Chocolate Cookie Cutouts

Today was my first free day in weeks and I know I probably should have spent it catching up on housework but I couldn't resist a day of just for fun baking.

I've been wanting to create a chocolate cutout cookie that I could add to my repertoire and came up with this new recipe by adding 1/3 cup of dark cocoa powder to my favorite sugar cookie recipe, doubling the vanilla and eliminating the almond extract.

The cookies turned out great and kept their shape nicely and I really like the contrast of the dark cookie against the light colored royal icing.

Here's the recipe: 

Chocolate Cookie Cutouts
Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

 In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until blended, then beat on high speed until creamy. Add egg, vanilla and cocoa powder and beat until well blended. Add flour and salt; beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed until well blended. Divide dough into two equal portions. Place dough between sheets of plastic wrap. Press evenly into a disk and chill until dough is firm, at least 20 minutes. Working with one portion of dough at a time (keep remaining chilled), peel off plastic wrap and roll on a floured board until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cutters and transfer onto bare baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees (325 for convection) for 7 to 9 minutes or until firm to the touch and slightly darker brown around edges. Cool on wire racks.

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These decadent Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies are for tomorrow night's Beatles Concert to benefit The Wednesday Community Meal.  

I made them by whipping up a double batch of my favorite recipe for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies and then adding a 10-ounces of dark chocolate chunks. 

These cookies are rich and satisfying but it's still hard to eat just one as my husband and I can attest to. I finally had to put them into a metal tin and wrap the whole thing with plastic wrap to keep us from getting more. I need them to last for the concert!

Here's the recipe:

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

(makes 6 dozen 2-inch cookies)
2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned crunchy peanut butter
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
10 ounces dark chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.

In a large bowl, whip together the peanut butter and shortening. Add the sugars and beat until light and creamy. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in flour mixture. And, finally stir in the chocolate chunks.

A 1-inch scoop is a useful tool for getting even-sized balls of dough. Just scoop and then roll the dough in your hand and place it on the baking sheet.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and space them apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies by patten them down with your hand.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.