better ‘n brownies

Yesterday was a blustery, cold day here. And what better way to celebrate such a day than with cookies? Chocolate- chocolate chip cookies! What else? These are…

Better ‘n Brownies

Preheat the oven to 355° F.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 cup white sugar

Cream until light and fluffy.

Add:

2 tablespoons good vanilla
2 extra large eggs (room temperature)

Beat thoroughly.

[Just a hint…cold butter can be grated on your box grater. It creams perfectly without waiting for it to soften up. And…while you’re grating the cold butter, drop the eggs into a bowl of warm water. When you’re ready to mix them in they’re ‘room temperature’ You’ll be surprised at the difference these simple steps make in the cookie texture. Or, in any recipe that calls for room temperature butter or eggs.]

Add:

2/3 cup good cocoa powder (unsweetened)
I use Hershey’s – it’s fine and not all that expensive.

Mix again.

Sift together:

2 cups all purpose flour,
reserving 2 Tablespoons for later
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Add to the chocolate and mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. It’s important not to over mix the dough.

Chop:

1 cup walnuts

Add:

1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons flour (reserved from above)

Blend in the nuts and chocolate chips just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

[Another hint…dusting nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruits, etc. before adding them to cakes or cookies keeps them from sinking to the bottom. The flour allows the heavy ingredients to be evenly distributed throughout.]

Using a small scoop, drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with foil, Bake for 16 minutes for crisp cookies, 15 minutes for a more brownie-like chewy cookie.

[When cooking for two I bake 20 cookies right away, line another baking sheet with plastic wrap and drop the rest of the batch, ready for the freezer. Two people cannot (or should not, more likely) eat an entire batch of cookies–besides they’re always better right out of the oven.]