Clinical Year Check in, and Baked! Vol. 5: The Best Chocolate Cookies Ever

Clinical year is full swing and I thought I'd share a cookie I've been making a lot that always gets requests for the recipe. A few years ago I started looking for a recipe for what I had in mind (a rich, chocolate cookie with a chewy crust and a velvety, truffle-like interior) and tried a few before I came across this Martha Stewart recipe for Dark Chocolate Cookies with Sour Cherries. The recipe here is with modification I've made (most notably, leaving out the cherries, though they're awesome with them as well!).

Baked! Vol. 5: The Best Chocolate Cookies Ever

Adapted from Dark Chocolate Cookies with Sour Cherries by Martha Stewart

Modifications from the original recipe are included here and consist of: omit dried sour cherries, refrigerate dough for 30 minutes after mixing, scoop cookies out to heaping tablespoons, roll in granulated sugar after scooping, and bake 7 minutes.

Yield: approximately 5 dozen cookies

1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
12 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, for rolling cookies

1. In a medium bowl whisk together Flour, Cocoa, Baking Soda, and Salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar until fluffy. Add Eggs and Vanilla Extract and beat until well combined.
3. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. I usually do this in 3 parts and gather a wet dish towel around the top of the mixing bowl because as soon as you turn it on each time there will be a massive cloud of cocoa.
4. With a wooden spoon, mix in the Chocolate Chips by hand. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Scoop out cookies into heaping Tablespoons. Form gently by hand into a ball and roll in Granulated Sugar to coat. Place 20 to a baking sheet and flatten slightly to keep from rolling.
7. Bake 7 minutes. Cookies will be cracked on top and slightly under-baked; you might need to trial this in your own oven by baking and cooling the first pan to make sure you don't need another minute of cooking time.