Midnight Espresso Crinkles Food

MIDNIGHT ESPRESSO CRINKLES

Steps:

• In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chocolate uncovered on High 1 minute. Stir; microwave 1 minute longer, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth.
• In large bowl, beat butter, oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate and eggs until well blended.
• In small bowl, dissolve coffee granules in water. Add coffee mixture and vanilla to batter; beat until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Place sugar crystals in small bowl. Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2-inch balls; dip tops of balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls, sugar sides up, 3 inches apart.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until tops look dry (do not overbake). Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Beat the brown sugar and eggs with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until thick, about 2 minutes. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Scoop out tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll them into balls. Refrigerate half the dough balls. Toss the remaining balls in the sugar, coating them very generously (you shouldn't see any dough peeking through). Arrange the balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies spread, the tops are dull in color and cracked and the edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the baking sheets are cool, repeat with the remaining dough balls. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

GINGERBREAD-ESPRESSO CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with grated ginger and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add molasses; beat until combined. Add egg; beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined and no dry flour remains. Transfer to plastic wrap, pat into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days (or freeze up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before using).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl, and confectioners' sugar in another. Using a 1-ounce scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop rounded spoons of dough, roll into balls, and transfer directly to bowl with granulated sugar. (If dough becomes sticky as it warms, dust your palms with confectioners' sugar.) Turn dough balls to fully coat in granulated sugar. Transfer to bowl with confectioners' sugar; turn to fully coat. (Balls should be heavily coated; do not shake off excess.) Transfer to prepared sheets, 2 inches apart.
• Bake, rotating sheets and rack positions once halfway through, until cookies spread and surfaces appear cracked, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, between sheets of parchment, up to 5 days.

MOCHA CRINKLES

Steps:

• Beat together brown sugar and oil; then mix in sour cream, egg, and vanilla.
• Set aside.
• In another bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, salt, and pepper.
• Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture; mix well.
• Refrigerate dough until firm (3-4 hours).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pour powdered sugar into shallow bowl; set aside.
• Cut dough into 1" pieces; roll into balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar.
• Bake on ungreased cookie sheets until tops of cookies are firm to touch (10-12 minutes; do not overbake).
• Cool on wire racks.

MIDNIGHT CRACKLES

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar and chocolate in that order into a 2 quart saucepan. Put the pan over low heat and warm the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until they are melted and smooth. Scrape everything into the bowl of a mixer or into a large bowl.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.
• Working with a mixer with a paddle attachment, if you have one, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the eggs are well blended into the chocolate. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough is smooth and shiny; it will clean the sides of the bowl and form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it in half, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days. (If the dough is solid, leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before proceeding.).
• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
• Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form firm, shiny balls. (If the dough breaks as you work, squeeze and knead it a bit, then reroll it between your palms.) Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and lightly press each one down a bit with your fingertips.
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be delicately firm and crackled across the top. (It's better to under- than over bake.) Remove the sheets from the oven, let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes, then, using a wide metal spatula, gently transfer the cookies to a rack; cool to room temperature.
• Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.