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chocolate cookies

Flourless Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

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You’re familiar with flourless chocolate cake from restaurants, right? It’s thick, soft, and fudgy cake that’s just heaven in a bowl. Well, these Flourless Fudgy Chocolate Cookies are a take off on that cake. They’re a little crispy around the edges and awesomely chewy and fudgy in the middle. And I don’t use the word awesome willy-nilly (yes, I said willy-nilly)!

These are definitely for a chocoholic – sweet and full of cocoa and chocolate chips. Here’s my pudgy little fingers holding one of the cookies just out of the oven. You can see the gooey chocolate chips and fudgy center.

These chocolate cookies are not for the faint of heart. They are very sweet and are best served microwaved for 5 or 6 seconds with a side of cold milk or vanilla ice cream. The original recipe from MamaGourmand’s wonderful site called for 24 cookies (12 on each cookie sheet) and I misread it and thought it was supposed to be 12 cookies total. I ended up splitting the difference and made 17 really big cookies. I recommend making them a little smaller so you won’t overdose on chocolate and sweetness.

These cookies are wonderful and inadvertently gluten-free. Chewy, fudgy, with that meringue crunch, and perfect for a snack or dessert. It takes a little muscle to mix them up since the batter is so thick, but they take very few ingredients that you probably have in your cabinet.

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Flourless Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

****Original from MamaGourmand.com.  Very sweet and chocolaty.  Chewy center and crisp edges.

Servings: 18 =24
Ingredients
  • 3 C powdered sugar
  • 2/3 C cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions

  1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and also spray each of them with cooking spray.

  2. In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Add salt and whisk all together. Stir the egg whites and vanilla together and pour into the powdered sugar mixture.  Stir until completely combined (will be very, very thick).  Stir in the chocolate chips.

  3. Spoon the batter onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, 10-12 mounds per sheet.  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Let the cookies rest for 30 minutes before baking.  Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until tops are glossy and lightly cracked.  The edges will be set and the middle will be slightly undercooked.

  4. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Tips and Stuff:

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, but that was too much for me.  1 cup was perfect.  Someone mentioned that Central Market has a similar cookie without chocolate chips - would be great that way, too.

This would be good with 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, too!

Update:  These were best right out of the oven and on the first day.  Remember to store them in a tightly-sealed container.  Warm them up 8-10 seconds after the first day.  Still good, though!

 

Double Chocolate Peanut Chip Cookies

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We were ready for a good thick, chewy cookie and I found this Double Chocolate Peanut Chip Cookies recipe that fit the bill. That wasn’t the original name for the cookie, but I changed the name to fit the ingredients I put in them. They’re chocolate peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips and peanuts, so that’s the best name I could come up with!

I highly recommend these cookies, but a word of warning – only bake them 12 minutes. Since they’re chocolate cookies, it’s hard to tell when they’re done and the bottoms burn after 12 minutes. The recipe said to bake them 12-15 minutes and I tried 14, 13, and then finally 12 minutes, which was perfect. They’re extra large, chewy and thick with dry-roasted peanuts and chocolate chips in every bite. We really like them and would make them for any occasion or just for every day snacking.


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Double Chocolate Peanut Chip Cookies

****Really good, but only bake for 12 minutes - no more - to get that wonderfully chewy texture.  Best the first or second day.

Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1/2 C .butter , softened
  • 1/2 C shortening
  • 1 C smooth peanut butter
  • 1 C granulated sugar
  • 1 C firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa , sifted
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 C dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 (11.5 to 12 oz.) bag chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add peanut butter and sugars, beating well. Add eggs, beating until well combined.
  2. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in peanuts and chocolate chips.
  3. Shape dough into 2" balls (about 2 tbsp.) Flatten slightly, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on pan 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes

Tips and Stuff:  Original recipe called for chunky peanut butter, but I think smooth is better since you also add the dry-roasted peanuts. They call for 2" round dough balls and make fairly large cookies. Again, only bake for 12 minutes or they'll burn on the bottom.

Dark Chocolate Sablés

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It’s time for Christmas cookies!  These Dark Chocolate Sablés (Sah-bless) from Southern Living caught my eye earlier this year and I thought it would be a pretty cookie for the Christmas platters.  They had theirs sprinkled with sea salt, but I liked the look of the red, white and green nonpareils.

chocolate-sables1

Sablés are classic French cookies and are usually delicate and crumbly and, to be honest, can sometimes end up rather dry.  These, though, ended up wonderfully, deeply chocolate and even though they’re still shortbread textured, they’re not dry at all.  The addition of the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate to the dough and the final dip in the same melted chocolate really added that extra level of goodness.

chocolate-sables

These cookies were easy to put together and the only delay was waiting for them to freeze for thirty minutes. I did discover a way to keep the cookies round. You know the way refrigerator cookies end up kind of oblong because when you refrigerate them the bottom of the dough flattens out? Well, if you take a paper towel tube (after the towels are gone of course…) and cut it length-wise, you can slip the rolled dough into it before refrigerating. It will keep the dough nice and round for perfect cookies!

