Chocolate Crackle Cookies

I know I said in the first entry that I do not cook with recipes very often, well let me add an amendment to that statement....I DO USE recipes while baking. Baking is much more of a science/chemistry and requires precise measurements to allow for an end result of a masterpiece.

I am on Christmas break and staying at my moms house for two weeks and last night I decided it was time to start in on the holiday backing...first item on the agenda was the chocolate crackle cookies that I fell in love with while living with an old roommate during my undergrad. Her mother made cookies all the time and she soon found out that this deliciously moist chocolate cookie was one of my favorite from her recipe box. Sadly I lost my copy of her special recipe but this version from a cookie cookbook at my mothers house worked out nicely.

Ingredients

7 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cups of confectioners' sugar for coating

1. In a medium saucepan melt chocolate and buter together over low heat until smooth, stirring frequently.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in sugar while continuing to stir for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Add the eggs one at a time beating well with each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Gradually stir into the chocolate mixture in batches until just blended.

4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the dough is cold and holds its shape.

5. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease 2+ large baking sheets. Place the confectioner's sugar int a small deep bowl. Using a small spoon scoop cold dough into small balls. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls in the palms of your hands.

6. Drop each ball into the confectioner's sugar and roll until heavily coated. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on baking sheets 1.5 inches apart.

7. Bake the cookies for 10-15 min (mine took 11-12 min) until the tops feel slightly firm when touched. Careful not to over cook cookies, they are much better when soft. Let cookies stand for 2-3 min on baking sheet and then remove to wire rack for cooling. Store in an air tight container...they are really good cold so the fridge is a wonderful place for them :D

Enjoy

Happy Baking