salted double chocolate chunk cookies

The very first post...kind of a big deal! Of course, I could be all nonchalant, and play it off like it's no big deal, but I've spent at least a week agonizing over what to write for this first one, so that's a bit tough.

These cookies? Kind of the opposite. They look like they're a big deal, pretty fancy, but they're not at all. I got the recipe from Annie's Eats, which I absolutely adore! It's dead easy to follow, but the cookies look (and taste) gorgeous. Plus, they impress the heck out of everyone!

Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
4 tbsp. unsalted butter

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Trust me, these get messy. You'll want to do this bit. 

Combine the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.  (If that's too much work, and you have the benefit of a microwave, go for it. Heat in 25-second intervals, stirring in between.)

 In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. (You'll notice I cheaped out and went with the poor-man's sea salt. Go ahead, get the fancy stuff, but don't judge me!)

In an electric mixer, combine the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.  Beat on medium-high until the sugar's dissolved, about 4 minutes.  Reduce to low speed and add the melted chocolate, blending until incorporated.

Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Fold in the remaining chopped chocolate with a spatula.  Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2-3 inches apart. Yes, they are supposed to look a bit sloppy like that. I was worried the first time I made them too, but trust me - they'll work out.

Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are just slightly soft in the center and crackly on top, about 10-12 minutes.  Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and let cool on the baking sheets 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container. And you'll end up with something that looks a bit like...this.

*I definitely just used chocolate chips, because who's patient enough to chop chocolate when making delicious cookies?

And what to do with that pot you melted the chocolate in? Hot chocolate, of course! (Makes cleanup a lot easier...at least, that's my excuse.) Take some more chocolate chips, add in about the same amount of milk (1c. milk, 1c. chips), and add a big sprinkle of cinnamon. Then heat on medium low-ish, stirring with a whisk to make it nice and smooth. Voila! A chocolatey treat! (Or as I like to call it, a two-course meal!)

And that's it! I survived, as long as you don't eat too many of these cookies, so will you! (Seriously, chocolate coma.) Enjoy!

c.