The Crackle Cookie!

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Yield approx 36 cookies

6 oz melted dark chocolate (I used 90% dark) (roughly 3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate) 

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 c cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 1/3 c brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 c milk

1 cup confectioners' sugar, for rolling

Don’t preheat the oven yet, this dough will need to chill for 2 hours or so.

Melt dark chocolate gently.

Mix dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt).

Cream sugar and butter together, then beat in eggs and vanilla.

 Pour melted dark chocolate over the creamed butter and sugar, blend, then add dry ingredients & milk (alternating between the two to prevent puffs of flour getting all over the place). 

The dough will be very sticky.  Cover the bowl loosely in plastic wrap and chill for approx 2 hours, or until dough is hardened and can be handled.

Preheat oven to 350. Scoop out spoonfuls of hardened dough, roll between your palms to form a ball, then toss the ball into a bowl of powdered sugar to coat it.  If the dough gets too sticky to handle, pop it back in the fridge or freezer to cool it back down.  Line cookie up on the sheet (not too closely – they spread) and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Use a spatula to handle them after baking to avoid fingerprints on the powder sugar.

For the complete cookie list this year check out the list for 2012 here

Sparkling Espresso Crinkles

Adapted from here 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 egg whites

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain, add about 1 tsp sugar to it if you want)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for coating)

NOTE:  I used 1 tablespoons espresso (I ground up an espresso blend bean to turkish grind- super fine - from my local bulk store)

directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

2. Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into sugar and roll into balls. Roll again in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool. Makes about 32.

Can I just say that out of all the 16 + varieties this season THESE are my FAVOURITE! I will make them again, any time of year.  I used chocolate coated caramel balls from the bulk store for stuffing.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies 

Makes about 20-24 cookies

Ingredients 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 

6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

20-24 chocolate-covered caramel candies (such as Rolos), unwrapped 

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. kosher or sea salt, optional 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix together until well blended. Add flour, cocoa powder and baking soda; mix well.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Roll dough into balls and place 1 chocolate-covered caramel candy in the center of each dough ball. Form the dough ball around the candy and roll each in sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet and compress slightly with the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt, if desired. (This really brings out the sweetness of the caramel)

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.