Fudge Stripe Cookies

I’m always up for a good baking project, especially when it involves learning to make something I’d only previously been able to buy at the store.  There have been a ton of examples over the years, but a few of my favorites were the graham crackers, flour tortillas, croissants, hamburger rolls and peppermint patties. Long before I attempted most of these projects, they were on my radar – sitting patiently on my to-do list until I found the courage, or time, to give them a go. That was not the case with these fudge stripe cookies. Though I loved them as a kid, I’ve never given them much thought as an adult, and it hadn’t even crossed my mind that there might be a homemade version out there somewhere. I was so thrilled to see them pop up on Annie’s site, it was like the best kind of surprise 🙂

Mine didn’t turn out quite as perfectly as hers (if you haven’t already, go check them out!), but I was still thrilled with them. Don’t they look just like the store-bought ones?? And yes, they taste like them too – only better, of course! I haven’t had the ones from the store in ages but if I’m remembering them correctly, they’re a bit thinner than this homemade version. That said, I think this thickness works perfectly, especially when it comes time to dip them in the chocolate. It takes a little practice to figure out, and I think with a thinner cookie it would be even more tricky.

If you have a friend, family member, or significant other who had a fondness for these cookies as a kid, I think they would be such a fun surprise for Valentine’s Day. Package a few up in a little bag with a tag or a ribbon and it’s a great homemade gift 🙂

Fudge Stripe Cookies
from Annie’s Eats (who adapted from Brave Tart)

1 3/4 cups (7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
6 tablespoons (4 oz) light corn syrup
1/2 cup canola (or vegetable) oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 lb chocolate, chopped and melted* (I used milk chocolate, but you could use bittersweet or semisweet)

*Annie suggested tempering the chocolate – it makes it less likely to melt when held, gives it a more glossy shine and prevents blooming at room temperature – but I am still mastering the technique so I skipped it.  If you want to try it, here’s some more info, and if you decide to skip tempering, just store the cookies in the refrigerator.

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

Add the flour and baking soda to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix briefly to combine.  Add the corn syrup, oil, and vanilla, and beat until the dough comes together (mine seemed a bit oily, but I didn’t try to adjust it at all and it turned out fine).  Turn the dough onto a work surface and shape into a disc then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to ¼-inch thickness.  Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut rounds from the dough.  Use a smaller cutter (I used a frosting tip) to cut a small hole from the center of each circle.  Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.  Reroll the scraps and repeat until you’ve cut as many cookies as you can.  Use a fork to poke small holes in the tops of the cookies.  Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until just barely browned.  Transfer the cookies a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Once the cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Remove the pan from the heat, but leave the bowl on top (I find this keeps the chocolate warmer for a longer period of time so you don’t have to rewarm).  Working with one cookie at a time, dip each cookie to coat the bottom and sides with a thin layer of chocolate (I held my cookies by the center hole to dip them).  Transfer the cookie to a sheet or parchment paper (with the dipped side down) and continue with the remaining cookies.  Once you’ve dipped all the cookies, transfer the remaining chocolate to a resealable plastic big and snip off the corner.  Drizzle the tops of the cookies to create a striped pattern.  Let the chocolate set (if you tempered the chocolate, it can set at room temperature, but if not, transfer to the refrigerator to allow it to set.)  Store the cookies in an airtight container.

Makes about 18 cookies