Chocolate-Mint Crackles

This recipe has been in my folder for years, it's from a Martha Stewart magazine date unknown. I was home yesterday getting caught up on house work and thought I'd make a quick cookie for Monday Supper (Sunday supper postponed a day!), these looked easy - although I didn't read all the way thru the instructions and realized too late the dough needed to be chilled for 3 hours, so not exactly a "quick" cookie! I got around that issue by throwing the dough in the freezer for about a half hour until the dough was chilled (but not frozen). These got mixed reviews: if you like a soft brownie-like cookie and mint then I think you'll like them, if you like thin crunchy non-minty cookies they might not be your favorite! I think they taste like Andes Mints, yum.

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon mint extract (note: I only put in 1/2 teaspoon and they're quite minty)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until melted. (Note: I melted mine in a glass measuring cup in the microwave, follow package directions).
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and cocoa.
• In a larger bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, egg, and melted butter. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate and mint extract until smooth. Stir in flour mixture (note: I wasn't paying attention and tried to whisk in the flour but that was messy and sticky - switch to a spoon to incorporate the flour mixture). Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325'. Roll tagl3espoons of dough into balls using your palms, then roll in confectioners' sugar to coat. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 inch apart. Bake until slightly firm in the center, about 15 minutes. (note: mine took between 13 and 14 minutes)
• Let cool slightly on sheets set on wire racks. Transfer cookies to racks, and let cool completely. 

Makes 30 cookies. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or rolled into balls and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Roll in confectioners' sugar just before baking. 

Store cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

1.30.18: baked ham and cheese sliders
1.30.17: heart cork wreath and trivet
1.30.16: sweet sunrise mocktail


Happy moment ~ no brainer, the smell of cookies baking in the oven

Chocolate Mint Cookies

This is from Redbook magazine 12/2000 - it's one of those recipes that is a basic dough then they change it up different ways. For some reason I've never tried any of the other versions but have made these chocolate mint ones a lot...since we love this one I should probably try the others too! Macadamia white chocolate chip, toffee pecan drops, and drizzled ginger-spice chews are the other versions - D can't eat 2 of those so I'm gonna make the ginger spice ones and let you know how it goes. Anyway - for now here is the chocolate mint recipe:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
9 oz. coarsely chopped creme de menthe thins (I use Andes mint chips)

Preheat oven to 375'. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda and set aside. Beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Add sugars and beat until smooth, 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, then beat to combine. Add flour mixture, and mix until moistened. Stir in chocolate mint pieces. Spoon onto an engrossed baking sheet in rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 in. apart, and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

I made some using my 2 Tablespoon scoop, and smaller ones with a
1 Tablespoon scoop. The larger ones only took 13 minutes to bake.

I baked half of the dough and froze the other half in 1 Tablespoon balls for later

gave some to my friend Teri who was worried she'd eat them all
before she got home to share with her family - she said that I should
make it so she couldn't get at them... so I duct taped the
opening to help her with self control LOL!