There is an alchemy that happens in our kitchens, taking basic ingredients, mix them together add some heat and we have created something entirely new and hopefully delicious, but often we miss that magic moment, in the midst of checking things in the oven, washing dishes and serving others, the magic seems to come and go unnoticed. And because I guess occasionally it’s good to acknowledge that we are all capable of magic, I want to reintroduce you to the chocolate crinkle cookie.
My Aunt Eudice is a fabulous baker, and no Shabbat in her home was complete without a filled cookie jar, when it was the turn of the chocolate crinkle cookies, I remember just being fascinated by the dark cookie peeking through the white crackle and thinking that my aunt was genius for figuring out how to do that! Bringing the recipe up to date wasn’t too difficult as my aunt’s recipe was great to begin with, I just added some espresso and really good chocolate to boost the flavors even more.
So, go ahead and be a magician in your own kitchen, I promise you will get a kick out of it!
**if using table salt instead of Diamond Kosher salt, only use ½ a teaspoon.
- 125g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 65g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 300g (1 ½ cups packed) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 110g (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken up
- 55g (4 tablespoons) betterine (butter or other vegan alternative)
- 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 65g (½ cup) icing (confectioners’) sugar
- Heat oven to 160℃ (325℉). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl; Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- In a large bowl; Whisk brown sugar; eggs; espresso powder, and vanilla together.
- In a microwave-safe bowl; Combine chocolate and butter and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring between each blast, until melted.
- Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Fold in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain.
- Place dough in the fridge for an hour to set up.
- Place granulated sugar and icing (confectioners’) sugar in separate shallow dishes.
- Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into balls. Drop dough balls directly into granulated sugar and roll to coat. Transfer dough balls to icing (confectioners’) sugar and roll to coat evenly. Evenly space dough balls on prepared sheets, and press down slightly.
- Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 10-12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheet before serving.
