Dark Chocolate Cookies

Dark Chocolate Cookies

Ever since high school I've been looking for a chocolate cookie recipe that would taste like the ones I could get in the lunch line at Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calfornia.  Most days, the cookies were slightly undercooked in the middle, thick, and greasy.  I've tried I don't know how many recipes for chocolate cookies trying to replicate that taste.  Most were too thin, many weren't chocolately enough; none came close.  Even thought I'm posting this recipe, these cookies don't taste like them either.  They are delicious chocolate cookies nonetheless.  If I really want the recipe, perhaps I could just contact the school district to see if they still have that recipe.  Hmmm...just thought of that.

These cookies here are better underbaked, and disappointing when overbaked.  When you get them in that doneness zone, though, mmmmmm...they are one of my very favorite cookies.  And that's saying a lot coming from this cookie snob.  I go out of my way to make these cookies when I'm craving something really chocolately.  They almost taste like brownies.  Dark, chewy, fudgy, and best enjoyed with a glass of ice cold milk.

Dark Chocolate Cookies
    --Adapted from eupcurious.com

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• ¼ cup Crisco vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ to 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ½ to ¾ cup chocolate chips (or better yet, chopped Dove dark chocolate)

Directions:

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. (If your cocoa is lumpy, as mine tends to be, put it through a sieve or sifter first.)

Dough balls lined up to freeze

Beat together butter, Crisco, and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Then beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.  Stir in nuts and chocolate.   Refrigerate for at least two hours.  (Note: I usually scoop them onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze at this point.  Then I transfer frozen dough balls to a zip-top bag so I can bake a few cookies at a time.)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Drop level tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined (or ungreased) baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven until puffed and set, about 9-12 minutes.  Start checking after 9 minutes to make sure they don't burn.  Allow to sit on pan for 2-3 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 36 cookies.