It just so happens that while I’m a cupcake (and brownie) person, my boyfriend is a cookie person. Me? I’d rather have a cupcake than a cookie. That’s not to say I don’t like cookies, I do… but if you give me a choice I’m picking a big, fat, vanilla cupcake with thick vanilla buttercream frosting over any kinda cookie, any day. But Jay, he digs the cookie. That’s what makes horseracing, right? He’s entitled. And he’s been subjected to many many many cupcakes and other baked goods and not many cookies. He’s kinda like Cookie Monster: he’s a big dude, likes cookies, and I guess since he’s a cop you could say he’s “blue.” Everytime I make cookies (which actually isn’t often, sadly), he wants tons of them, and refuses to allow anyone else around him to try one. His favorite is my maple iced fall leaf  sugar cookies, he asks for them on a regular basis, and I always refuse because IT’S NOT FALL YET. But the Clinton’s Chips chocolate chip cookies were a big hit too. So I figured I’d make some cookies to share with him (of course to share… I’m not giving him ALL of them!)

I had the urge myself for a chocolate cookie, so in my search to find the perfect one I found these. They’re like a better version of those chocolate Famous Amos cookies your grammar school used to sell. To make them even richer, use dark chocolate cocoa powder. Oh- and if you’re stuck without eggs, instead of 2 eggs, you can use 6 tablespoons mayonnaise. The cookies will turn out just fine. Trust me on this. You can only do that with chocolate cookies/cake… not vanilla.

CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES

First go git some:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans*

Then yer gon’ do this:

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. On low speed, beat in flour mixture a little at a time, until well blended and smooth. Stir in chopped walnuts.
4. Drop chocolate cookie dough onto greased baking sheets by rounded tablespoons, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, or until set. If desired, sprinkle with a little granulated sugar while they’re hot.
5. Cool on pans on rack for about 5 minutes; transfer chocolate cookies to rack to cool completely.

*These are optional. I didn’t use ‘em.

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen chocolate cookies, depending also on how big you make them. I made mine pretty big, so I definitely didn’t get 4 dozen. I like big cookies. I also put a spoonful down and “squashed” them a bit so they turned out more even. But you can just plop it down and forget about it if you prefer and it’ll come out fine. It evens itself out.

If you prefer a crispy cookie rather than a chewy cookie, bake them for a little longer, maybe 17-18 minutes, maybe 20. They’ll be slightly mushy to the touch no matter how long you bake them- don’t worry. They firm up as they set.

Share this: