TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

I have seen recipes before that were described as "Death by Chocolate". I have to say for the first time I think, these Triple Chocolate Cookies are for sure, Death by Chocolate. They are so good I had to stop and write this post tonight to be published in the morning. I had another cookie recipe I was planning to share tomorrow (and it's really good), but this recipe would get a 6 out of 5 stars rating.

I spent part of the weekend finishing a book by Joanne Fluke called Blackberry Pie Murder. If you have never read any of her books, she writes mysteries in which the main characters own a bake shop. They are constantly trying new recipes to sell in the shop or to treat themselves. I have previously shared two other recipes from one of her books, Plum Pudding Murder: Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies and White Chocolate Pumpkin Dreams. There are several more I want to try in this book. So you can be looking for them.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1         cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/4     cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4     cup dark cocoa powder (like Hershey's Special Dark)
1/2     teaspoon baking soda
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/2     cup salted butter (1 stick)
4        ounces bittersweet chocolate bar
1         teaspoon vanilla extract
2        large eggs, beaten
1-1/4  cup granulated sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar/stevia blend + 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
1-1/2  cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl with a whisk until evenly combined.

Place a stick of salted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Chop or break up the bittersweet chocolate and add it to the bowl with the butter. Melt in the microwave for 1 minute at full power. (I cut the stick of butter into slabs to hasten the melting process.) 

Let it sit in the microwave for another minute and then stir to smooth. 

(I had to move the mixture to a bigger bowl so that I could stir it easier. Next time I will start with the bigger bowl to begin with.)

Stir in the vanilla. Let cool.

With an electric mixer, beat the beaten eggs and sugar together at medium speed until the mixture is light yellow to color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low(stir) and slowly pour in the melted chocolate/butter mixture. Mix this until it is well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary with a spatula.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low(stir) just until combined. Do not over-mix.

Fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and drop on the cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart and no more than 12 cookies on the sheet. (I used my cookie scoop and left the dough rounded instead of leveling it off as I usually do when I bake cookies.)

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the outside of the cookies are "set", but the insides are still soft and slightly under-baked, like brownies.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on wire rack for 4 minutes before removing the cookies ON the parchment paper to finish cooling on the wire rack.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Will make 3 dozens. (I made 3 dozens + 2 cookies.  Yes, I baked 2 cookies on a cookie sheet.  These are so good. You definitely don't want to throw out any dough.)