Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

Hopefully I won't get in trouble for not making Gingerbread Cookies this year.  It wasn't that I didn't want to make them, I just thought the space in the cookie tins (and freezer) would be better utilized by these guys.  Cause they are really yummy.  Just like the name says, they taste like a brownie.  Tempted to frost them, I resisted and opted instead for just a sprinkling of sanding sugar.  Definitely the right thing to do.  They are chocolatey without being overly sweet, so any type of frosting would have been overkill.  Even though he's not the biggest chocolate fan, Dave likes flavor of these cookies and thought they were a good addition to the cookie rotation.  I like the soft texture and they aren't just another crisp roll-out cookie, but have their own simple spot in the cookie world.

My memory is lapsing as to exactly how I stumbled upon this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, but regardless it's a perfect recipe.  You can alter the depth of your chocolate by choosing a different brand or type of cocoa powder--I used plain old Hershey's, but you could try dark cocoa or a mix or regular and dark, or go for one of the fancy pants brands.  Whatever makes you happy. 



Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
sanding  sugar for decoration, optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.  Set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat butter then add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl as needed to incorporate.

Switch to a paddle attachment and gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until combined.

Turn dough out onto a counter top and knead together any last bits of dough to create a ball.  Divide into 4 parts, wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Working with one part of dough at a time, roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick, depending on your preference.

Cut into desired shapes and arrange on parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheets.  Sprinkle sanding sugar on top of cookies, if desired. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 (for 1/8 inch thick cookies) to 11 minutes (for 1/4 inch thick cookies), until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffy.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Cool on pans for 2 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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