Grammy’s Chocolate Cookies

According to my chocoholics, these are the ULTIMATE chocolate cookies, full of butter instead of shortening, soft but not too soft, and very very chocolatey. I found the recipe in Martha Stewart’s Cookies, but it turns out that the recipe was created by Anne Feldman, or more specifically, by her grandmother.  Although I love the book, just a warning: these are all available online, are mostly not new, and is actually an edited volume by the editors of the magazine.

I didn’t bother to roll the balls of dough in sugar, but other than that, I did follow the directions and they turned out to be the best soft chocolate cookies we’ve ever had.  Thanks, Anne!

Grammy’s Chocolate Cookies

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 cups (2 sticks plus 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 cups sugar, plus more for dipping
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, 2 cups sugar, and eggs on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and combine with mixer on low speed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip top of each ball into sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Image: Cyndi Lavin