A Chocolate Cookie Fix

As much as I love cupcakes (which is a LOT), sometimes I just go on a cookie kick. These past couple weeks I have been on full cookie-mode. The best thing about cookies is how easy they are. I mean, you make the batter, you put it on a sheet, you bake it, you eat them! Cookies are also pretty hard to mess up which is a bonus for me because I have discovered recently that I do not have a gift for breads and muffins. The sad thing is, most of the recipes I have stock piled are breads. Because bread is delicious. It just doesn't think much of me...

Anyway! More about breads later. This is all about COOKIES. This first cookie I found the recipe for on Brown Eyed Baker's site. The original recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan and were dubbed "World Peace Cookies" because they are so good if everyone ate them there would be peace. What are these epic cookies you ask? Chocolate Salted Shortbread's. And *bonus* they are easy!

Chocolate Salted Shortbread Cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons butter, at room temp.
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking soda. Beat butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add sugars, salt and vanilla. Beat for another 2 minutes more.
2. With the mixer off, add dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on and off low speed (pulse) for a second or two about 5 times so that the flour mixture gets incorporated. Then mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the flour disappears into the dough (the dough will look crumbly).
3. Turn the dough out onto work surface and divide it in two. Shape each half into a 9-inch log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days)
4. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325. Prepare (grease or line with parchment paper) 2 cookie sheets.
5. Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 in. Leave about 1 inch between the cookies on sheet. Sprinkle a small amount of extra salt on top of each round. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm. Serve immediately or let them reach room temperature.