Bacon Cookies

Step 1 -In a medium bowl, add the flour, the cornstarch, the baking soda, and the salt and whisk to combine. Set the flour mixture aside.

Step 2 -In a 9x13-inch baking dish, preferrably one with handles, add the bacon and lay it out in an even, single layer.

Step 3 -Line a plate with paper towels.

Step 4 -Set a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof liquid measuring cup.

Step 5 -Transfer the bacon to a cold oven.

Step 6 -Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 7 -Bake until the bacon is crisp, about 40-45 minutes.

Step 8 -In a large, heatproof bowl, add 3/4 cup of the cubed, room temperature butter.

Step 9 -Transfer the bacon from the oven and turn the oven off.

Step 10 -Immediately transfer the bacon to the prepared paper-towel-lined plate.

Step 11 -Carefully tilt the baking dish and pour the hot bacon fat through the sieve into the liquid measuring cup.

Step 12 -Pour 1/4 cup of the strained hot bacon fat over the butter in the bowl, reserving the remaining strained bacon fat for a separate use and discarding the solids in the sieve. If there isn't enough strained bacon fat to equal 1/4 cup, use the extra melted butter to make up the difference.

Step 13 -Let the hot bacon fat and the butter sit until the butter is slightly melted, about 1 minute.

Step 14 -Using an electric handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the bacon fat and the butter together until combined, creamy, and slightly aerated, about 1 minute. The butter mixture should be loose and resemble the consistency of mayonnaise.

Step 15 -Add the brown sugar, the granulated sugar, and the molasses to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until lightened in color, about 2 minutes.

Step 16 -Add the egg, the egg yolk, and the vanilla to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds-1 minute.

Step 17 -Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl.

Step 18 -Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until the dough is about 3/4 of the way mixed, about 1 minute. The dough should still be a little chunky and have a few streaks of the flour mixture remaining.

Step 19 -Roughly chop the cooked bacon.

Step 20 -Add the chopped bacon and the chocolate chips to the dough and use a rubber spatula to fold and combine until the bacon and the chocolate chips are evenly distirbuted through the dough and there are no streaks of the flour mixture remaining.

Step 21 -Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Step 22 -Position the oven racks to the upper third and lower third positions.

Step 23 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 24 -Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Step 25 -Scoop the dough into scant 2 tablespoon-sized balls.

Step 26 -Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Step 27 -Bake the cookies on the upper and lower oven racks for 6 minutes.

Step 28 -Rotate the baking sheets and bake again until the cookies are lightly golden-brown and just set around the edges, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 29 -Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.

Step 30 -Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Step 31 -Serve warm or at room temperature.