Wednesday, March 11, 2009

"Giant" Chocolate Sugar Cookies

When I was a kid, sometimes my dad would load my sister and I into his truck and we would ride along and check the cows. Once, we had stopped by the feed trough & the pond, and I can’t remember what my dad was doing, but my sister and I were throwing rocks into the pond to try and get a big splash. All the rocks that made a big splash were too heavy for me. Then I saw a BIG flat gray rock. I picked it up and was amazed that such a big rock would be so light! I said “Look at THIS big rock Daddy!” He started to snicker and said, “That’s not a rock Erin, that’s a cow patty.” Once I realized what it was I quickly dropped it.

I know what you’re thinking, “Erin, why did you just tell a story about cow manure?” Is it just because I was raised on a farm that these cookies resemble cow patties to me? Maybe it’s just me… Anyways, the weekend I went on my big “I MUST BAKE COOKIES” binge, I decided I should definitely choose a recipe from my beloved Martha Stewart “Cookies” cookbook. I browsed through looking for a simple recipe that called for ingredients I already had on hand. I settled on her recipe for Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies. I’m not a fan of giant oversized cookies; I actually prefer small cookies. That way I can only allow myself one, but still feel that I satisfied my sweet tooth! Her recipe says it makes eight cookies. I used my itty-bitty cookie scoop and I got FIFTY cookies. That’s quite a difference!

When baking smaller cookies, be sure to reduce the time. The longer these bake the crisper they become. The Boy and I preferred these when they were baked a short amount of time, so that they remained soft. In the recipe below, I’ve adjusted the times to what worked for me. After baking the first batch, I realized they weren’t going to flatten out much at all, so I used the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten them when I took them out of the oven.

Whether or not you think they look like cow patties, you really must consider trying this recipe. These cookies have a great chocolate flavor, and satisfy your craving for cookies & chocolate, in one bite. It truly tastes like a chocolate sugar cookies!

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup good-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or additional butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Using a scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 6-8 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

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