One Dozen Brownie Cookies

My friend posted the link to this recipe on Facebook the other day, with the caption "making these tonight." However, when I followed up with her several days later, she still hadn't made them! I decided that I needed to try the recipe for myself. Greg was out shooting an event, and Wendy was down for a nap, and I got the urge to bake! I knew I didn't need 3 dozen cookies though, so I decided to cut the recipe into a third to make only a dozen cookies. It probably is a good thing that I didn't make the 3 dozen, because the cookies I did make went really, really fast between me and Greg. When I first took the cookies out of the oven, a little piece broke off and I took a bite. I wasn't impressed, and I let my friend on Facebook know. But then after they cooled completely, I dusted them with the powdered sugar, took another bite, and had to eat my words (and the rest of that cookie). The texture of these brownie cookies are soft and chewy and crunchy and gooey all at the same time. They have just the right amount of chocolate in them and just the right amount of sweet. I suggest you make these cookies as soon as you can. Enjoy!

Recipe for One Dozen Brownie Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce of bittersweet baking chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
5 1/2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of sugar
1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. of cocoa powder
3/8 tsp. of baking powder (use a 1/8 tsp. to measure each, scantily filled)
1/8 tsp. of salt
Powdered sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a baking sheet with a pat of butter.

Put the baking chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir. If not fully melted, heat for another 10 - 20 seconds. Once melted, set aside to cool.

Put the softened butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer set on medium high speed to mix until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Then slowly add in the cooled chocolate and mix on low. Then add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix again on low.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and stir. Pour half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture and use the electric hand mixer to beat on low speed until combined. Then add in the rest of it and beat again on low until combined.

Use a one tablespoon cookie dough scoop to scoop up batter and place on prepared baking pan. Bake for 11 minutes. Remove from oven, let the cookies sit on the pan for 2 minutes, and then use a spatula to gently transfer them to a baking rack so they can cool completely. Once cooled, sprinkle with desired amount of powdered sugar.

Recipe makes approximately 1 dozen cookies. They taste best when cooled. Store in an airtight container on the kitchen counter.

Recipe Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

Triple Chocolate Cookies

There aren't many women I know who do not love chocolate. In the offices I work in, chocolate is usually an easy fix to any problem. During my workday, I often hear things such as "I really need chocolate, who has chocolate?" The good news is that I usually do have chocolate!
I am off for summer break right now, but during the school year I am involved in weekly meetings. One week we had a particularly stressful and busy meeting day, so I decided to whip up some chocolate cookies for my coworkers and myself to alleviate some of the stress. I chose to make these perfectly chewy cookies which are loaded with chocolate and guaranteed to satisfy all of your chocolate cravings.
This recipe comes from Baking Illustrated, and it is shared on many food blogs. The recipe calls for melting the baking chocolate, but I was stressed when I was making them and I accidentally forgot that step and added in a new one. It is ok though, because they still turned out great! I also did not have any semisweet baking chocolate on hand, so I substituted with a high quality bittersweet chocolate. The cookies were pretty much devoured at the office.
I haven't made these cookies in a while, and I am craving chocolate. I also just bought a bar of Scharffen Berger chocolate. Who wants me to bring them some triple chocolate cookies? I just need a small excuse to whip up a batch of them right now...

Recipe for Triple Chocolate Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
8.5 ounces of SCHARFFEN BERGER 70% cacao bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped very finely using a food processor
1 tsp. of instant coffee powder
2 large eggs
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
5 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, softened but still cool
3/4 cup of light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Sift, then set bowl aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and vanilla with a fork. Add in the coffee powder. Stir, and let the coffee powder dissolve in to the egg mixture.
Put the butter in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy. Add in the brown sugar and white sugar, and beat until the sugars are well combined. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the egg mixture in to the sugar mixture until it is well incorporated. Then add in the finely chopped chocolate until it is combined in to the mixture. With the mixer still on low speed, add in the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined, making sure not to over beat. Use a spoon or spatula to fold in the chocolate chips in to the batter. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1 3/4-inch cookie dough scoop, scoop the dough in to mounds and place on baking sheet. Make sure to leave 1 1/2-inches of space between the mounds of dough.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Halfway between baking, rotate the pan 180 degrees in the oven. After cooking is complete, take cookies out of the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 20 delicious cookies.

NOTE:
When I first started baking, I did not understand why some recipes called for regular cocoa powder and others called for Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Author and popular food blogger, David Lebowitz, shares great information on his blog about cocoa powder. If you're new to baking, I suggest you check it out!