chocolate-sables-in-roll

I loved these little cookies and found that you could freeze the dough for up to a month before baking. They’ll be a nice addition to the Christmas cookie plates!

chocolate-sables2

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Dark Chocolate Sablés

****Terrific and very very chocolaty!   Makes 4-5 dozen cookies

Ingredients
  • 1 C salted butter , softened
  • 1 C powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 scant tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 1/2, 60 % cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bars (they come in 4 oz. bars)
  • Decorations for the dipped cookies (sea salt, nonpareils, etc.)
Instructions
  1. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Stir together flour, cocoa, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, about a half-cup at a time and beat on low after each addition. Finely chop 1 of the 4 oz. chocolate baking bars and stir into the cookie dough until fully mixed in.
  2. Divide dough in half and shape each into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm – about 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and place about an inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Keep remaining dough refrigerated while baking the batch. Bake for about 12 minutes, until slightly firm. Cool on pans for about 5 minutes and then remove cookies to a rack to completely cool.
  4. Chop the remaining 1 1/2 chocolate baking bars and place in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1 1/2 minutes total).
  5. Dip half of each baked cookie into the melted chocolate and place on waxed paper. Decorate with sea salt, nonpareils or chopped pecans if desired. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. To store, layer the cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes

Tips and Stuff :  Be sure and use kosher salt for the cookie dough.  If you don't have any and are using table salt, you'll end up with a very salty cookie!  I ended up using my hands to mix the chopped chocolate into the cookie dough, as it was very thick and hard to stir with a spoon. Watch the melting chocolate carefully - if you microwave it too long, it will seize up.  If you're using sea salt for decoration, you may want to wait until the chocolate on the dipped cookie is firm.  I found that it melted right into the chocolate when applied to it while warm.

Chocolate Sugared Sandwich Cookie

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I’ve been looking a long time for a good sandwich cookie filling and finally came up with this one after much experimentation.  The cookie part of this is reminiscent of my previously posted Chocolate Cookie, but I think it’s a little better – both standalone and as a sandwich cookie.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies‘
They’re simple to throw together and next time I think I’ll make them almost half the size (3/4″ balls vs. 1 1/4″ balls precooked). They’re quite rich and somewhat substantial when made as regularly-sized cookies.

The sugared cookie texture is wonderful and I love the cracked top look. I made the filling two ways – one with butter and the other with shortening – and the shortening filling won hands down.  For a Christmas plate or cookie swap, you could add a couple of drops of peppermint extract and crush a handful of candy canes into the filling and they would be perfect!

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies3


Chocolate Sugared Sandwich Cookie
***1/2 – a great chocolate sugar cookie and love that filling.  My big pictured cookies made about 28 sandwich cookies, but made smaller will make quite a few more.

Cookies:
2 C. flour
3/4 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 scant tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 C. sugar, plus 1/2 C. for rolling cookies
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

1 1/4 C. confectioner’s sugar
1/4 C. shortening
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 to 2 tsp. half and half (or evaporated milk)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Put 1/2 C. sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Cream the butter and 2 C. sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.  Slow add the flour mixture and mix on low until completely combined.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Shape the cookie dough into about 3/4″ balls and roll each in the set-aside sugar.  Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges have set and the centers are puffed and starting to crack.  Cool cookies on a wire rack.  Match like-sized cookies together.

For the filling, in a small bowl combine the confectioner’s sugar, shortening and vanilla.  Mix until comes together and is almost creamy (may take a few minutes).  Add half-and-half one tsp. at a time until proper consistency for spreading between cookies.  Place about 1 heaping tsp. between two cookies and lightly press down.  Store in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.

Tips and Stuff:
If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 3/4 tsp.
If you want to cut the sugar, bake the cookies without rolling in the sugar – they’ll be just as good with the filling.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

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These cookies are simple and delicious – very chocolatey cookies.  They’re thin, chewy and a cross between a cookie and a thin brownie.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies Two

I made these under sad circumstances – our church pastor passed away early Sunday morning and I took these to the family. He was a very dear man and we’ll miss him.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

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Chewy Chocolate Cookies
****these are one of the best cookies I’ve ever had.  Best on the first day you make them.  A cross between cookie and brownie cookie.
Servings: 4 dozen
Ingredients
  • 1 ¼ C butter or margarine , softened
  • 2 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 C unsifted all-purpose flour
  • ¾ C cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 C finely chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla; blend well.  Combine flour,  cocoa, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts, if desired.  

  2. Drop by tsp-full onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes (do not overbake – cookies will be soft).  They will puff during baking, and flatten upon cooling. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute; remove to wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I don't use nuts, but they would be good in this - pecans, almonds, even macadamia would be great!

Easy and quick recipe, but delicious.  They really are best the first day they're made.