These chocolate chip cookies have a surprise ingredient, they are made with lard instead of butter or shortening. They are a great way to use rendered lard and they taste amazing.
If you like chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges and soft centers, this recipe is for you. It has the classic flavor you love in a nice thick and easy to make cookie.
Each year my family processes a few hogs. We like to use as much as possible, so we render the lard in addition to making lots of great homemade sausages and chops.
We use leaf lard for things like my great-grandma’s lard pie crust. We also use it to fry potatoes and to season cast iron.
Whether you make your own lard like we do, or you bought some lard for another recipe and some left to use, these cookies are a great option to use some of your bounty.
Why bake with lard?
The lard helps to coat the flour and gluten particles in the dough. That keeps them from forming the long strands that give bread its structure.
Instead, the strands stay short (hence the term shortening). This results in a softer texture in baked goods.
That is what makes lard such a great option for pastry, cookies and biscuits. The results almost melt in your mouth.
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I know you don’t come to me for health advice, especially in a cookie recipe! But people also claim that lard is a healthier fat than some of the alternatives.
A good quality lard shouldn’t have a ton of flavor. It should be really mild and versatile.
However sometimes lards does have a slightly meaty taste. I find that this recipe can accommodate even those stronger flavored lards.
The combination of ingredients can handle a little bit of savory flavor. The brown sugar and chocolate chips are sure to win you over.
Freeze the dough to bake later!
I like to scoop the dough onto a sheet pan. Put the pan in the freezer for about an hour to firm up the dough.
Then transfer the dough to a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months. You can bake the dough from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time.
You can also freeze the dough in bulk. If you do, you’ll want to defrost the dough in the fridge overnight and then scoop and bake it the next day.
Lard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup lard room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 oz. chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream together 1 cup lard, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Add the 12 oz. chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough for at least an hour, but up to a couple of days.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for three or four minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chocolate chip cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Throw a slice of sandwich bread in the container with the cookies to keep them softer longer.
- For longer storage, put the cookies in a freezer safe container for up to six months. Refrigerating cookies in not recommended.
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Very delicious Cookies,The Best I have made in a Long time.Will be Making them again.
A great, non-greasy cookie! This is now my go-to chocolate chip recipe. I believe lard is healthier than vegetable shortening, so while these aren’t a health food, they are better than the standard recipes!
I am so glad you like them! We make our own lard, so it is fun to have a variety of recipes to use it in.
these cookies are so good!!! the lard makes them more fluffy
I am so glad you liked them!
The taste of the cookies was good but they are not at all like the picture. Flatter and a but crispy .
Followed the recipe exactly as indicated.
Not going to make them again.
I’m sorry they spread on you. If you are having that trouble, a little more flour worked into the dough should help. Or maybe more time in the refrigerator.
Hello from Japan. These cookies…well, they aren’t to die for, but maybe kill for! I substituted…curse words to some, but there we are, peanut butter 1/4 for lard and lacking brown suger (what’s that? we have white, whiter and light tan sugar!) I added a couple tables spoons…ok, I added a ‘glug’ of molasses. We get molasses for the horses.Lacking vanilla…I used Myers Dark Jamaican rum. Twice as much as called for, because…it is rum! 😉
They aren’t really your recipe, so all I can blame you for is making them so darn good. Because I followed your foundation, and the creation was great!
Well I am happy I could give you the building blocks to create your own perfect recipe. I think that is one of the best parts about cooking, using a recipe as inspiration but making it your own.
@Hirosh, hahahaha!!! Now I’ll follow your recipe! I actually made cookies with lard for the first time because my mother-in-law is just one of those “cookie nazi” that frowned at my regular cookies like piece of you know what. She suggested I try lard and all I can say is, these are the best cookies I have ever made and tasted in a very long time. Except for religious reasons, Lard rocks! The clean, crispy taste of the cookies is just divine.
Try 1 Large egg and 1 Large yoke. This is from Americas Test Kitchen. Luck.
Adding an egg yolk does add a bit of richness.
Can I substitute beef tallow for the lard? Or is tallow too meaty falvored?
That’s a good question. I haven’t tried baking with tallow. It does have a stronger flavor than lard, so it would be questionable but not out of the question. I wonder if it would be worth making a half batch to give them a try. I may have to try to get some tallow to try it myself because now I am curious.
“chill the dough for an hour” AH that’s where I went wrong lol I made these with a 1-1 gluten free flour and the taste was A+, I just need to work on the spreading! My 7 year old son who is super picky said these were some of the best tasting cookies he’s ever had. 🙂
Chilling will definitely help or you can even freeze scoops of dough to bake later. I am so glad he likes them!
I put my dough in the freezer about 30 mins ,turned out great,they are almost gone and I made them just a day ago.
It’s hard to stope eating them, isn’t it?!
We did lard last year and it was a little darker. Only my second time but it is great when cooking. Could I use this without the pork smell being in the finished product?
We’ve had batches of lard come out a little dark too, I think it got a little hot in the rendering process. And I have made theses cookies with darker lard with success. You can tell there’s something there besides butter, but you wouldn’t guess pork. I have also had people tell me they use bacon grease for chocolate chip cookies or they add bacon bits, so you could lean into the pork flavor if you want to. But yes, the darker lard is still great for fried potatoes, eggs etc. too.
Seriously, the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made. I decided to remove all vegetable oils from my kitchen. I’ve never used lard before. I’m now a huge fan. Wish I had made the switch sooner. Thank you for the great recipe!
When I was in the working world, I had an employee who grew up Amish. She said the Amish always use lard in their cookies and let me tell you, they are always so delicious! Great recipe!
They are so good! And it’s a great way to use the extra lard of you buy it for pie crusts