Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Yes, clearly this post is also way past overdue if these cookies remind you of the holidays, but I don't consider myself a real food blogger anyway, so I just post things whenever I feel like it. Besides, there's no rule that these cookies are only reserved for the holidays. So, make them whenever you want. I've seen versions of chocolate crackle cookies many many times over the years and finally decided to try them out. These cookies are decadent, rich, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolaty, all good things.

They are quite sweet, not overly so in my opinion, but do keep them on the smaller side. You won't need many to satisfy a sweet craving, but at the same time, you may find yourself unable to stop popping one after another into your mouth. I may try reducing the sugar to see if they're still as good. There's a little bit of a process to forming these cookies but it's not too difficult and worth every bit of the effort.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Recipe from Eat the Love
Makes 64 cookies

8 oz (225 g) bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups (330 g) dark brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 large pinches salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (70 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder ( I used natural since I didn't have dutch-processed)
1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup (175 g) all-purpose flour
granulated sugar, for coating
powdered sugar, for coating

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave in 30 second bursts stirring with a spatula in between. Set aside to cool.

Cream the butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for several minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Then add the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and mix until incorporated.

Mix in the cocoa powder, then the milk, mixing well between each. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into 4 parts, flatten, wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Working with one portion of dough at a time, divide each into 16 pieces. Roll each piece in your hands to form a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar, and place on a lined baking sheet about 2 inches away from each other. Place the dough back in the fridge to firm up if it becomes too soft.

Repeat with the rest of the dough. Bake cookies about 10-12 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.