I am not a fan of chocolate. I'm not really even a fan of cookies. But I know I'm an oddball and that most people love chocolate, and love cookies! Including my own family!
These are some recipes I've posted through the years on An American Housewife previously, but with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, I decided to start featuring some of the recipes from 2006 - 2013 that deserve to see the light again and not stay hidden in the back files.
Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
1 1/2 c flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 c cocoa
1 c peanut butter
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/3 c margarine
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 c chocolate chips
2 eggs
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Melt 1 cup chips in the microwave or in a saucepan over the lowest possible heat till smooth.
Beat sugar, 1/3 cup peanut butter and butter and vanilla in a large bowl, until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate, add eggs one at a time. beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in remaining chips. Cover and chill just until firm.
Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Press 1/2" deep centers with thumb. Fill each center with about 1/2 teasspoon peanut butter.
Bake in preheated 350° F. oven about 10-15 minutes or until sides are set but centers are still slightly soft. Let stand for 2 minutes.
Remove to wire racks to cool completely. You should be able to get about 32 cookies from this.
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Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
1 c real butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c peanut butter chips
Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Don't over mix. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt all at once and slowly start the beater to mix it in together. Stir in the chips. Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. They will be puffy and moist when they come out of the oven. Let them set for 1-2 minutes, remove from the pan to cool completely. They will flatten as they cool. If you like a crisp cookie, bake them 1-2 minutes longer.
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Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c real butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c mini chocolate chips
Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Don't over mix. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt all at once and slowly start the beater to mix it in together. Stir in the chips. Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. They will be puffy and moist when they come out of the oven. Let them set for 1-2 minutes, remove from the pan to cool completely. They will flatten as they cool. If you like a crisp cookie, bake them 1-2 minutes longer.
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Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints
1 egg
1/2 c butter, softened
2/3 c sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
16 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
3 T whipping cream
1-1/4 c finely chopped pecans
1/2 c (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate pieces
1 t shortening
Separate egg and place yolk and white in separate bowls. Cover and refrigerate the white portion until later. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat well. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
In another bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle. In a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 or until edges are firm. Repress the thumbprint if it baked out and puffed up again. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentations of cookies. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.
In another saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies.
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Homemade Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
oil cooking spray
3/4 c flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 t salt
6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 large egg
1/2 t vanilla extract
Cookie Filling
Makes 1 cup (enough for 15 sandwich cookies)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar (sifted)
peppermint or vanilla extract
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in one of the flavorings.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper; lightly coat with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating to combine. Divide dough in half; form into disks, and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. (Dough can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before using.)
Working with one disk at a time, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 1 1/2-inch square biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out shapes, transferring to prepared sheets (1 inch apart) as you work. Chill in freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Brush off excess flour. Gather together scraps; roll, chill, and cut out more shapes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies, on parchment, to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spread a small amount of filling on the bottom of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies; gently press to adhere. Assembled cookies can be refrigerated up to 2 days in an airtight container.
