While searching for a new brownie recipe to try I came across this recipe that I had bookmarked from one of my favorite cookbooks, America’s Test Kitchen. This has been a great all-around-cookbook. It has everthing from salads to desserts and I have been more than pleased with the outcome of each recipe I have tried. These cookies are no different.  I am usually not a fan of chocolate cookies, there are a few exceptions, but really I would rather have a brownie any day than a chocolate cookie. These, however, satisfied me more than any brownie could have. 

My oh my. These cookies are like a  rich, chocolatey, chewy brownie only in cookie form. Each cookie is studded with chocolate chips which only serve to intensify the chocolatey flavor. I adapted the recipe a bit based on what I had in my kitchen and my own preferences (with my changes they are more like a quintuple chocolate cookie).  These cookies take a little longer to make than most, first you have to melt and cool chocoalte before adding it to the butter/sugar mixture, then after mixing the dough you need to let it firm up for at least 30 minutes (could be sped up by chilling in the fridge) at room temperature. Let me tell you though, if your sweet tooth is calling, these will surely answer and are well worth the little extra time and effort making the dough. 

The dough itself is rich and fudgelike and gives you a sweet glimpse of what the finished cookies will look and taste like. Chocolate is the star of the show so I would suggest that you use a fair to good quality chocolate for melting and adding to the dough. The chocolate flavor is only deepened and enhanced by the addition of Instant Espresso powder. I know some people may be leary about adding it, but as noted, I added less than called for and could not taste it one bit, neither did anyone who ate devoured inhaled these little gems.  These kind of remind me of Outrageous Brownies, only in cookie form. 

The cookies bake up soft with slighlty shiny tops after they cool. They are fragile right out of the  oven so it is best to let them rest a bit before transfering them to a rack to cool. With chocolate cookies it is hard to tell when the cookies are finished baking many bakers tend to overbake them resulting in tough, hard, dry cookies. I baked mine for 10 minutes and 30 seconds and they came out PERFECT. Chewy, chocolatey, rich and gooey from the chunks of chocolate in each cookie. I could not have asked for more from a brownie or cookie. 

After storing these at room temperature overnight in a sealed container they are still chewy; firmer, but chewy none the less. Next time I might add some chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter cups because that is how me and my peeps like to roll: on the Peanut butter train all the way to chunky town.  These would also be great with chunks of Oreo cookies or toasted walnuts added to the batter. 

If you love chocolate and are looking for a nice and rich, flavorful brownie or cookie recipe, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try and see for yourself the glorious chocolateyness that they behold.

I rate this recipe a 9 

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat another minute. Add the egg mixture until well mixed. Gently add the melted and cooled chocolate and beat until combined 

Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Cover with dough with lid or plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes.

I hope that 2008 was a good year for you and that 2009 brings with it the  joy and happiness we all strive for in our lives. Here is a list of some of my favorite sweet recipes I think you need to make this year and why.  I can’t wait to begin baking in 2009!

I am interested in hearing from you! Which recipes from my site have you tried and what have you thought about them?

10. Frosted Marshmallow Bars
WHY: A family favorite for years that is sure to please. I love the subtle chocolate flavor the brownie has, making it the perfect base for marshmallow and chocolate frosting layers.  Trust me, if you like chocolate, these bars will be sure to please.

9. Blondies
WHY: So simple, so easy, so quick, so good. With endless varieties (check out my ‘blondie’ category) these are the perfect dessert. You can really take the base recipe and make them your own, I can’t wait to try more combinations of add-ins this year!

8. Intense Chocolate Shock Cookies
WHY: Usually I am not a fan of chocolate cookies but these grabbed my tastebuds and my heart. So rich and full of possibilities. I have added chopped PB cups, white chocolate, nuts etc. to them and they have turned out rich and fabulous every time.  Don’t trust me? How about Anna?

7. Oatmeal Carmelitas
WHY? These bars are so gooey with layers of chocolate and caramel sandwiched between an oatmeal base and topping. I have been making this recipe for years and years. It has always been one of my favorite dessert recipes.

