I’ve been telling many of you in my cooking classes that I will be doing 12 cookie recipes to celebrate Christmas. Here is my first recipe to start you off. The effect of these cookies is truly magical and always reminds me of Christmas. My daughter started making these years ago with great results. I just took over making them when she doesn’t have time. Always a hit with family and friends. Enjoy these delicious cookies.
8 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder – sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (butter-vanilla if you can find it! Usually specialty baking shops)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup (+/-) Icing sugar – sifted and in a bowl
Melt chocolate in a double boiler (you could also use short bursts in a microwave – I prefer the double boiler method) – set aside to cool
Mix together (sift or whisk) flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in another bowl
Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined. Add slightly cooled melted chocolate and mix
Add flour and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour.
Mix until combined – two things can happen at this stage – your dough will either be firm or quite liquid for a cookie dough (almost reminiscent of a cake dough) – but don’t panic, a few hours in the fridge and everything is back to normal
If it is firm enough, divide into 2 and roll into logs, wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 – 4 hours, until firm
If it is runny, just refrigerate the mixture in the bowl for 2 – 4 hours until firm
Preheat oven to 350F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once firm, take out of fridge and cut the rolls into 1/2 inch slices and roll into balls, roll the balls in icing sugar and place on the parchment paper
If it is in the bowl, scoop the dough using an ice cream scoop or large teaspoon, roll in your hands to make a ball, roll this in icing sugar that has been sifted onto a large plate.
Place sugar rolled dough ball onto baking sheet, about an inch apart
Bake 13 minutes (11 minutes gives you really fudgy, gooey cookies – 13 gives you firmer ones). Again, you know your oven so familiarize yourself with the time. As they bake, the icing sugar ‘cracks’ so you can see some of the chocolate come through – hence the name
After they completely cool – about 4 hours, and if you haven’t eaten one every time you walked by them, store them in an airtight container as they will dry out and get crumbly
As always – enjoy!
Chocolate Crackle Cookie Dough
Baked Chocolate Crackle Cookies