Thick and Chewy Double-Chocolate Cookies

Here is the ultimate chocolate cookie. It's as close to fudge as you can come in a cookie. The recipe I have calls for semisweet chocolate chips, but I substituted some chopped up Hershey's Kisses I found over the holidays. I split the dough and put half Irish Cream and half Mint Truffle in each half. I can't decide which I like better.

THICK AND CHEWY DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

**Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool** Also, this recipe is a bit tedious and labor-intensive. The dough is very thick and heavy and there is no way you'll be able to scrape the bowl clean (maybe lick it!). Dividing the dough definitely made more work for me, just adding the chocolate chips the recipe calls for would make it a bit easier.

2 cups (10 oz) flour

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) baking cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

16 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (the stuff in bars in the baking aisle. "Baker's" is the brand I usually find. NOTE: Each box is only 8 oz so you'll need two boxes to save yourself another trip to the grocery store 5 minutes after you start this recipe, like me!)

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

10 Tbsp (1 1/4 stick) butter, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (when I divided the dough, I added 4 oz unwrapped, chopped Hershey's kisses to each half of the dough. It was about 3/4 cup each)

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (50% power for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave in 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted-be careful not to overheat or chocolate will seize). In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork; set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the spped to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally add the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate). Do not overheat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350. Line 2 sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Roll the dough into 1 1/2" balls (I weighed them at 20 grams each) and place them on the cookie sheets, spacing about 1 1/2" apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time (I baked at 6 minutes, turned pans and changed shelves). Cook the cookies on the sheets about 5 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Made 4 dozen cookies.