6. The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
WHY: These are the best PB cookies I have had. They are soft, chewy, peanut buttery and I love that they have PB and Chocolate chips in them. The roll in sugar before baking really takes them over the top.

5. Chewy Ginger Cookies with Cinnamon Chips
WHY: These are perfect for the holiday season with their flavor combination of ginger and cinnamon.  I absolutely loved these cookies, they remained chewy for days and the little bursts of cinnamon chips through out the cookie made these stand out from the ordinary ginger cookie.

4. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oat Bars
WHY? These don’t require baking, making them perfect for days when you don’t want to use the oven. Their combination of peanut butter, chocolate and oatmeal is one of my all time favorites, a sure winner!

3. Oreo Fudge Bars
WHY: If the title alone doesn’t tell you, I am not sure what else to say.  These have been requested by my friends and co-workers alike. The best part is they are so simple to make, require few ingredients yet can be ‘dressed’ up to look like a fancy dessert if needed.

2. Double Butterscotch Cookies
WHY: These have turned out to be one of my all time favorite cookies ever. I am in LOVE the flavor of these cookies. The dough can either be dropped and baked or formed into logs and frozen for slice and bake cookies later.  I prefer the drop method but either way these did not last long. 

1. Double Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
WHY: My all time favorite and most requested brownie recipe. If you are a fan of PB and chocolate, look no further than this recipe. Make them soon and make them often. These are worth cheating on your New Years resolution to diet. Trust me.

I am a firm believer that in order to have a trully ‘Chocolate’ cookie it should include melted chocolate in the dough and not just cocoa powder (a combination of both is also accepted).  While I love cookies and chocolate, I am not a huge fan of Chocolate Cookies (gasp! I know). I do however enjoy Chocolate cookies with a bowl of good old vanilla icecream. MMM good.

I found this recipe on a piece of paper taped to the back cover of an old church cookbook I bought at a yard sale last weekend. The paper was splattered with chocolate batter and had grease spots from melted butter. I knew these had to be yummy as the worn recipe was a sign that these were made often. I was sold (plus, I have a soft spot for old hand written recipes, blogs and the internet depersonalize (word???) so many family treasured recipes that whenever I find an old hand-written one, my heart jumps a bit. I feel like a highschool girl getting ready for her first date unsure of  how it will turn out. Wishing for the best but preparing for the worst. Knowing that either way, it will be an experience none the less).

I made these to take to a work picnic and they were very well received. The recipe underlines “Do not overbake” so I erred on the side of caution. The texture of these cookies were great! Once set they had chewey (not cakey) interiors with slightly crisp edges. The taste is not as tooth-acheingly sweet as I would have thought. I think the bittersweet chocolate mellows out the sweetness and provides a rich chocolate flavor. The milk chocolate chips I used balanced out the semisweet and bittersweet batter perfectly, though I am sure semisweet or dark chocolate would be equally as good.

Next time I make these I may add 1/2 tsp espresso powder to deeped the chocolate flavor more and maybe add some walnuts. As is they are very good, adults and kids both said how great they were. Four people asked for the recipe, so that is always a sign of a good recipe. I am not sure I would make these again unless I was taking them for others to enjoy. Like I said, I am not a huge fan of chocolate cookies. That did not stop me however, from enjoying four of these (not at the same time) with scoops of vanilla icecream.

I rate these cookies an  8.5

Intense Chocolate Shock Cookies
source unknown
4oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 oz.  semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 TBS butter, cut into chunks
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a microwave save bowl combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Heat in microwave stirring every 20 seconds. Heat until almost melted, stirring until smooth and melted. Do NOT overheat chocolate mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-4 minutes).
Reduce speed to low and slowly add the melted chocolate mixture. Beat to combine. Add the flour mixture until and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Allow dough to firm up for 10 minutes before baking.
Drop dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-13 minutes or until tops are shiny, center is soft but edges are set. Do NOT overbake. Allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transfering to rack to cool compleletly.

