Chocolate Snaps Sugar Cookie Food

CHOCOLATE SNAPS SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine. Stir in cocoa, remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa mixture and the vanilla. Blend in the sifted ingredients to form a soft dough. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least an hour or two.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls, roll them in the remaining sugar and place them 2 to 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE SNAPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and 2 cups sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, baking soda, unsweetened chocolate and salt. Add flour, mixing carefully and thoroughly. Place in a freezer ziploc bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Take dough out of freezer. Place 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into little balls and roll into sugar. Place in greased cookie sheets and bake for 350 degrees F. for 8-12 minutes.
• Variation: Instead of unsweetened baking chocolate, use 3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa and 1 tablespoon oil for each ounce on unsweetened baking chocolate.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE SUGARSNAP COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine.
• Stir in cocoa, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, then stir in the cocoa mixture and the vanilla.
• Blend in the sifted ingredients to form a soft dough.
• Cover dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Roll chilled dough into walnut-sized balls.
• Roll them into the sugar crystals and place them 2 to 3-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven.
• Take the cookies out of the oven once they look like they are starting to set.
• The key to making these cookies great is to not overbake them.
• Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Tip: Although I haven't made these cookies by rolling them in granulated sugar instead of sugar crystals, I don't see why that can't be done.
• If you don't have the crystals, go ahead and give rolling the cookies in granulated sugar a try!

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed, about 4 minutes more. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed. Mix until incorporated.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling, to soften.
• Position oven racks to the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Now flour parchment for rolling: Dust a piece of parchment with flour, place a disk of dough on it, dust the disk with flour, then cover it with a second piece of parchment. Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 11/2- to 2-inch cookie cutters. Gather up the scraps, re-roll and cut out. (Chill the scraps if the dough becomes too soft.) Roll and cut out the remaining disk of dough. Working in batches, arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until the tops look dry and no indentation is left when pressed with your finger, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
• Decorate with royal icing as desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until pure white and stiff enough to form peaks.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring if using and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Store at room temperature, covered, with plastic wrap on the surface for up to 2 days. Re-whip until smooth before using.

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until creamy, about 2 more minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 2 more minutes.
• Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; form into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough between floured sheets of parchment paper until about 1/4 inch thick. Chill 2 more hours.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Mist 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Cut the dough into shapes; gather the scraps and reroll once to cut out more cookies. Arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until set, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 to 4 tablespoons water in a bowl with a mixer on high speed until smooth and thick. Transfer to a resealable bag and snip a small corner. Pipe onto the cookies; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Let set 30 minutes.

MINT CHOCOLATE SNAPS

Steps:

• In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, cream shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate. Add egg, corn syrup and extracts; mix well. , Combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir into batter. Fold in candy. Shape into 1-in. balls and roll in sugar. Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a microwave, melt 1 cup chocolate chips. Stir until smooth; cool. In another bowl, beat egg, 2/3 cup sugar, oil, corn syrup and extracts until combined. Beat in melted chocolate. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into peppermint mixture. Fold in candies and remaining chocolate chips., Place remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until tops are cracked and cookies are set, 12-15 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool.