"I often find myself craving a piece of chocolate in the afternoons, as it goes rather with the cup of hot coffee that is also a necessity in my daily life. Most days a little square of bittersweet will do, but other times something more extravagant is essential. I found these chocolate sugar cookies to do the trick; they are soft and delicious without being overly rich and sweet."
— From The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favourites and Reinvented Classics by Sarah Kieffer. (Penguin Books, 2016)
Makes around 12 cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ cups | 250 g all-purpose flour
½ cup | 50 g natural cocoa powder or a combination cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup | 225 g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups | 350 sugar (plus 1 cup | 200g for rolling)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
METHOD
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium until smooth. Add the 1¾ cups sugar and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined.
Place the remaining 1 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in cardamom, if desired.
Form the cookies into 3-ounce | 85 g balls (a scant ⅓ cup each). Roll each ball in the sugar and place 6 cookies on each prepared sheet pan. Bake one sheet at a time 11 to 14 minutes, until the edges have set and the centers are puffed and starting to crackle.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely on the pan.