My Own Chocolate Crinkles

I‘m not much of a baker. To be fair, I wasn’t really into desserts. Was more of a salty chips person. But I visited my cousins in Florida and she has a REAL sweet tooth. She introduced me to Krispy Kreme; not my thing. Then truffles, gooey peanut butter bars, Speculoos stuff, sprinkled cupcakes and all sorts of sugars. Still, not my thing. But you don’t know she of the sweets. She does not give up! And she finally got me with a gateway cookie. It was just a solitary Pepperidge Farm Milano Dark Chocolate, innocently perched on the saucer, to go with my coffee. But that was it! My taste buds found their match. Gradually, gradually and 2 dozen pounds later, I realize, I have a sweet tooth. Coffee really goes well with a cookie, a croissant, an eclair, a donut! Given, the late interest I only knew how to bake 1) Ghirardelli boxed brownies because… necessity! I was babysitting my three nephews (the sons of she of the sweets) and of course they hushed up when I promised to make them brownies while their parents were out house-hunting. AND 2) my sister-in-law Kristine’s Ultimate Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were my brother, Robin’s and our favorite cookies. They would give us a dozen every Christmas. I asked Kristine for the recipe when I left for the US. I bake them for birthdays to remember Robin which makes me sad. But after a few minutes they cheer me up when the smell of baking wafts all over the house.

(Our strange HVAC system means we smell the kitchen more in the bedrooms. So, I also bake this when we have guests visiting. I wonder if the Property Brothers can come remodel our kitchen/HVAC and baths…Sadly, I do not have a celebrity friend to get us on that Celebrity IOU show.)

Oops…back to the cookies… Obviously, I can’t give out that recipe not the Kristine’s Ultimate Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies.

So, I set out to do something I have never done before… bake chocolate crinkles.

Got a recipe from the internet and tried my first batch. It didn’t turn out quite right. I tried another recipe and it was mooshy. I tried a third recipe and got that right based on the description. But when the hubby tried it, he upped the ante by recalling his childhood Italian Chocolate Crinkles which were smaller, almost bite-size, crisp on the outside but moist and brownie-like on the inside.

So, I read more recipes, more tips and after some amount (about a week) of trial and error, I put together different techniques, ingredients, sizing and timing and finally, finally here are my very own chocolate crinkles. My Own Chocolate Crinkles is dedicated to Gerrie and Kristine who are responsible and entirely to blame for my newfound love of sweets. Newfound because I never owned up to it before this post. Finally, happy birthday to my cousin Pip. Thinking of you because of all the sugar.

INGREDIENTS

My Own Chocolate Crinkles

1/2 cup + 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour (5/6 cup)
1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Stick Butter (2 oz) at room temperature
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Espresso Powder (optional)
FOR ROLLING
1/8 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Confectioner’s Sugar

SET OVEN TO BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

PLACE PARCHMENT PAPER ON BAKING SHEET.

MIX INGREDIENTS 1

1/2 + 1/3 All Purpose Flour. (5/6 of a cup)

1/4 cup Dutch Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Powder 

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

MIX INGREDIENTS 2

1/2  Stick Butter (2 oz) at room temperature

1/2  cup Granulated Sugar 

1 Large Egg 

1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Espresso Powder (optional)

FOLD in and MIX INGREDIENTS I (Flour/Powders) into MIX INGREDIENTS II (Butter/Sugar). 

REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS FOR BEST RESULTS.

TAKE IT OUT.

USE A MELON BALLER OR COOKIE SCOOPER TO FORM EACH COOKIE. I GOT THE NORPRO STAINLESS STEEL SCOOPER 35 mm TABLESPOON THROUGH AMAZON. LIGHT WASH THE BALLER/SCOOPER IN HOT WATER TO MAKE THE MIXTURE LESS STICKY.

ROLL THE BALL IN YOUR HANDS.

ROLL EACH BALL 

First in a bowl with 1/8 cup Granulated Sugar

Next in a bowl with 1/4 cup Confectioners Sugar 

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 9 MINUTES. 

LET COOL ON BAKING RACK FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES.

ENJOY!