She Strengthens

Dramatic Crackled Cookies: A Perfect Holiday Treat

A Fancy Appearance with Minimal Effort

Rolling richly flavored cocoa cookies in white powdered sugar before baking creates a stunning crackled look that’s sure to impress. These delicious treats, which combine the best of brownies and cookies, are perfect for decorating a holiday cookie plate or making ice cream sandwiches. For an extra-special touch, try topping them with a decadent buttercream frosting.

Game Plan: Freezing and Baking

The dough for these cookies freezes beautifully, making it easy to bake a fresh batch whenever you need them. Simply roll the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until firm. Once frozen, store the dough balls in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag. To bake, remove the desired number of balls from the freezer, let them thaw for 30 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar and bake.

Yield and Difficulty

Yield: About 40 cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling time

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparing the Dough

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and oil over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and chocolate-oil mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Finally, add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Baking the Cookies

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and coat in powdered sugar. Place 15 balls on each prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the sheets and continue baking until the edges are set and the tops are still slightly soft. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage and Reuse

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Let the baking sheets cool completely before repeating with the remaining dough. You can reuse the parchment paper to make the process even easier.