Chocolate Espresso Cookies

As I’m sure I’ve covered during my written navel gazing a time or two, I put a lot of thought into what gets included in each year’s holiday baking. My hope is that there is a little something for everyone. So, always sugar cookies (kids), something fruity, something nutty and something chocolate (that doesn’t also include nuts).

Last year’s chocolate crinkles while popular, were not the wisest choice from a baking perspective. With oil rather than butter as the fat source, I found myself having to roll and reroll hundreds of chocolate balls again and again (with butter, the dough stiffens up and holds its shape). And though world peace cookies are a favorite of mine personally, I’m afraid their simplicity gets lost in all of the other flashier offerings.

So, this year I was on the hunt for a new chocolatey cookie. After trying a few candidates (I know, it’s tough eating all that chocolate), I finally landed on Sarah Kieffer’s double chocolate espresso cookies. They are simple enough that kids like them, but fancy and complex enough thanks to the addition of cacao nibs, to be holiday-worthy.

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Sarah Kieffer

Ingredients

1 1/2 C (213g) AP flour
1/2 C (50g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsps ground espresso
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 TBS (198g) unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 C (150g) granulated sugar
3/4 C (150g) golden brown sugar
1 TBS vanilla extract
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
5 ounces (142g) semisweet chocolate chopped into bite-sized pieces (I like using mini chocolate chips)
2 TBS cacao nibs. I found mine on Amazon: cacao nibs.

Directions

Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso and baking soda.
Set aside 4 TBS (57g) butter in a medium bowl.
Melt remaining 10 TBS butter (142g) in a medium saucepan. Brown the butter until it is dark, golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma (2-3 minutes).
Pour browned butter (and any bits) into the bowl with the set aside butter. Stir until all butter is melted and combined. Stir in the granulated and brown sugars, vanilla and salt.
Whisk-in the egg and egg yolk until fully combined and the batter is smooth and glossy. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk again for another 45 seconds.
Add-in the flour mixture and fold to combine. Fold-in the chocolate and nibs.
Form the dough into 2 TBS balls (or scoop). Please 8 balls on each sheet.
Bake cookies, one pan at a time until the centers are puffed, about 8-9 minutes.
Transfer pan to wire rack and allow to cool completely. Sore in an air-time container.

As a note–I like to refrigerate the dough balls over night to develop the flavor and texture. If you do as well, just add on a minute extra to bake the cold dough.

Grown Up Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope everyone is hanging in there. Given that this blog is called the Misanthropic Hostess, you can probably tell how I’m doing.

People keep asking me if I’m doing lots of baking and are surprised to hear that I’m not. Like most (I hope) people, I’m sequestered at home and adjusting to a for-now normal. For me, a big part of this is establishing a consistent and doable day job schedule.

For me, baking isn’t work (I’m not saying people shouldn’t bake or do whatever they can to get through these days–I just personally don’t want to confuse work and baking modes). So, I’ll be sticking to doing my baking on the weekends. Something to look forward to.

In the weeks before social distancing, I baked all of the sweet stuff that was in my freezers to make room for more sensible things like frozen ground turkey and a few trays of a dish TD and I call Shizzyladas. Giving away the baked goods was fun as always. But, I made very fatal error on my part: I forgot to hold anything back for me and TD.

So, last weekend, I made up a batch of dough for one of the few cookies TD and I agree on: Chocolate Chip. These are a little fancier than the norm with browned butter, a bit of rye flour and lots and lots and lots of chocolate. Really, get creative with the chocolate. The great thing about these is that you can make the dough, portion it, chill it and freeze it for on-the-spot baking.

Early returns show that I’m going to have to limit the number of baked cookies available to my housemates and I.

