Brownie Cookies

I keep double checking to make sure I haven't posted this recipe before.  But nope, I haven't! That's hard for me to believe, because these are hands down my favorite cookie. Totally decadent, they're deeply chocolate, slightly gooey, and filled with dark chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Don't count the calories...these are for special (or emergency) occasions when rich chocolate indulgence is called for.

Last December I experimented with making these more festive by adding candy cane pieces...I added about 1 c of chopped candy cane and omitted the nuts. Those were pretty yummy too - perfect for holiday cookie exchanges!

An important note: this recipe calls for semisweet chocolate morsels (chips). The total amount (18 oz or 3 cups) is divided in half – with 9 oz (1½ c) being melted into the batter and 9 oz (1½ c) added as chocolate chips. Now, I'm not a huge fan of semisweet – I much prefer something darker. However, when I have subbed bittersweet chocolate chips for the entire amount, the cookies are way too dry. (This happens because bittersweet chocolate contains more cocoa and less cocoa butter – or other fat – than semisweet, meaning the batter itself contains less fat, and is therefore drier.) To prevent this, I've started using 9 oz semisweet chocolate to melt into the batter, and one bag (10 oz, but more is better, right?) of Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. This will be evident in the pictures below!

Brownie Cookies

(adapted from the Southern Living Incredible Cookies book)

(makes about 3 dozen)

½ c unsalted butter

4 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped

18 oz (3 c) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided (or 9 oz semisweet, and 1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips)

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

4 large eggs

1½ cups sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 c chopped macadamia nuts

Assemble ingredients.

Chop chocolate. (Chocolate chips don't need to be chopped, but chopping the unsweetened chocolate will make it melt more quickly with the other ingredients.)  Remember, when you're chopping chocolate, that chocolate picks up other flavors really easily!  Don't use a board that you recently chopped onions on.

Combine butter, unsweetened chocolate and 9 oz (1½ cups) chocolate morsels in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter and chocolate melt. [You can also do this in the microwave if you stop and stir it frequently.] Cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, beating well.

 Add chocolate mixture; beat well.

Stir in remaining 1 ½ cups chocolate morsels and macadamias, if desired.

Drop dough by 2-tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Yes, it is a very good idea to line your baking sheet for these cookies. Parchment or waxed paper will make it MUCH easier to remove the cookies from the sheet after they're cool!)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the parchment from the pan as a whole sheet and place on a wire rack. 

After a few minutes, remove the cookies from the paper and cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Happy Baking,