For any chocolate lovers, this recipe is a must. Crisp on the edges but chewy toward the center, this cookie is bursting with chocolaty flavor.
With a long-standing chocolate lover in our household, I knew I had to include a dark chocolate cookie in our 2023 holiday cookie line-up. This cookie has something for everyone. Crisp edges that are accentuated by rolling the dough balls in sugar prior to baking, and a soft center that is bursting with gooey chocolate flavor. Instant espresso and cinnamon punctuate the flavor of the cocoa and help balance the sweetness of the dark brown sugar.
Recipe by Lisa Archer, Roanoke
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso
10 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup for rolling
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
10 ounces dark chocolate (63-72%), chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and instant espresso. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until light in color, 30-60 seconds. Add the sugars and vanilla and beat on medium until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, beating on medium for 30 seconds.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two batches, mixing until fully incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in the chopped chocolate by hand.
- Cover the bowl and place cookie dough in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- While the dough chills, preheat oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheets with silicone non-stick baking mats or parchment paper. Pour remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a wide shallow bowl.
- Remove dough from the fridge. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop, scoop cookies and then roll in the granulated sugar until completely coated. Evenly space dough balls two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating pan once at the half way mark until the edges of cookies are set but the centers are still quite soft. Cool on the cookie sheets for five minutes before transferring to wire racks. Once completely cooled, store cookies in an airtight container.