Hot Chocolate Cookies

Why the absence?  Work.  Work.  Work.  Working all day with computers really puts a hamper on wanting to be near a computer screen when you get home.

Oh, and my iMac went poof this weekend.  The logic board went bye-bye.  So, I’m waiting for the new one to show up on my door.  I’m excited, yet upset that I spent 1,400 dollars I never even got a chance to meet.

To reduce my level of techno-stress, I spent Sunday baking like a mad person.  This is one of two recipes I want to try out.  The second will be for a Halloween Cup Cake decorating day at N8 and Elaine’s.  The first one is a recipe I discovered on Dessert in the Country called Hot Chocolate Cookies. I’ve been trying to find recipes that fit the season, trying to fend off winter depression by adapting my favorite past time to meet the season.

What Joe has done is make a cookie that actually mirrors a warm cup of store bought cocoa.  The taste is light, and while I could go for more chocolate, I understand why the finished product is more subtle in its flavor.  You can really taste the cocoa mix in the cookie, and the marshmallow adds a nice second layer of chewiness, with a chocolate glaze kick chasing everything down.

I let my OCD take over for this one.  Once the cookies were done baking, I used the CLEAN top of a canola spray can to make the cookies perfectly round.  And while the recipe says it makes 4 dozen, I was actually able to produce 5 dozen.

*Vegetarian and Vegan Alert*

This dish is most definitely not vegetarian nor vegan friendly.  Eggs, marshmallow and PLENTY of butter make sure this is a guilty-pleasure cookie.

/END ALERT

Unfortunately, since my computer is dead, I don’t have any photos to share.  Click over to Joe’s page to see his finished product in the mean time.

HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES (Adapted from Land O Lakes)

For the cookies

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup instant hot chocolate cocoa mix – I used some dark chocolate Swiss Miss
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 24-30 large marshmallows, cut in half crosswise

For the glaze

• 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

To make the cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa mix, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each. Mix in milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
4. Using a teaspoon or cookie scoop, drop the dough onto parchment or ex pat lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookie are set, about 8 minutes. Remove and place a marshmallow, cut side down, in the center of each cookie. Place back in the oven and continue baking until the marshmallow begins to look puffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze

1. Place confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, add butter, milk and cocoa. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil – let cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour mixture into the bowl of confectioners’ sugar and beat until creamy.
2. Immediately spoon a little of the glaze over each of the cooled cookies.

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.