Ginger Snaps and Chocolate Crackles

Whoa, look out!  I’ve got two cookies in one post.  Brace yourself for delicious sweetness.

About a month ago, I signed up for the “Cookie Bag Ministry” at church.  The ministry consists of members delivering cookies and information to first time guests of the church.  Well last week, I got my first phone call and assignment, and I was SO excited.  They told me that I could either bake cookies or buy cookies from the store.  Me?  Buy cookies from the store?  Perish the thought!!  Obviously, I opted to bake them myself.  And so my quest for new recipes began… 

I came across this first recipe about a week ago, on one of the blogs I read.  Therefore, I won’t re-post the recipe, I’ll just provide the link to it and share my review. 

Ginger Snap Cookies by  The Sister's Cafe

These cookies are AWESOME!  I love gingerbread cookies and ginger snaps; however, they do have a tendency to be a crispy cookie, as opposed to a soft and chewy one.  Well, not these!  These are soft, chewy and quite flavorful.  I definitely added in the “optional” white chocolate chips and I’m so glad I did because they compliment the ginger flavor beautifully.  These will without a doubt become one of my most loved cookies.  By the way, I used whole wheat flour and cut the recipe in half.

Ingredients.

Mmmmm.

My usual, “quality control.”

The next cookie, Chocolate Crackles, comes from my Martha Stewart’s Cookies cookbook.  I’ve never made these kind of cookies before and they looked pretty in the cookbook, so I thought, “What the heck?”  Theses cookies are very tasty and very chocolatey!  I’d recommend rolling them in A LOT of powered sugar to get the full “crackle” effect, otherwise some of it will absorb.  Also, the recipe says to chill the dough for a few hours…well, I wasn’t that patient, so I just put it in the freezer for 30 minutes and voila!  As with the Ginger Snaps, I used whole wheat flour and cut the recipe in half.

Enjoy!

Ingredients.

Crackly.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies by Martha Stewart

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Using your hands, roll pieces of dough into a ball shape.  Roll dough in confectioners’ sugar until completely coated. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits, 12 to15 minutes.
4. Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week