Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I was feeling seriously conflicted about what to share today, so I let you guys decide via my Facebook page. The choices were chocolate, cookies or cheesy carbs, and it was super close. Lots of people requested a combination of chocolate and cookies, and I had this recipe ready to go so I was happy to oblige 🙂 And for those of you who wanted cheesy carbs, rest assured I’ve got that post set up for next week so you won’t have to wait long!

Although I rarely make them, I absolutely love sugar cookies. If I put together a list of my three favorite cookies, they’d make the cut, especially if we’re talking about this coconut-lime version. I’d honestly never even considered the possibility of chocolate sugar cookies, but when I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Cook’s Country I immediately put it on my to-do list.

These cookies come together easily – you don’t even need a mixer, just a few bowls and a whisk. Also, there’s no need to chill the dough so you’ll be digging into these in no time! It took me a few tries to get the baking time just right for these guys, and consequently I did a lot of taste-testing. Tough job, but someone had to do it 🙂 The cookies were perfectly chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges. They were delicious on their own, but I also think they’d be a great summer treat with some ice cream sandwiched in the middle.

We are headed to Disney today for Food Blog Forum Orlando! In fact, we’re probably on a plane as most of you are reading this. I am so excited to meet my blogging buddies, indulge in some delicious food, and visit the parks! I’m sure I’ll be sharing lots of pics over the course of the weekend; feel free to follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook if you’d like.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend 🙂

Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies
slightly adapted from Cook’s Country, April/May 2013

1/3 cup (2 1/3 oz) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/8 oz) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 3/4 cups packed (12 1/4 oz) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Add the granulated sugar to a wide, shallow dish (a pie plate works well). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.

Add 10 tablespoons of the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20 or 30-second bursts until melted. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until it is completely melted. Set the butter aside for 5-10 minutes to cool until lukewarm, about 90-95 F on an instant-read thermometer. (Don’t skip this step – if the butter is too warm the cookie won’t bake properly.) Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until incorporated (it’s important to make sure you break up all the lumps of brown sugar). Mix in the egg and egg yolk until well combined. Switch to a rubber spatula, and stir in the dry ingredients just until combined.

Shape the dough into balls, each ball should be about 2 tablespoons of dough. Roll the balls in the sugar you put in the shallow dish earlier, coating them on all sides. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving several inches of space in between them. Use the bottom of a glass to press the balls down so each of the cookies has a diameter of about 2 inches. Sprinkle the tops of each cookie with a few pinches of the remaining granulated sugar.

Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are slightly puffy and the edges are just barely set, about 12-13 minutes (the cookies may look slightly undercooked in the center, that’s ok). Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Continue baking with the remaining dough.

Makes about 24 cookies