It certainly wasn’t our intention to bake inappropriate Christmas cookies… They just seemed to turn out that way. It all started with David Lebovitz’s Chocolate Crack Cookies. Next thing we knew, our gingerbread men were acting naughty and even the snowballs turned out dirty! Oh well, let’s just hope we’re still on Santa’s “Nice” list.
Naughty Gingerbread Men
Next year, a chaperone is definitely in order for these naughty little guys.
Our gingerbread men got a little too friendly… We swear there was safe distance between them before entering the oven.
Dirty Snowballs
Dirty Snowballs: just as delicious as their pure white cousins with some extra funk.
Despite our best efforts to remove the nut skins, our snowballs turned out dirty… However, they’re just as melt-in-your-mouth delicious as the pure white variety we made last year with blanched almonds. With butter, sugar, hazelnuts and walnuts as the main ingredients, how could they be bad?
Chocolate Crack Cookies
Chocolate Crack Cookies - our new addiction.
What’s inappropriate about these cute little gems, you ask? Pop one in your mouth and see for yourself. Scantily clad in sweet icing sugar, these cookies have a moist dark chocolate centre that will have your mind in the gutter in no time. They’re our new favourite addiction.
Recipe for Chocolate Crack Cookies
Adapted from The Urban Baker blog, originally from “Ready for Desserts” by David Lebovitz.
Makes about 40 cookies
- 16 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons espresso
- 2 cup toasted almond slices, ground (or almond meal)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup regular granulated sugar, plus more for coating
- Powdered sugar for coating
Mix together the ground almonds or almond meal, flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Place chocolate, butter and espresso in a bain-marie and melt until smooth. Set aside.
Whisk together the eggs and the sugar using a hand-held or stand mixer set on high speed until the mixture forms ribbons. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture and then the almond mixture.
Chill dough until firm (minimum 2 hours and ideally overnight).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put a liberal amount of granulated sugar in a small bowl and do the same with icing sugar.
Shape the chilled dough into one inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. Place them on a baking sheet, spacing one inch apart.
Bake between 8 and 10 minutes, rotating the pans midway, until edges are firm but centre is still very soft. Keep a close watch because overcooked chocolate cookies are a serious disappointment! Once cooked, let them cool on a wire rack.
After 10 years of writing corporate speak as a communications specialist for large companies in Montreal, I’ve finally given into my self-indulgent desire to write my way and share my love for food. Writing and cooking are my creative outlets. When I do them right, they help me relax and comfort me...
Your crackles look gorgeous! How much did you love them? Thanks for the shout out and the link love! Love your site!
My pleasure! And thank you. I love them so much I’m typing with one hand and eating a cookie with the other
. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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