* With walnuts, that you can omit if you are allergic and/or dont like nuts :P

Candied Bacon

8 strips bacon
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, shiny side down (or on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil).  Sprinkle half of the brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon.

Bake for about 7-8 minutes then flip the bacon strips over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar over the other side of the bacon strips and continue to bake until they're a deep mahogany color, about 7-8 minutes more (I let mine go a few extra minutes).  Remove from oven and cool the strips on a wire rack.

Once cooled, chop the bacon into little pieces, about the size of grains of rice.  (Candied bacon bits can be stored in an airtight container and chilled for a day or so, or stored in the freezer a few weeks ahead.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies
* = optional 

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
(I had that much leftover anyways, so I decided to finish up the jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped candied bacon (see above)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts*

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
(I only used one baking sheet myself, but the parchment paper is a must!)

Beat the sugars and butter together until smooth. ~ Here, I would recommend putting the stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl and nuke for about 15 to 30 seconds, no more.

Mix in the egg, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder.  Whisk together the flour and salt, then add them to the batter.  Stir in the chocolate chips and candied bacon.

~ And this step is REALLY optional- if there is any remaining sugar that you can peel off from the parchment paper where the candied bacon had cooked on, throw that in....soooo good :)

Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.  Place the balls about 2 inches apart - I fit 8 per baking sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until pale golden brown.  Rotate the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through if necessary to ensure even baking.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Now I will say this- this ORIGINAL recipe did NOT call for the cocoa...or the nuts (which, again, you can skip / leave out)...or even the baking powder! However, the first batch that I baked without the baking powder, the cookies came out way too flat. So I would recommend the baking powder in general if you are going to make these.

Other than that...

ITS BACON CHOCOLATE COOKIE GOODNESS *dives in*