Family Alive

Analise and I are embarking on a Christmas cookie adventure, and today, being December 1st was a perfect day to start.  And these Chocolate Crinkle cookies from Family Fun magazine were the best start we could have hoped for!  Easy and incredibly delicious. These are like little brownie bites.

• 3/4 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 2 c. flour
• 1 t b aking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 ounces (half a bag or 1 cup, I think) mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a large spoon to slowly add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chips. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in confectioners’ sugar. Bake the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then lightly dust the cookies with the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Transfer the cookies directly onto the rack to cool thoroughly. Makes about 4 dozen.

From Family Fun magazine here

Mom tip!! Analise always wants to take little bites of dough or chocolate chips, etc. I’m constantly having to have her get off the stool, move over to the sink and wash her hands after taking a bite. And she wants to make her cookies into fun shapes, like snakes. And I feel pretty strongly that peanut butter cookies need to be in balls, not snakes. I know, I’m a control freak.  I’m working on it, and kids are slowly but surely breaking me of it.  

But! I’ve started giving her a small chunk of dough, a toaster oven sized baking pan, a plate with sprinkles and chips, and moving her over to the table where she can shape, take bites, and decorate at her leisure. I’m even cooking her cookies in the toaster oven – usually same temp, but about half time, since her cookies are smaller than mine. It’s working WONDERFULLY! We’re all happy!