If ever a brownie and a cookie had a baby, the chocolate crackle would be it.
Now, I’m not usually one to stuff my face with multiple cookies at a time, or force myself to walk away from a cookie jar after having devoured a treat. Heck, I’m even willing to share portions of my cookies with husband. (Secretly, this is so we both can have “more” cookies without having more. Kind of like a cookie buffet. Okay, exactly like a cookie buffet.)
But the chocolate crackle (also known as a chocolate crinkle) is something this gal doesn’t share well. I don’t play well with others when it comes to the deep, dark, chewy, light deliciousness that is this cookie. Suddenly, the cookie jar is empty, and yes, it’s all my fault. Sorry not sorry.
What’s even more dangerous about this cookie is that it’s far too easy to make for its own good. No refrigeration required, and the “hardest” part is rolling a slightly sticky dough in two types of sugar. That’s it. If it’s not part of your holiday cookie tray, it will be after you make it. And it may even pop up at other times of the year. You do you.
Speaking of holiday cookie trays, if you’re looking for a consolidated list of the cookie recipes from this site to choose from, check out the Recipes page – it’s organized by type, including cookies! Also also, for a shameless plug: if you’re local and looking for a cookie tray/box to call your own without having to make it (because holidays are crazy, y’all), you can still order holiday treats from me. Hooray!
Enough of my yabbering. Let’s make chocolate crackles!
Chocolate Crackle Cookies
The espresso powder is optional, but gives the cookies a stronger chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. The cookies should look underdone when you remove them from the oven, but will continue to bake as they cool.
you will need:
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- ½ c cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1 ½ c brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3-4 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoons
- ¼ c granulated sugar, plus more as needed
- ¼-½ c powdered sugar, sifted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl (this will be your main dough bowl), whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla.
3. Melt the chocolate! You can do this in one of two ways. Microwave Method (my preferred method, as it prevents seizing from moisture from a double boiler, and it’s faster): place chopped chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl, and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until the chocolate is almost completely melted, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Don’t worry if there are unmelted chunks after 1 ½ minutes – they’ll melt as you stir. Stovetop method: Place chocolate and butter in a double boiler, or in a heatproof glass bowl set on top of a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted, about 2-5 minutes. Allow to cool briefly.
4. Whisk chocolate-butter mixture into the egg mixture until fully combined (you may want to temper the mixture – that is, whisk in a little bit of the warm chocolate-butter mixture to the eggs, and gradually add the rest, to prevent curdling). Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture thoroughly, making sure there are no flour streaks or pockets. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes – this allows for any flour pockets you might miss to settle and mix, as well as give you a more evenly moistened and concentrated dough for better texture and flavor.
5. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar into two small separate bowls. Divide the cookies into 2-tablespoon balls (you can also get away with 1 ½ tbsp measurements, if you want more cookies), either by using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measurement. (The dough will be sticky.) Drop dough balls first into the granulated sugar, making sure to coat all sides, then transfer to the powdered sugar bowl and repeat coating. Transfer dough balls to prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
6. Bake cookies at 325 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are puffy, the powdered sugar is crackled, and the centers still look raw (they’ll continue to bake as they cool), rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Remove cookie sheets to cool on wire racks, and cool cookies completely on baking sheets (do not try to move them to a wire rack, or they’ll fall apart and you’ll be sad) before serving. Enjoy!
The Crunchy Baker 