Grown Up Chocolate Chip Cookies

NYT/Toll House/Yo’ Momma Inspired

Ingredients

1 1/2 C cake flour
3/4 C rye flour
1 1/2 C bread flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 C) unsalted butter at room temp [note--brown the butter if you want to get super adult–if browning, use 3 sticks]
1 1/4 C light brown sugar
1 1/4 C granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
20 ounces (about 3 1/4 cups) dark chocolate disks (you could use any combination of chocolate here. In the cookies pictured I happened to have 6 ounces of solid 72% chocolate that I chopped and combined with 12 ounces of discs).

Instructions

In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until fluffy (if using brown butter, it may only fluff a bit). Add in sugars and cream until light, 3-4 minutes.
Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla beating in between each to combine.
Stop mixer and add dry ingredients. Mix on lowest speed until just combined. Fold-in your chocolate.
Scoop dough into desired sized balls. While 1/4 C is a popular size and will give you amazing bakery-sized cookies, I like to use a 2 TBS scoop.
Refrigerate balls for at least 24 hours (or do as I do and refrigerate until cold and then freeze double bagged until you want to use them).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your sheets with parchment. Allow a couple of inches in between smaller dough balls and up to four if you are really going for it with the 1/4 C scoop.
Bake until golden (this is about 11 minutes in my oven from very cold, 13 if frozen).

I Was Drinking When I Made These

These are quite possibly the weirdest thing I’ve ever made.

I’m not even going to make you try to guess the odd ingredient (mostly because it looks so weird in the pictures that I don’t want your mind going creative places).

Olives. And chocolate. Yes, you read that right.

Does it help if I explain these are meant to be barely sweet and enjoyed with a nice glass of red (and maybe a sharp cheddar)?

I will say that I actually had to drink a couple of glasses of wine before I worked up the courage to bake these babies off.

And you know what? They were delightful. You don’t get olive so much as you get salt. Which is nice with cocoa. If you are looking for something a little unusual to add to a cheese board or maybe a unique addition to the traditional host gift of a bottle of wine, give these a try.

Chocolate Olive Cookies

from Dorie’s Cookies, Dorie Greenspan

makes about 60 cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 C (170g) all-purpose flour
1/4 C (32g) cornstarch
1/4 C (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 stick (8 TBS, 4 ounces, 113g) unsalted butter, at room temp and cut into chunks)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/3 C (67g) sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/3 C (50g) chopped, pitter oil-cured black olives (I used Kalmata because we have a giant Costco jar on hand at all times)

Directions

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and cocoa powder.
Working with a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat the butter and olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes).
Add the yolk and beat for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Turn off mixer, add dry ingredients and pulse to start blending. Mix on low until ingredients are incorporated and you have moist curds. Pull the bowl off the mixer and fold-in olives.
Turn the dough out, kneed briefly to bring dough together. Divide it in half. Roll each half into a slender log 8-81/2 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic and refrigerate over night (or freeze).
When you are ready to bake, position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
One log at a time, cut cold dough into 1/4 inch discs and place them on baking sheets, about an inch apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes rotating halfway through (done cookies will be firm to the touch). Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheets for at least 3 minutes. Carefully transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Licorice Brownie Cookies

Hey, hey, hey wait a second. Give this a chance before you run away screaming.

Sometimes I feel as if I’ve made every cookie out there. Were I enterprising, the next step would be to work out my own original recipes. Alas, that will have to wait until my brain is less stuffed with other, more important things (eg whether our bathtub is big enough to keep a pet otter happy and, when I get a pet otter, what I will name it).

So, when I came across a recipe for salty black licorice brownie cookies by Charli Nowak over on Food 52, I was over on Amazon ordering ingredients before I’d even finished reading the article.

Now, I know what you are thinking–adding chocolate to black licorice is like putting lipstick on a pig. But, stick with me. Something cool happens when you mix the earthy, herbal flavors of anise and licorice root with the smoky sweet flavors of deep dark chocolate.

