Chocolate Crackle Cookies….The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013

The long awaited day is finally here!

Back in October, someone shared “The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap” button on Facebook. When I checked it out, it sounded like a great opportunity and lots of fun; after all, what’s not to love about sending and receiving three dozen cookies in the mail? My middle daughter LOVES cookies so I thought she might enjoy getting involved too. As it turned out…I was right about all those things.

First, we had to decide on just the right cookie. It needed to taste great, look pretty and travel well. Fortunately, my cookie loving daughter has a whole cook book of nothing but cookies. She has made several of the recipes and knew right away which one would be best. We chose these Chocolate Crackles Cookies. It met all the requirements, plus it looks like a “Christmas Cookie”, and makes about five dozen…enough to share and still have some for the family.

Next, we baked. (Here I’m sharing the recipe, but PLEASE read all the way to the end to see the great cookies we received, as well as other “surprises”)

Here’s the Recipe:

(Printable version below with ingredients listed)

Chop chocolate and melt in the top of a double boiler setting aside to cool

Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt

Beat together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 min)

Mix in eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate

 Reducing speed to low, add half the flour mixture then milk.  Mix well then repeat

Divide dough into four containers, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hrs. or overnight

When ready to bake…preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper

Remove one batch of dough at a time from frig (it gets too soft if all comes out at once)

In separate shallow dishes, place granulated sugar and powdered sugar

Coat hands, liberally, with powdered sugar.  Work quickly, so dough doesn’t get too melty.  Shape dough into one inch balls and roll first in granular sugar to coat, then in powdered sugar.  

Don’t overcoat in powdered sugar, it won’t crackle correctly

Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart

Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes.  Cool on wire racks before storing

Lastly, we had to decide on packaging.  The wonderful ladies who organized the cookie swap, Lindsay and Julie, were thoughtful enough to provide free printables for us to use.  They were very colorful and I just happened to have ribbon and tissue paper to match.  

Our cookies went to Foodness Gracious, Live..Bake…Love, and West Street Story

Then, a few days later….the cookies began arriving at our house!  They came a few days apart, which was great…we like to spread out the excitement.  

The first batch was Chocolate Italian Cookies from Crew Cuisine.  They were in a lovely Christmas bag and the taste was wonderful!  She also send a Christmas card with it, our first of the season. My daughter got the bright idea to heat them in the microwave for a few seconds just before eating. I wasn’t sure they could get much better…but that put them over the top!  Thanks Jennifer!

Our next dozen came from Jenn at The Rebel Chick.  She sent Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies and was kind enough to include a recipe card.  My family loves chocolate and mint so these were enjoyed very much.

The last batch was Old Fashion Sugar Cookies from Chris at The Keenan Cookbook.  My son loves sugar cookies and had been asking me to make some.  Thanks for helping me out!  

The Cookie Swap was great fun, but the ultimate goal here was to raise money for children’s cancer research.  We were partnering with Cookies for Kid’s Cancer and four great corporate sponsors who matched the blogger donations.  The sponsors also sent some “surprises” in the mail.

From Imperial Sugar, we received this great cookie tin, which happens to be full of cookies right now, and a coupon for a FREE bag of sugar.  OXO (one of my favorite brands) sent these great spatulas.  I can’t tell you how much I needed these AND the green and red match my kitchen! From Grandma’s Molasses we also received a coupon for a FREE jar of molasses,  which my husband loves in his oatmeal.  

My daughter and I really enjoyed participating in the 2013 Cookie Swap.  It was so much fun to bake, give and receive the cookies, not to mention over $13,000 was raised by bloggers and sponsors for children’s cancer research.  

Thanks again to Lindsay and Julie for all your hard work!  Can’t wait ’till next year!

Chocolate Crackles

2013-12-10 21:42:46

Yields 5

Soft, chewy and beautiful

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

3 hr

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

3 hr

Ingredients

1. 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2. 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
7. 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
8. 2 eggs
9. 1 teaspoon vanilla
10. 1/3 cup milk
11. 1 cup granular sugar
12. 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Chop chocolate and melt in the top of a double boiler setting aside to cool
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt - set aside
3. In large mixing bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 min)
4. Mix in eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate
5. Reducing speed to low, add half the flour mixture then milk. Mix well then repeat
6. Divide dough into four containers, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hrs. or overnight
7. When ready to bake...preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper
8. Remove one batch of dough at a time from frig (it gets too soft if all comes out at once)
9. In separate shallow dishes, place granulated sugar and powdered sugar
10. Shape dough into one inch balls and roll first in granular sugar to coat, then in powdered sugar.
11. Don't overcoat in powdered sugar, it won't crackle correctly
12. Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart
13. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes.
14. Cool on wire racks before storing

Notes

1. Coat hands, liberally, with powdered sugar. Work quickly, so dough doesn't get too melty.

By Martha Stewart

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies

O Taste and See https://otasteandseeblog.com/