Spiced Hot Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

While I’m not going to preface the recipe with a novella detailing how it came to be (cause the answer is, ‘it’s what was in my pantry and I wanted to make cookies’), I saw a meme recently making fun of that thing food bloggers do:

I’m one of those people that’s here for the comments. They ranged from,

“Ugh yeah so annoying!”

To more aggressive versions such as;

“These fucking bloggers think they’re so interesting and important - no one gives a shit about your family outing apple picking just tell us the recipe!”

The former, I get. The latter? It seems so self-unaware to me to say in the same sentence ‘shut the fuck up no one cares’, followed up by, ‘I just want this thing that you’re providing me for free.’.

So, I will get to this cookie recipe in just one second, but let’s clear something up: most bloggers don’t want to write a dissertation about a pot roast. However, if they want to be anywhere near the first page of a Google search when you type in ‘Pot Roast Recipe’, they need to write something longer than JUST the recipe. Google likes lots of words. Google likes pages that people stay on for a long time (when you do when you’re reading, or even scrolling). Google likes lots of keywords used and possible questions answered. These bloggers aren’t just being self-indulgent. They spent time creating free content for you, and in order for you to actually see it, the nature of the internet (from what I’ve gathered) means they have to blather on for a little bit. It’s not hurting you. Just scroll to the recipe and make the thing. No need to get all keyboard angry, my people.

Anyway, onto the recipe!

These are based off of an Earthquake Cookie recipe from NTY Cooking. Basically, I didn’t have all the shit (nor did I have the 4 hours minimum required chilling time noted) so I made a new version. Mine uses hot chocolate powder and pumpkin spice, and only needs 1 hour of chilling time so you can bang them out in an afternoon instead of a full day. These don’t taste SUPER chocolatey, the mix just adds a little depth. The main flavors are ginger and other spices which make them great for holiday parties (or just sitting on your counter, so you can eat one every time you walk by).

Crinkle Cookies

Hot Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Gluten Free)

Kristin Kaschak BigBrashLife.com | Dec 2019

  • prep time: 5 Min
  • cook time: 75 min (includes 60 min chilling time)
  • total time: 80 min

Servings: 24-26 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 248 grams King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Flour (2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp hot chocolate mix (I used Whole Foods 365 Brand)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend (I used Simply Organic brand)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 165 grams light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • For dusting: a few spoonfuls of granulated sugar, and a few spoonfulls of powdered sugar.

Instructions:

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan ove medium heat, then set aside to cool.
  2. Add the eggs and brown sugar to a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3-5 muinutes until it's well-blended, has icnreased in volume, and become more pale.
  3. While the sugar and eggs mix, combine the dry ingredients (flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, ginger, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt) in a bowl and whisk to blend.
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter/sugar and mix to combine. Then add the dry ingredients and continue to beat until you can no longer see flecks of flour and it's one homogenous mixture (only takes a few seconds). Scrape the bowl down with a spatula as needed.
  5. Spread the batter out into a shallow plate or pan, cover with plastic wrap, and then place in the freezer for 30-40 minutes until relatively cold. Then, put it in the fridge for another 20-30 min (or more, depending on your schedule. You won't hurt it leaving it in the fridge longer).
  6. Preheat your oven to 330 F (convection - 350 F non-convection), and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Put the powdered sugar into one bowl, and the granulated sugar into another.
  8. The dough should be maliable. Roll it into 1-inch balls. Think Key Limes. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar (fully coat), then in the powdered sugar.
  9. Place the fully-coated cookies on the prepared making sheet, leaving 2 inches or so between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then let sit on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cook completely.

Nutrition:

  • Serving: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 110.6
    • Fat: 4.2 grams
    • Protein: 1.2 grams
    • Carbs: 17 grams


Kristin Kaschak1 Comment