Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This recipe is straight from Cook’s Illustrated and needs no adjustments. These are the very best Christmas cookies I have ever baked. Rich and chocolatey, they came out perfect after my first attempt. Have a glass of milk handy (and some will power to stop nibbling).

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate (baker’s chocolate), chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven 325° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Microwave at 50% power for about 2 minutes.
5. Whisk melted chocolate mixture with egg mixture until combined. Fold in flour mixture. Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
6. Place granulated sugar in a shallow dish and confectioner’s sugar in another dish. Working with an ice cream scoop, drop a ball of dough first into the granulated sugar, roll around to coat, and then repeat in the confectioner’s sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat.
7. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes the classics are the best.  I’ve had a real sweet tooth all week and since I don’t keep much snacky food in the house, it has gone relatively unsatisfied.  Assuming that any dessert I make at home will be (relatively) better for me than the uber-processed and preserved store bought variety, I made these extremely satisfying cookies.

Original recipe courtesy of Martha Rose Shulman’s New York Times column.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Sift together the flour and baking soda.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 – 3 minutes.
4. Add the sugars and salt.  Mix on medium until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add egg and vanilla extract on low speed, beat about 15 seconds.
6. Add flour mixture on low speed until fully incorporated.
7. Add chocolate and mix.
8. On a parchment lined (or those great silicon baking sheets) cookie sheets drop dough about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.