Brownie Cookies

Total Time: 48 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 position oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat oven to 375°; lightly butter two 12x15 inch cookie sheets; set aside.
• 2 in a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
• 3 in another larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed.
• 4 continue beating until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes.
• 5 beat in the eggs and vanilla, just until incorporated.
• 6 stir in the flour using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, just until incorporated; do not beat.
• 7 drop the batter by tablespoonfuls about 2 ½ inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets, making about 12 cookies on each.
• 8 cover one cookie sheet loosely with paper or lint-free kitchen towel and set aside.
• 9 place the other sheed in the oven and bake for 9 minutes (the cookies should be slightly soft, not cracked or hard).
• 10 remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet placed on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
• 11 meanwhile, uncover the unbaked cookies and bake for 9 minutes.
• 12 remove the partially cooled cookies from the sheet and let them cool completely on a rack.
• 13 remove the second cookie sheet from the oven and repeat the cooling process.
• 14 serve immediately, or cover the cooked cookies with plastic wrap for storage at room temperature; should stay fresh for about 2 days.
• 15 *optional add-ins: stir in 1 cup of any of the following with the flour mixture—chopped pecans, chopped toasted hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, dried currants, mint chocolate chips, pinenuts, semisweet chocolate chips, chocolate chips.