Chocolate-Espresso Crackle Cookies

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  • These are great holiday cookies. Chocolate cookies with a hint of coffee, these cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Instant coffee can be used instead of instant espresso. 
  • This recipe makes about 40 cookies.
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  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoon instant espresso

  • 2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1+1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (1+1/3 cups chips), melted and cooled

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for coating

  
  

  In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. 

  In an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 

  Beat in egg until well combined. mix in cooled chocolate.  

  Gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. 

  Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.

  Bake until coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. 

  

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Molasses Cookies

These molasses cookies are amazing. To make them thicker, refrigerate the dough for a few hours, ideally overnight. This allows the gluten to develop.
Another tip: Put parchment paper on you cookie sheets. This ensures that the cookies will not stick to the sheet, and makes cleaning up much easier.
This recipe only makes about 2 dozen cookies, so I always double it.

1 cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 ¼ cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg with electric mixer. Stir in remaining ingredients except sugar.

Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in sugar. On an ungreased cookie sheet, place balls about 2 inches apart. 

Bake 13 to 16 minutes or just until set and cookies appear dry. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Blondies

These blondies are best right out of the oven, but are good for about a week after they're made. Microwaving the blondies for a few seconds to melt the chocolate makes the blondies really good after the first day. They're super sweet and have a sort of caramelized taste because the butter is melted with the brown sugar.

1+3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1  cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1+1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave in a bowl. Put the brown sugar and melted butter in a large bowl (or a mixing bowl) and stir until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat the eggs and vanilla into the sugar/butter mixture. Gradually add the four mixture and mix until smooth. Fold in chips.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until blondies are light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Muffins/Bread

This is my favorite fall recipe. You can make either muffins or bread with the recipe (I always make muffins because they're really easy to put in my lunch, and bake in half the time).

1+1/2 cups sugar
1+2/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 325. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin and beat until well blended.

For muffins:
Pour batter into two muffin tins (use paper liners or butter). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For bread:
Pour batter into 2 buttered and floured loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.