Star Chips Recipe

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with the softened butter or use a silicone mat. Toast the pecans on a sheet in the oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant; cool and roughly chop.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars

In a large bowl (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle) beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes, scraping the bowl once.

Add eggs and vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition until incorporated. Mix in the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Combine dough

With the mixer on low, add the dry flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined and no dry streaks remain. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and the toasted chopped pecans with a spatula to distribute evenly.

Shape and bake

Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion dough into 1-inch mounds spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. For 'chip' style, gently flatten each mound slightly with the back of a spoon so cookies are thin and crisp at the edges. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 9–11 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still slightly soft. Rotate sheets halfway through if needed for even browning.

Cool

Remove cookies from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will crisp as they cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Prepare vanilla

If using a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scrape seeds. Combine seeds (or vanilla bean paste) with the vanilla extract.

Whip cream

In a chilled large bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This takes about 3–4 minutes; be careful not to overbeat.

Fold sweetened condensed milk

In a separate bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla seeds/paste, the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture in two additions, using a spatula and folding motion to keep the mixture airy and uniform. Do not deflate.

Freeze

Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or airtight container, smoothing the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm.

Scoop and serve: When ready to serve, remove ice cream from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 3–5 minutes to soften slightly for easy scooping. Place 1–2 chocolate-pecan cookie chips on a serving plate and top with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Finish: Optionally sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt over the ice cream and cookies to enhance flavor contrast. Serve immediately. Any leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days; ice cream keeps up to 2 weeks in the freezer.