was a real turning point in [her] life.” With cookies winning such huge praise from an award-winning artist like Taylor, it didn’t take much convincing for me to put my taste buds to the test.

Get the recipe: Super Yummy Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

First things first: Taylor’s favorite recipe calls for a 350°F oven and softened butter. Once you’re ready to start baking, mix together flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Like many popular chocolate chip cookie recipes, you’ll beat together brown sugar, granulated sugar, and the room temp butter until fluffy. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients until everything is just combined. Fold in coarsely chopped dark chocolate chunks and, if desired, walnuts. Spoop 2-tablespoon balls onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Sprinkle extra flaky sea salt on the top for garnish while the cookies are hot. Let them rest on the sheet pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Then devour!

I can see why Taylor Swift loves this recipe so much. It’s so outrageously good, it will truly change your life. Or as Taylor Swift put it will be a “turning point” for your baking. They’re soft and chewy and the perfect balance of salty and sweet. In particular, I love how these cookies keep their perfect texture for hours or even days after baking them — they don’t get stale! — making them the perfect cookie to snack on with your afternoon cup of coffee. (Or morning cup of coffee, no judgment here.) The use of bitter dark chocolate paired with the sweet oatmeal cookie base, along with the flaky sea salt, is truly a magical experience to behold. I definitely think this might be my new favorite go-to oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe.

• Add more chocolate chips on top: I love having a blend of bitter dark chocolate and semi-sweet dark chocolate in my cookies, so I decided to top my cookies with a few extra chocolate chips. I also think it makes the presentation of the cookies fun, even if you go a little heavy handed on the chips like me!
• Sprinkle flaky salt on the bottom of the cookie: This recipe recommends adding flaky sea salt on top of the hot cookies, but I particularly love adding the salt to the bottom. That way when you bite into the cookie you get that salty taste right on your tongue instead of having all of that flaky sea salt fall off when you take a bite.
• “Age” the dough: This recipe has you baking the cookies right away, but one of my favorite all-time cookie tricks is to “age” the dough in the refrigerator. Aging the dough helps to cool the butter and intensifies the flavor of the dough, making for a richer, pillowy cookie to finish. You can age the dough for 24 to 48 hours, or even freeze the cookie dough balls for longer. Then simply pop them in the oven when you’re craving something sweet!