Triple Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

If you are a chocolate lover, these cookies will send you into chocolate ecstasy. They have generous amounts of semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and cocoa powder--a winning chocolate trifecta. If you like chocolate, that is. And, I do.

King-Man and I spent last weekend in Boston with son Brackenthebox and daughter-in-law Rachel. I couldn't go empty handed. Something baked and sweet is expected. I took these cookies along, and they got the necessary kudos to make them worthy of today's blog post.

I started with a slightly adapted recipe for Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies by Nicole at The Galley Gourmet (great blog--check it out!), and then rolled the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before baking them. As they bake, they spread and the surface cracks into a yummy combination of powdered sugar and rich, rich, RICH chocolate. I added nuts to mine, because that's how I roll; but they can be omitted if you prefer your chocolate cookies pure and nut free.

Step-by-step photos for making Triple Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Step 1. Assemble the ingredients: flour, sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips (semi-sweet and milk), baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder*, vanilla, butter, salt, cocoa powder (I used Dutch process), eggs, walnuts (optional)

*Note: There is just enough espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee flavor. I also added it to my Velvet Hot Fudge Sauce for the same reason--to deepen the chocolate flavor. 

Step 2. Melt part of the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stopping to stir every 20 seconds, until the last chips melt in when stirred. Don't overcook!

Step 3. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, except the sugars.

Step 4. Use an electric stand or hand-held mixer to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy.

Step 5. Add the melted chocolate and beat it in.

Step 6. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Step 7. With mixer running, gradually add the dry mixture until all is well combined.

Step 8. Fold in the nuts (if using) and chocolate chips.

Step 9. Make walnut-size dough balls. A scoop works well, if you have one. These are going into the fridge for awhile, so you can squeeze them all onto one baking sheet.

Step 10. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Step 11. Remove from fridge, roll each dough ball in powdered sugar a couple of times (you want a good, thick coat on there), and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2" apart.

Step 12. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack.

See how the tops crinkle? Like magic.

The inside is all about that yummy chocolate trifecta. I like them best when they're warm and the chocolate chips are still gooey. 

Make and freeze the dough for freshly baked cookies any time!
You can freeze the cookie dough balls in ziploc bags so they are on hand and ready to bake whenever you want a pan of freshly baked cookies. Let them thaw, roll them in powdered sugar, and bake.

How to avoid mutant cookies. 
Why thaw the cookie dough balls before baking them? Here's why. If you roll the frozen cookie dough balls in powdered sugar and bake them right away while they're still frozen, they will look like these weird blobs after they're baked:

So, unless you want

• "Mutant Chocolate Cookies", or
• "Snowballs on Molten Lava Cookies" (I can think of other less appetizing names, but we won't go there), or
• An edible, weird-looking science experiment. . .

. . .make sure you let the dough balls thaw first! I think these "mutants" look pretty hilarious, and they still taste good; but they do look very strange. When you bite into one, the white "snowball" is completely hollow. I guess the chocolate part of the frozen dough ball melted first and ran out, and for some reason the powdered sugar formed a hard shell. Weird. Any cooking chemists out there who can explain this???

Have you ever had cookies bake into a mutant surprise? I'm just glad I only cooked one pan of mutants, instead of the whole batch.

All you have to do to avoid mutant cookies like the ones above is to make sure your cookie dough is either fresh from the fridge or completely thawed from a frozen state. Then your Triple Chocolate Crinkle Cookies will look like these beauties:

Chocolate ecstasy. Seriously.

Make it a yummy day!

Triple Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

By Monica              Servings: makes 4-1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3-1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process recommended)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In microwave-safe bowl, melt 1-1/3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stopping to stir every 20 seconds, until the last chips melt in when stirred; set aside. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In large bowl, use an electric stand or hand-held mixer to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add the melted chocolate and beat it in until well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. With mixer running, gradually add dry mixture 1/2 cup at a time until well combined. Fold in the nuts (if using) & remaining semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. Use a scoop or your hands to form walnut-size dough balls and place on baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough balls from fridge; roll each one in powdered sugar, coating them well; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2" apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool on pan 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
TO MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE: place cookie dough balls (don't roll them in powdered sugar) in ziploc bags and freeze. To bake, remove from freezer, let them thaw, roll in powdered sugar, and bake as explained above.