DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES: HEARTBREAKERS!

When you find a cookie recipe you love, it's hard to deviate!  Instead of going out on Tuesday evening, my valentine and I went to the market and picked up all the necessary items for a batch of naughty naughty cookies.  We then measured, stirred and literally sat in front of the oven watching our little beauties blossom into chocolate pillows.  We were like school kids, mesmerized by the promise of rich, chewy, dense chocolate treats.  It's moments like this where I can't believe I'm a grown up and I get to bake cookies WHENEVER I WANT even when there's no good reason for them at all.  I can even lick all the batter of the spatula, ah ha ha!!  Life, it is amazing at times!

Now the batch of cookies has whittled down to just a few scragly bits, because we've been breakin' off pieces to munch on pretty much every time we pass the kitchen!  And in a 500 square foot apartment, that's pretty darn frequently.  This recent baking project coincided with a passing thought of a no-sugar cleanse, baaah!  A girl can dream, right?  Why bother?!

If your smart you'll make these--like--yesterday!

Gooey Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes about 2 dozen cookies

4 ounces (150g) bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick, or 110g) butter
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups (8 ounces, or 300g) chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter and 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate together over low heat. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
3. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Lower the speed to low and beat in the chocolate mixture until well combined.
4. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
5. Drop 1-1/2 tablespoon portions 2-inches apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for no longer than 13 minutes — they should be slightly underbaked so the interior stays chewy and soft. Remove the whole sheet of parchment to a cooling rack and cool until just warm and set.

*Notes:

- I made about 1 dozen extra big cookies, using a 1/4 c measure for getting the proper amount of dough

- I also added about 1/2 c chopped walnuts for texture and flavor

- I cooked the large cookies for 16 minutes, not the prescribed 13 minutes, because the cookies were just so big they needed more time