Chocolate Crinkles

These beautiful cookies are known as Chocolate Crinkles or Black and Whites which are perfect names for this deliciously soft, fudge-like chocolate cookie that is encased in a coating of confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar. The batter for these cookies is chock full of chocolate and because the flavor of the chocolate takes center stage make sure to use a high quality, semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate that you enjoy eating out-of-hand. Once the batter for the cookies is made it does need to be well chilled several hourse so it can be easily rolled into small balls.

What makes these cookies so amazing is what we do after the batter is chilled, and that is to roll them in confectioners (icing or powdered) sugar. It is important that no chocolate shows through. The surprise is that as these white balls of dough bake, they spread, making cracks in the white sugar which reveals the soft chocolate cookie underneath. Do not to over bake these cookies or they will be dry and that is not how we want them to taste. We want them to be nice and soft. I love these cookies warm from the oven so, if possible, make them shortly before serving although they can be stored for a day or two - if they last that long.

In a stainless steel bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla extract and then stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls (3-4 hours or overnight).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place the confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl. With lightly greased hands, roll a small amount of chilled dough to form a 1 inch (2.54 cm) diameter ball. Place the ball of dough into the confectioners sugar and roll the ball in the sugar until it is completely coated and no chocolate shows through. Gently lift the sugar-covered ball, tapping off excess sugar, and place on prepared baking sheet. Continue forming cookies, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on baking sheets. (If you find the dough getting too soft for rolling into balls, return to the refrigerator and let chill until firm.)

Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are slightly firm but the centers are still soft. (For moist chewy cookies do not over bake. Over baking these cookies will cause them to be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked.

Chocolate Crinkles:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping:

1 cup confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Thanks Stephanie!