March 15, 2016

Soft chocolate sugar cookies (and ice cream sandwiches)

The other week, I made a batch of vanilla ice cream with the idea of using some of it to make ice cream sandwiches with these cookies.  Well, I used the ice cream to make hot fudge sundaes and it wasn't until we were nearly finished with the batch of ice cream that I remembered what I originally had in mind!  Luckily, there was enough left to make a couple of these little ice cream sandwiches happen. 
So small batch baking continues at my house!  This is a small-batch recipe that makes 8 cookies but you can certainly double the recipe; it's a good idea because my family and I found them quite delectable!    

While I'm very familiar with the delicious, crisp "plain" vanilla sugar cookies, I really hadn't had soft chocolate sugar cookies before.  I'm very happy I tried these because they're easy to make and have a wonderful texture - soft and slightly chewy.  The chocolate flavor is strong - almost more so than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise.  A coating of granulated sugar on the outside give the cookies a little sparkle and a nice textural contrast with a little crunch.
The original recipe pairs these cookies with a raspberry curd but my mind went straight to ice cream sandwiches.  I find cookies with a soft texture very compatible for making ice cream sandwiches; while they certainly do firm up, the cookies don't turn rock-hard even after freezing and still have "give" or softness to them when you bite into it.  They're easy to eat.
What can I say...this is a great little batch of cookies to make!  The cookies are tasty all on their own but make great little ice cream sandwiches.  Just pull them out of the freezer after dinner for a fun treat.


You can make the cookie dough with a handheld mixer, a stand mixer, or even do it by hand with a wooden spoon. I don't have a handheld mixer and wouldn't have thought I'd ever want one, until now, as I make more small batch recipes.  I went with my stand mixer this time even though we're working with small portions here.
One thing I did do differently from the recipe is add a spoonful of milk into the dough at the very end.  I noticed my cookie dough was dry so I did what I do with my sugar cookie dough to get it smooth and easy to work with - I added just a bit of milk to it and mixed it in.  Start with just a teaspoon here and see if you need more.  I used about 1 1/2 teaspoon and was rewarded with a very smooth dough.  Once chilled, roll them into round balls and toss them in granulated sugar.  I felt like I was making Christmas cookies for a minute there!
The cookies are ready to be taken out from the oven once set and just starting to crack.  They will set up and crack a bit more out of the oven as it cools.
Enjoy that sparkly crunch on the outside and the soft, slightly chewy, and chocolaty center.  They are great on their own... 
...and great sandwiched with ice cream.  I used some homemade vanilla bean ice cream.  Any flavor will do, obviously.  I also think these cookies would be great flavored with a little peppermint, orange, or almond extract in place of the vanilla.  I'll have to try one of those options next time!


Recipe:

Chocolate Sugar Cookies (small-batch)
Adapted from Dessert for Two by Christina Lane

- Makes 8 cookies (or 4 ice cream sandwiches; doubling up on the recipe is a good idea!) - 

4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (68g) light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons milk*
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, for rolling
Ice cream, for making ice cream sandwiches (optional)

In a medium-size bowl, beat butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Add brown sugar and beat for another minute.  Then add egg yolk and vanilla, beating until combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add dry ingredients into the wet in two increments, mixing well after each.  [*If you find the dough a bit dry like I did, add a teaspoon or so of milk and mix until just combine into a smooth dough.]  Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.  

Place granulated sugar into a small bowl.  Divide dough into 8 equal portions and roll each in the palm of your hand to form round balls.  Roll each in the sugar to coat. Place onto baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are set in the center and just beginning to crack.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet to give it a chance to firm up. Then remove cookies onto a wire rack.

If making ice cream sandwiches, place a generous mound of ice cream on top of the flat side of a thoroughly cooled cookie.  Place a second cookie, flat-side down, on top of the ice cream and gently press together.  Wrap each ice cream sandwich in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to set.

  


32 comments:

  1. I love the sugar on the outside of these, they sound delicious.

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  2. I love the small batch baking - and love the idea of a soft chewy cookie with lots of chocolate flavor. With ice cream - oh yes please!

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    1. I should have doubled up but there are so many cookies to bake and eat, Tricia. : )

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  3. Chocolate sugar cookies sound delicious- and those ice cream sandwiches look to die for :)

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    1. I like how the cookies are still soft in the center as ice cream sandwiches. Enjoy the rest of the week!

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  4. Wow Monica, these would be great in the freezer...especially with the Summer approaching...I love the small bite size...thanks for the inspiration!
    Have a wonderful week :)

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    1. They disappeared quickly but it is nice to have on standby in the freezer. ; )

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  5. Monica, these are gorgeous! I have never made a cookie ice cream sandwich before but I may have to stock the freezer up for summer! Love the fact that the cookies look sugary crunchy on the outside yet chewy on the inside. Yum! I hope you are well :-)

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    1. Hi Jo! How are you? We're good here, plugging away and enjoying the relatively mild winter/looking forward to Spring. I hope you and family are well! xoxo

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  6. They look so cute and delicious Monica :-) Loved it!

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  7. My daughter would seriously love these.

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    1. I feel as though I know your daughter a little bit...my kind of gal.

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  8. They must be very delicious with vanilla ice!

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    1. Eating with your hands, especially when it involves ice cream, is always good. ; )

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  9. I love that filling you combine with..looks very creamy and make your dish rich

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    1. I like to find excuses to include ice cream in desserts...always a crowd-pleaser. ; )

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  10. These look adorable, Monica! It's been too long since I've had a frozen treat and these sound perfect since the weather is finally starting to warm up again. I love how soft they look and the sugary coating makes them so irresistible! :)

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    1. I find myself making ice cream almost a little too regularly, Kelly! ; )

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  11. Hi Monica, normally it's just me and my husband, love the idea of small batch baking. For some reason I'm not getting your emails again, will re-subscribe.

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    1. Thanks for checking in...hope those emails get to you again. : )

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  12. I have always wanted to make homemade ice cream sandwiches like this and have just never done it!! Hmmm now you have me thinking maybe I should do this for Easter....

    It's been sort of crazy warm by us these last few days (it was almost 90 yesterday! too hot for march!!) and I could definitely have used one of these guys!

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    1. 90?! Wow! We're in 60's today but the weather has really been all over the place. So we just eat everything from ice cream to salads to stews! : )

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  13. Love the small batch idea since it's just my husband and I at my house! These look amazing!!

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    1. Thanks, Ashley...we can always use more cookies in the house, right?! ; )

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  14. Replies
    1. It only makes 8 little cookies...bake up a batch, Aimee! ; )

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  15. I love biting into a soft, chewy cookie. What a great idea to turn them into little ice cream sandwiches! I am so in awe of your dedication to small batches, Monica. I am more inclined to double a recipe than half it! That's why I need sources to "get rid" of what I bake!

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    1. This is one case where this little batch should be doubled! : )

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  16. Oh these cookies look wonderful, Monica! I love the sparkle of the sugar coating; it kind of reminds me of snickerdoodles but in chocolate cookie form. Sounds delicious!

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    1. They did remind me of that, too...only better since it's all about the chocolate. ; )

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