This recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cookies was actually for Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies, but I edited the recipe to make regular-sized cookies. These cookies had a great consistency and an awesome chocolate flavor. I brought them to Kelly and Jeff’s holiday party back in early January.

Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies
From Martha Stewart’s Cookies

These oversize sweets don’t need any mix-ins or frostings – their bold chocolate flavor says it all. In addition to butter, this recipe calls for melted vegetable shortening, which produces an unbeatable texture. (Melted unsalted butter can be substituted for the shortening, if desired.) Makes 8 giant cookies.

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Using a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Note: I used a smaller cookie scoop to make 30 regular-sized cookies. I baked them at 350 for 12 minutes.

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Again with Martha Stewart’s Cookies. This is my all-time favorite cookie cookbook. I made these Grammy’s Chocolate Cookies for Jess’s 30th birthday party. They were really great. Slightly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Yum!

Grammy’s Chocolate Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (I didn’t use a Dutch-process one)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Sanding sugar, for rolling (I used Sugar in the Raw)

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed untl light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; beat to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll each ball into sanding sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until set, about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.

Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies from baking sheet to wire rack. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week.

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Back to my old favorite Martha Stewart’s Cookies for this recipe. Martha’s book has about 5 different recipes for chocolate chip cookies in it, depending on how you like them. Honestly, this wasn’t my favorite, but not bad overall. I made these for Jess’s 30th birthday party.

Martha Stewart’s Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. (About 2 minutes.) Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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