Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I took my third exam of the semester yesterday. That means I've now had one test in each class. It's nice to have that out of the way. No more wondering what the tests will be like. But because of this test, I missed out on the most beautiful weekend of the fall. It was in the upper 70s and low 80s all weekend, sunny and gorgeous. The trees are starting to change colors and I was stuck inside for almost all of it, bent over my notes, trying to learn as much pathophysiology as I could. But because I couldn't study all weekend, I managed to whip up a batch of these decadent double chocolate chip cookies. They helped, at least slightly, make up for missing the weekend. If you can't enjoy the weather, you mind as well eat chocolate!

Although I love a good chocolate chip cookie, if I'm in the mood for even more chocolate, these cookies come to mind. If you're looking for a chocolate fix, these are the cookies for you. Chocolate on chocolate; sweet, intensely chocolate and slightly salty. Your mouth will cry out for a glass of ice cold milk after just one bite. But don't take my word for it, whip up a batch and see for yourself.

Yes please!

Getting everything together

My favorite

All set to go

What a beautiful day, sun streaming in the window

Chocolate is melted

Butter, ready to be creamed

Nice and fluffy

Add that chocolate

Mixed, yum

Chocolate chips folded in, ready to bake

Scoop onto a cookie sheet

Baked!

Now all I need is a glass of milk...

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread

Ingredients

• 1 5/8 cup (236 gram) flour
• 3/8 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) brown sugar (dark if you have it)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans (optional in my opinion, I omitted them and added more chocolate chips)

Directions

In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. In a separate bowl, melt 1 1/2 cups (284 grams) of the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Stir them to make them smooth, then set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl frequently. Pour in the melted chocolate (it should be pourable, but not hot, or the butter will melt) and continue mixing until the mixture is uniform in color. Gradually add the eggs and the vanilla, mixing until everything is well combined.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in stages. Mix only until everything is well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently. there should not be any pockets of dry flour left in the dough. Add the remaining chocolate chips and pecans (if using), and use a spatula or wooded spoon to fold the chocolate chips and nuts in by hand. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until it is firm, but not hard.

Place scoops of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. (They recommend making each ball 90 grams, or a scant half cup, but there is no way I am going to eat a cookie that big. I just used my 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop.) Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 13-14 minutes (or 18-20 minutes if you make the behemoth cookies) until just set, the middle should still be soft, and they make look slightly underdone. Do not over bake. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.