My niece and I made these double chocolate brownie cookies - rich, decadent and delicious warm (if you don't mind them falling apart in your hands!)
I'm so happy my niece loves both baking and chocolate - you may remember the donuts and brownie spiders we created. Getting her into the kitchen is always an adventure, and a great opportunity to learn about math, etymology, history and science (the brownies turned into a discussion about gas expansion and pressure release, turning into a lesson on volcanoes). These lessons are never formal, and I love that they can be woven in seamlessly because she is infinitely inquisitive and I am an endless treasure trove of random trivia.
These cookies are the perfect after school treat to make, because they are fairly quick to put together (even with 5 and 2.5 year olds getting involved!). While an overnight chill is recommended for these, if the chocolate craving is immediate it's easy enough to scoop out 1 or 2 balls of dough and freeze them for a half hour while the rest of the dough hangs out in the fridge for the next day. They're dense and chewy, just like a thin brownie, and the amount of chocolate chips is absolutely up to you - the amount I have listed is as per my niece's measurements. If you prefer nutty brownies, substitute 1/3 to 1/2 of the chocolate chips with your nut of choice, or add mini M&Ms, pretzels... anything you like!
Pro tip: these make amazing ice cream sandwiches. I found it best to pop the cookies in the freezer for about 30 minutes before assembling them since they are on the softer / chewier side of things. Once assembled, individually wrap the sandwiches and freeze until the ice cream firms up.
Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
½ cup sugar
¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp ground flax
1 tbsp vanilla
½ cup Dutch-process (or black, for a milder flavour but more striking appearance) cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips
- Whisk together the butter, sugars, flax and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix in thoroughly.
- Gently mix in the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for faster cookies cover the bowl and place in the freezer for 30-40 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners
- Scoop out balls of dough onto the trays 2" apart.
- Bake for 9 minutes.
- Cool completely on the sheets if storing for later, or at least 30 minutes if wanting to eat right away.
I remember making a similar recipe with my cousins, and we had a blast getting creative with the mix-ins. We used white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts to give the cookies a festive touch. The combination of different textures and flavors made each bite incredibly exciting!
ReplyDeleteThese double chocolate brownie cookies sound like a delightful blend of education and indulgence! I love how you've incorporated learning opportunities into your baking sessions with your niece.
ReplyDeleteReading about the impromptu lessons on volcanoes during the baking process brought a smile to my face. It's heartwarming to see how a simple activity like making cookies can turn into a rich experience of learning and bonding with your niece. The tip about turning these cookies into ice cream sandwiches adds a cool twist, making them a treat that's not only delicious but also versatile. Kudos to the author for creating such a wonderful, educational, and scrumptious memory with their niece!
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