Thursday, December 17, 2009

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 8 comments » / cookies, dessert

There are cookies, and there are CHRISTMAS COOKIES . I love baking treats during the holiday season that I wouldn’t get the chance to otherwise, like my Chocolate Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Buttered Rum Meltaways, and Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies. Snowcaps, now, that sure doesn’t sound like a cookie you’d bake in June! From the moment I saw these cookies, I knew I’d be baking them this Christmas. The only problem was, that gave me a lot of time to think about how badly I wanted one.

I’m happy to report that these cookies are actually better than I’d hoped! The end result is a cookie that is so soft and chewy, it’s almost brownie-like. The espresso adds a definite complexity that really pushes these cookies a step beyond your average chocolate crinkle cookies. One of the great things about this cookie is, you can make the dough a couple days in advance and then just roll out and bake them when you need them.

As a warning, these get a little bit messy in the rolling process. I would scoop the dough with my medium cookie scoop, then roll it into a ball, and roll the ball around in the powdered sugar. I ended up licking and then washing my hands every 3-4 cookies. Other than slight mess, these were a fun cookie to make, and I can’t wait to make them again next year. Hurry up, your window of opportunity to make these this year is running out!

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Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

from Martha Stewart
Yield: 18

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, for coating

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients; beat in milk just until combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar twice.

Place balls on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

**This time last year I posted my sister’s Graham Cracker Candy. Wonder what that is? Go check it out, but I’m warning you, it’s addictive, LIKE CRACK!**