I could give you a thousand reasons why you will love this week’s treat, but then I would have to take you out behind the woodshed and … well, I can’t reveal the torture methods inflicted on people who find out my Dessert Diva secrets. But I will tell you that tofu, calzones, sugar cane and Placido Domingo are involved. Brutal, just brutal!
Instead, I will give you one big reason: Dark Chocolate Crackle Cookies. Say no more, right?
If my friends out there in Boulder land don’t make and devour these little bites of love, well, I wash my hands of you, another reason to take you out behind the woodshed.
These cookies are often made around the holidays, but I think May is the perfect time for them. Perfect for your first barbeque or picnic of the year. Not only are they delicious, but the powdered sugar crackle top makes a nice can’t-resist-at-least-one presentation.
When you bite into these you will see they are somewhere between a cake, a brownie and a cookie. They pack a lot of flavor for a recipe with not too many ingredients. And, of course, because they are dark chocolate, they contain antioxidants, which protect our cute little bods from free radicals, lower our blood pressure and help keep our hearts nice and healthy.
Seems like a lot of pressure for chocolate, but I think it can handle it. You can’t taste that great and please so many palates without knowing you will carry some responsibility along with it.
These cookies are fun to make, so the endorphin magic begins long before you even ingest them. This is turning out to be one magic cookie, if you take all I have to say as gospel. It’s alright, I stand behind my claims. Just make them, and you, too, will be drinking the Kool-Aid. Don’t worry about the woodshed. I’m not sure I’ve ever even seen a woodshed, just been watching Mob Wives on VH1 and felt the need to make some empty threats.
Now, follow the directions, put some love into it and invite me over when it’s done.
Dark Chocolate Crackle Cookies
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 tsp. almond extract
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Stir together sugar and oil. Add in cocoa powder until well blended. Mix in eggs and almond extract.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring until well-combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place powdered sugar in small bowl. Scoop out small teaspoon of dough, drop in sugar and roll until covered. Place on baking sheet, about two to three inches apart.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until just set. Take out of oven and let rest on cookie sheet about five minutes. Take off, cool on wire rack or parchment paper. Enjoy!
Note: You can use regular cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is just a direction, use what you like!
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