Shelly's Recipe

DARK CHOCOLATE CRACKLES

Category: Cookies

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted if lumpy
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled until barely warm
3/4 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup sugar; more as needed

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Line three large cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, cocoa, orange zest, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly between additions. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until almost completely blended, about 1 minute. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until blended, about 15 seconds.

Shape the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls with a small ice-cream scoop or two tbsp. Pour the sugar into a shallow dish. Dip the top of each ball in the sugar and set the balls sugar side up about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are puffed and cracked on top, 11 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.