Chocolate Crack(le) Cookies

'Tis the season to bake cookies. Fa la la la la...la la la la. I wanted to make a crackle cookie, just because I love the way they look.

After doing some research, it seemed that a lot of folks were pretty pleased with Martha's Chocolate Crackle Cookie recipe. Though I modified it, mostly to save time and a couple of dirty dishes.

For some reason, my heart beats a little faster when I whip out the Scharffen Berger chocolate...the good stuff. Do yourself a favor and don't make these cookies with chocolate morsels. They contain additives that do a good job of keeping their shape but not so good of a job of tempering. Go for good old-fashioned baking chocolate (Baker's is probably the most common baking chocolate you'll find in your grocery store).

(If you're one of those chocolate-loving types, you might just end up calling these Chocolate Crack Cookies.)


Chocolate Crack(le) Cookies (makes 4-5 dozen)

Ingredients:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (semi-sweet works too, or a combination)
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk (I used 2%; whole would work too)
Confectioner's sugar, for rolling

Directions:
Melt the chocolate. Chop bittersweet/semisweet chocolate into small bits with a sharp knife. Put in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir well, and heat again for another 30 seconds. By now the chocolate should begin to melt. Stir well again, and heat for 30 seconds more. Repeat this process until nearly all of the bits of chocolate are melted. Do not overheat!! You can always let the last few bits melt on their own by stirring more. (More me, I only needed 1:30 minutes of total microwave time to melt the chocolate). Set aside to cool.

Put it all together. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Then, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat until well-combined. Then add the melted chocolate. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into half, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in the freezer for 1 hour (or in the refrigerator for several hours).

Bake 'em up. Once the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take one of the dough halves out and divide into two. On a clean countertop, generously sprinkle confectioner's sugar and roll each portion of the dough into a log — about 1 inch in diameter. Use more confectioner's sugar to prevent sticking. Cut the log into 1-inch pieces. Using your hands, roll the pieces into a ball and generously coat with more confectioner's sugar (you don't want any chocolate-colored dough showing). Place the cookies 1.5-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Finish them off. Bake until the sugar splits and cookies are just done, 12-14 minutes. Transfer cookies from baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool complete. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Click here for a printable recipe!