Hot Cocoa Cookies: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 6: Hot Cocoa Cookies!
The recipe for today is Hot Cocoa Cookies!  I found this brilliant recipe on the Pip & Ebby Blog this morning so I had to share.  How yummy would these be on a snowy evening?  Make up a batch, pour a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter

7 bars (3.5 oz. each) semisweet chocolate –
(Chocolate Note: 12 oz. chopped, 7.5 oz. cut into 1-inch squares & the rest for garnish)

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

30 marshmallows

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, melt together:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

12 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate (bars)

Stir frequently over medium heat until smooth. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Using an electric mixer, beat together:

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla at low speed until smooth, 2 minutes. Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture just until blended. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Arrange about 16 balls 2 inches apart on each cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Bake until the tops of the cookies crack, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, snip 8 marshmallows in half crosswise and stick 1 square of chocolate onto each of the cut sides.

Remove the cookie sheets from the oven; gently press a marshmallow half, chocolate side down, into each cookie. Bake until the marshmallows are just softened, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 5 minutes; grate the remaining chocolate over the hot cookies. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the racks; let cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, marshmallows, and chocolate.  Bake each batch on a clean sheet of parchment.