Skip to content

Bringing Home the Bakin'

“bake my cake and eat it, too”

December 30, 2008 That’s the Way the Cookie “Crackles”

At first, I wanted to make chocolate pretzels, but I didn’t have any sanding sugar.  I later decided on a simple macaroon, but I didn’t have the main ingredient – coconut.  This frustrating cycle continued until I found the chocolate crackle recipe – the only recipe that I had all of the ingredients for.  It must have been by some random stroke of luck, because this cookie actually looked and sounded delicious.  When baking,  the best recipes are often found by chance.  Sometimes you just need to work with what you have, and the results will often please you…because that’s the way the cookie crackles.

CHOCOLATE CRACKLES

Martha Stewart

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Divide each piece into sixteen 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioner’s sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.