Double Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies

That's right. Two chocolates and cinnamon. If I do my math correctly, then 2 + 1 = triple threat?

This recipe comes from Mixingbowl.com magazine, which I'd never heard of until a week ago. My parents drove down to LA to help my sister and her husband pack up their condo to move (They bought a house! They got the keys last night!). I came over to help. And I ended up packing with them till 3am, then sleeping on their couch the rest of the night. During one of my mom's many drives to the grocery store, Home Depot, or moving supplies store, my mom picked up this MixingBowl.com magazine as a thank-you to me for helping out. You know, Mom, I would have done it for nothing, but you know what else, Mom? I won't say no to a baking magazine. So thanks!

Apparently there's an online baking community with members who love to bake and post recipes and then some are selected for the print edition. It's a fun website. Who knew! So this recipe comes to you from member CULINARYCARA. I suppose it also comes from my sister. I mean, I have to thank my sister for moving, because I never would have known about this magazine or the delicious cookie recipe inside it if I had not come over to help my sister pack and somehow compel my mom to treat me to a gift.


Double Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies
Adapted from a recipe by MixingBowl.com member CULINARYCARA in MixingBowl.com Magazine's Fall/Winter 2010 edition

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (I skipped this)
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients by sifting together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and the cayenne if you're using that. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium to high speed. Beat in the two eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface. Drop cookie dough along most of the length of the plastic wrap to form a log. Wrap tightly. Repeat with another piece of plastic wrap to create a second dough log. Each log should be about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. It actually took me three logs to use up the dough. Refrigerate until chilled.

Remove a log from fridge and let thaw only long enough to be able to slice the cookie dough, but not so long that the dough is soft again (because it's much easier to slice when still pretty chilled). Place the cookie dough slices about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still feels soft. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Combine dry ingredients...

Set aside...

Cream the butter and both sugars...

Add the eggs, one at a time...

Add the vanilla...

Add the dry ingredients...

Stir in chocolate chips...

Form logs with the dough and chill in fridge...

Slice the logs...

Place the slices evenly apart on the cookie sheet...

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 8 minutes...

Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes, then transfer from pan to wire rack...

Yum!!