I do not think you can have too much chocolate. These cookies are soooo chocolatey and will satisfy any Chocoholic’s craving! Be sure to read the directions, you combine the baking soda with the wet ingredients, not the dry like many other cookie recipes.

Because they are a dark cookie, it is hard to tell when you should take them out of the oven, I like to err on the side of caution and remove a bit early. In my opinion a gooey cookie is better than a dry one ANY day!! These pair nicely with vanilla icecream and hot fudge!!

I rate this recipe an 8

Triple Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

2 sticks butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp Vanilla

2 large eggs

3 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate, melt and then cool

2 cups Flour

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunk

1/2 cup white chocolatechunks

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (milk chocolate would be great!)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, macadamia) optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt 30z chocolate in 15 second intervals in microwave safe bowl, stirring after each interval.

Heat until able to stir smooth, Do NOT overheat or it will seize and taste burnt. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars and baking soda until combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until mixed well. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate until combine.

Slowly beat in the flour and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and nuts. Form dough into balls using medium scoop and place on parchement lined baking sheets.

(At this point I chilled and then transferred to tupperware containers to freeze once the balls had set. ) *I would recommend chilling balls for a few minutes before baking to prevent overspreading.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheet for 10-14 minutes or until edges are firm to the touch.

Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

So, I am never one to shy away from full fat/full calorie baked goods. I mean, come on, all that butter and sugar is what MAKES many desserts taste so darn good! Well, these little devils have sugar but are butterless and let me tell you, they deserve a place at the top of the dessert chain right along my Death by Chocolate Brownies (pic and recipe yet to be blogged about) and my Basic Blondies! I first saw this recipe a while back on a website for Weight Watcher users (I am not on WW but like to lurk around different boards). This recipe reappeared on TheNest’s cooking board and I knew I had to make them. These cookies are so chocolatey, so rich and so sweet that you will swear you have died and gone to heaven. The best part is, these have all the flavor and texture as butter hoarding baked rivals but are much lower in fat, making them a fairly “sinless” dessert when looking at the alternative baked goods. I wouldn’t call these a health food but I would call these little devils DELISH! Especially with a scoop of FroYo sandwiched between two of them.

Wow, August is almost over, I can NOT believe it! Pretty soon Christmas will be right around the corner.

Well, this weekend I baked up a tasty little cookie that reminds me of the Christmas cookies my mom always bakes. I didn’t take a picture but let me tell you these need to go in your holiday rotation! They are chocolatey, pepperminty, and oh so sweet (even if you have not been).

The real key here is a good quality cocoa powder. I LOVE Ghiradelli chocolate. I like Hershey’s cocoa as much as the next gal (HELLO Perfectly Chocolate Cake and Frosting) but these cookies really deserve some high quality cocoa.

These cookies are sweet (may be too sweet for some: (cough, chickens!! cough)) so rolling them in sugar before baking is optional. However, doing so will produce the most glorious sugar crusted, crackly topped chocolate peppermint piece of heaven you have ever had the pleasure to indulge in.

*Can be easily doubled, I got about 14 cookies, just enough to eat some a freeze some.

I rate this recipe a 7.5
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup butter flavor Crisco
3/4 cups + 2 TBS sugar
1 egg, room temp
1/2 tsp peppermint extract (not oil)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Ghiradelli cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup White chocolate chips
1/2 cup Andes Peppermint chips (the white and red ones) (NOT the regular green/chocolate Ande’s mints!!)
Sugar (for rolling dough balls)

Preheat oven to 350.Line baking sheet with Parchement paper.
In medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, soda, baking powder and salt. Set asideCream the butter and Crisco. Add the sugar and beat until blended. Add egg and peppermint extract, beat until well combined.

Fold in with a spatula the flour/cocoa mixture. Mix with a blender 10 seconds to combine. Fold in the white chocolate chips and Andes chips. Using a medium cookie scoop form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each dough ball in a cup of sugar to lightly coat. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are firm and the center appears slighlty soft, don’t overbake. Cool on baking sheet 3-5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.