I’ll admit, my own pump for licorice and chocolate were primed before I saw the recipe. I’ve been thinking about creating an All Sorts French macaroon for a few months. If you are a fan of these licorice candies paired with a host of flavors and stacked into colorful little blocks, you already know that chocolate and licorice are good friends.

These cookies are indulgent and immensely satisfying. They’re deeply chocolate with enough je ne sais quoi to make them sophisticated and dare I say, sexy. Think Valentine’s Day worthy.

Still not convinced? I’ve got you covered.

In the name of research, I offered up a couple to TD without mentioning the unusual ingredients. TD is squarely in the no black jelly bean camp.

The verdict? He was a big fan.

When I asked if he could identify the secret ingredients he guessed chocolate.

Did you know TD is the Latin abbreviation for Captain Obvious?

I ordered my licorice root powder and ground anise from Amazon in larger quantities because, as I mentioned, I have bigger plans for these flavors. However, you should be able to find them at a spice shop like Penzy’s. Or, if you live close and want to make these, let me know and I’ll share my stash.

Salty Black Licorice Brownie Cookies

adapted just a bit from Charli Nowak for Food 52

Ingredients

7 ounces 60% dark chocolate chips
2 TBS water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick (1/4 pound or 8 TBS) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 C granulated sugar
1/2 C dark brown sugar, packed
1 C all-purpose flour
3 TBS black cocoa powder (or Dutch-processed cocoa powder)
1 tsp baking powder
2 TBS licorice root powder (available in specialty spice stores)
2 tsp ground anise
1/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more or flaky salt for sprinkling on top)
optional: 6 ounces mini chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate bits optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Place butter in a small pot over medium heat and begin melting. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until butter begins to brown and smell nutty. Immediately pour over chocolate mixture and stir until completely melted. Set aside.
To the hot, melted butter, add chocolate, water, and vanilla extract. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
Place eggs and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed for 7 minutes until eggs are pale and ribbony.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, licorice root power, anise, and salt. Set aside.
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add melted chocolate mixture. Once combined, add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
Gently fold in chocolate chips
Using your choice of scoop size (I used my favorite 1 1/2 TBS size, the original recipe called for a 3 TBS scoop), portion batter onto prepared trays leaving two inches between each. Sprinkle tops with flaky salt and bake until puffed and crackly, about 11 minutes. Remove from oven, give the tray a good smack against the counter, and let cool for at least 20 minutes.

How to catch a valentine

Have a valentine for whom you’d like to show your looooooove?

Need to catch a valentine so that someone will loooooooove you?

Well, have I got a recipe for you. It has everything….

Oh, how I miss you Stefon.

But seriously. I promise this quadruple chocolate threat cookie will get the job done.

And you know what they say. If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.

Quadruple Threat Chocolate Cookies

adapted from Sunset Magazine’s 50 all-time best Sunset Test Kitchen recipes

Ingredients

10 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar plus more for dipping (or cocoa could be used to dip)
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (I used the ground espresso right out of a Nespresso capsule)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 C bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 C chopped white chocolate
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat. Once butter is melted, remove from heat and add-in the chopped bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates. Swirl pan to cover chocolate (as best as it will) and let stand for five minutes. Using a wire whisk, whisk until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. You may need to return to very low heat.
Whisk eggs, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla into chocolate mixture. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until evenly mixed, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Wrap dough airtight and chill until firm enough to hold its shape, at least an hour.
Using a large scoop (I scooped between 1/8 and 1/4 of a cup), scoop dough, placing it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet with two inches in-between (I fit about 8 drops of dough on a half-sheet).
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Dip the bottom of a pint glass or even round surface in sugar or cocoa powder. Gently press down each drop/ball of dough until flattened slightly (the chunks in the cookie should help to keep the thickness at about 1/2 and inch).
Bake until cookies no longer look wet and you can feel a slight crust on top, about 10 minutes (don’t overbake); switch position of baking sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on racks.
Cookies freeze nicely up to two weeks in air-tight containers or freezer bags.