Chocolate crackle cookies

2 June 2011
by Phuoc

A word of warning, these cookies may be a choking hazard to some. (More on that later…)

My baking mojo has safely returned back to me in the last couple of days. In less than a week, I’ve baked up 4 different baked goods and I have plenty more things I would like to bake up my sleeves. Recently I had purchased too many bars of cooking chocolate as I was convinced that I had ran out of them at home; I hate it when that happens.

When I was searching for a cookie recipe to make to give to a friend as a birthday present, I stumbled upon Martha Stewart’s recipe for chocolate crackle cookies. Ahhhh chocolate crackle cookies.. I remember one of my sisters made these several years ago but from what I remember, they weren’t the best. They were dry and crumbly and the flavour of them weren’t that chocolatey. However, this recipe is from Martha Stewart. Surely she knows a thing or two about baking right?

As I was making the dough, I noticed that it was extremely runny. It had the same consistency of cake batter! The recipe does call for it to be chilled for 2 hours but I decided to chill it overnight so I can make it the following day. The original recipe calls for two chilling stages (the initial 2 hour chill and another 30min chill after the dough has been rolled out into logs) but I couldn’t be bothered with the second chilling step. With the exception of making pastry, I’m not the type of baker who likes to wait forever for something to chill before baking; I’m kind of impatient that way. So I decided to cut that second chill step only to save me time and to have these cookies earlier! Everything turned out fine.

There’s definitely something special about these cookies. They are slightly crispy on the outside but when you bite into them they are soft and chewy. Almost like a brownie but in cookie form! You get a strong hit of chocolatey goodness and it makes you want to keep reaching out for more. They are amazing if I have to say so myself and possibly one of the best cookies I’ve had in a while (these marblised cookies are up there as well)! Martha Stewart, you legend!

So back to why these cookies are a safety hazard. Having an abundance of cookies, I decided to give a bunch to one of my uni friends. When I gave them to her she had a cookie there and then and enjoyed it so much. Later on during the day, I received a SMS from her telling me that in an attempt to savour all the cookies, she tried to eat all the crumbs but instead inhaled it down her windpipe (in a moment of rush). Which then resulted in her choking to death in her lecture! I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically at her misfortune (oh I’m such a good friend). So let this be a warning to you all, slow and steady people! Enjoy these cookies!

Recipe

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living, Vol 111 Feb 2003

Makes about 75 cookies

 

200g chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups plainΒ  flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

Icing sugar, for rolling

 

  1. Melt the chocolate over medium heat in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.
  2. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined.
  5. Add melted chocolate and milk and mix.
  6. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
  7. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours (I chilled mine overnight).
  8. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and line baking trays with baking paper.
  9. Cut a heaped teaspoonful of the dough, coat it with icing and roll into a ball shape. (The dough is a little sticky to work with so I recommend coating the dough or your hands with icing sugar before rolling to prevent getting chocolate dough all over your hands.)
  10. Roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely.
  11. Place the cookies 5cm (2 inches) apart on a baking tray. Bake cookies for 12-15minutes until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits.
  12. Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week (that’s if they last that long).

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24 Comments

  1. muppy

    Sounds delicious! i was a little disappointed when i realised they didn’t have rice bubbles, it would be good to make a tasty version of ‘chocolate crackles’ that doesn’t involve copha for the kiddies parties πŸ™‚

  2. Isis-Rae Luu

    OMG this looks amazing!! I want some in my tummy!! and yes… once again… this is the first thing I’m looking at since getting to work… HUNGRY!

  3. FFichiban

    Hee hee this baby can deep fry a whole buffalo in 45 seconds… Awww but I want it nooowwwww…

    These cookies look so awesome mmm

  4. Forager @ The Gourmet Forager

    They sound delicious! Childhood fantasies & adult indulgences in one. Can you blame your friend for hoovering?

  5. angie

    These look good enough to bring up chocolate cravings, luckily I just had some of my choc mud cake or else I’d be in so much pain right now =D Mmm but cookies are something else

  6. MissPiggy

    Death by cookie – I suppose it’s as good way to go when you think about the alternatives. They look good!

