Pechanga Resort Casino houses an on-site bakery where all baked goods for the entire resort are baked fresh every day. The pastry chefs whip up thousands of cookies each day.

Here are the recipes for their chewy and very popular Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal-Raisin and Macadamia Nut-White Chocolate Chip Cookies. These oversized cookies can be purchased from Blends Coffee & Wine Bar and Café Cocoa, then promptly enjoyed. Now, you can make these acclaimed pastry chef cookies at home to impress friends and family this holiday season, or any time.

Pechanga Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup + 1Tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons ground sea salt, plus additional for sprinkling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease cookie sheets.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Boil 1-2 minutes, whisking frequently, until golden brown; stir in walnuts until well coated. Place on a sheet pan, and bake for 5 minutes or until well toasted; cool.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder; stir in 1 teaspoon salt until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat 1/4 cup softened butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute; beat in browned butter for 1 additional minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate and walnuts with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet, forming into large mounds, and flatten slightly. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup               butter
1 & ½ cup         peanut butter
¾ cup               granulated sugar
1 cup                 brown sugar
2 ea                   eggs
1 & ¾ cup         all-purpose flour
½ tsp                 salt
1 & ¼ tsp         baking powder
1 & ½ tsp           baking soda       
½ cup               peanut butter baking chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until creamy.
• Beat in eggs.
• In separate bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda, stir into butter mixture.
• Stir in peanut butter chips and refrigerate the dough for an hour.
• Scoop the dough using a medium sized ice cream scoop. Place the raw cookies onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 5 to 7 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

Yield:  24 cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Yield: 25-30 cookies

1 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup light brown sugar
¼ Cup granulated sugar
2 ea eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla paste
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 1 /2 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned whole rolled oats
1 Cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar. Use stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the softened butter with both sugars until smooth, about 2 minutes on medium speed.

Add eggs, vanilla and molasses, then mix on high speed for about 1 minute until incorporated.

Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together in a separate bowl. Combine together on low speed.

Beat in the oatmeal and raisins on low speed. Dough will be sticky and wet.

Refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes.

Roll the cookie dough into teaspoon-sized balls and place on a parchment paper-lined or liberally greased baking sheet.

Bake cookies for about 12 – 13 minutes until light browned. The cookie will look under baked, but they will continue to set as they cool.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Yield: 4 Dozen

1              Cup        butter, softened
¾             Cup        light brown sugar
½             Cup        granulated sugar
2              EA           eggs
½             tsp          vanilla bean paste
2 ½         Cup        all purpose flour
1              tsp          baking soda
½             tsp          salt
1              Cup        chopped macadamia nuts
1              Cup        white chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. Cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla bean paste.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Fold in macadamia nuts and white chocolate.
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.