  7. Peter G @ Souvlaki For The Soul

    Not that I want to laugh at your friend…I hope she’s ok! These look fantastic! I initially thought they were like an Aussie version of the chocolate crackle!

  8. anh@anhsfoodblog.com

    I have meant to make these for such a long time! Look great Phuoc.

    PS: ha! I have to be careful eating anything from you from now on lol.

  9. Sara @ Belly Rumbles

    You really are on a cookie roll at the moment. I am also impatient in waiting for ingredients to chill. These cookies sound delicious.

  10. Richard Elliot

    It’s not often that cookies come with a health warning! πŸ˜‰

  11. betty

    the look gr8! luv the little pot as well

  12. Phuoc

    Muppy: Sorry for the confusion. For a copha-free choc crackle I melt down Mars Bars to add to rice bubbles. So good!

    Isis-Rae Luu: lol You need to stop torturing yourself like this

    FFichiban: Hehe… Yes they are awesome!

    Forager: I know… I don’t blame her! I like the sound of childhood treats becoming indulgent adult treats πŸ™‚

    Angie: Oh they fix the chocolate cravings in the right spot, not to rich but just that right amount of chocolatey goodness πŸ™‚

    Miss Piggy: You are right about that.. Good way to go indeed :p

    Peter: Yeah she’s fine. It was just funny trying to imagine her scoffing down the crumbs and choking in her lecture.. Sorry for the confusion.. Choc crackles are the best though, but even better with Mars Bars melted through it! Mmmm…

    Anh: Have a crack at it when you’re not so busy (just make half the batch); they are a treat! It’s not my fault that I make delectable things… :p lol

    Sara: I think it’s the weather… Nothing beats glass of cold milk and cookies!

    Richard: Hehe true.. I just thought it was a funny story to share with you all.

    Betty: Thank you!

  13. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen

    A brownie is cookie form?! Say no more. πŸ™‚

  14. JasmyneTea

    One of the only reasons I don’t do cookies is because I KNOW I’ll eat them all. Then you just dangle this recipe in front of me, you tease! Lol, they look divine! Maybe I’ll reward myself after I’ve been good for a while πŸ™‚

  15. Lisa

    These are some of the best chocolate criackle cookies I’ve seen to date. Your photos are just outstanding, stunning!

    On another note, my layers would have been a lot sexier had I not doubled both the mousse AND panna cotta. They were uneven, leaning towers of ‘Lisa’. My first version looked HOT lol

  16. Phuoc

    Sylvie: They are amazing! πŸ™‚

    JasmyneTea: lol That’s hilarious. Everything in moderation I’d say and it’s important to treat yourself once in a while.. Make half the batch but only bake half of that and freeze the other half for next time..

    Lisa: Thank you! πŸ™‚ Even though they weren’t even layers, I still think your desserts looked awesome πŸ™‚

  17. Helen (grabyourfork)

    These look awesome! They always remind me of Christmas for some reason, but I reckon I would happily eat these all year round after your description!

  18. Phuoc

    Helen: You’re right, I think it’s the icing sugar.. It reminds me of snow!

  19. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    So glad that your baking mojo has returned! I remember seeing these on the cover of her book and thinking that they looked very intriguing!

  20. Phuoc

    Lorraine: Me too! Baking is so therapeutic for me. I love the way they crack as they bake but the best thing is that they taste awesome

  21. Paula

    Not sure why, but I only just came across this recipe now…can’t believe I missed this treat! They look so yummy πŸ™‚ What cooking chocolate do you use, Phuoc?

  22. Phuoc

    Paula: Oh they are so good! I tend to use Nestle or Lindt cooking choc

  23. Marija (Haymarket)

    Thanks Phuoc for these delicious treats πŸ™‚
    You are such a great cook
    XX

  24. Phuoc

    Marija: Not a problem, glad you enjoyed them πŸ™‚

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