Frangelico Crinkles

For me, nothing says Christmas more than plates of freshly baked cookies.  Traditional sugar and gingerbread cookies are nice but in order to add an element of surprise to my cookie plates I always make sure I include one or two new types each year.  However, as much as I love chocolate, I usually shy away from chocolate based cookies since their presence on the cookie tray is often overpowering.  This year I stumbled upon a chocolate cookie that sounded too good to resist.  Combining the amazing flavors of dark chocolate and hazelnut, these Frangelico crinkle cookies from Mary Lee's Desserts in Vienna, Virginia were too decadent and enticing to pass up.  The sophisticated flavor combination makes this a very adult cookie.  As an added bonus you can freeze them so they can be made ahead of time and brought out for any cookie giving occasion that pops up.

Don't let the batter like dough scare you.  Once it sits in the refrigerator it firms up and the result is a dough that is the perfect consistency.

FRANGELICO CRINKLES

1 1/4 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

12 ounces top-quality dark baking chocolate, chopped

6 Tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

6 Tablespoons Frangelico liqueur

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1)  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2)  Hear a few inches of water in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Combine the chocolate
     and butter in a heat proof bowl that is large enough to sit over the saucepan.  Heat just long enough
     for them to melt, stirring to incorporate.  Remove from the heat.

Chocolate and butter melting

3)  Whisk together the eggs and sugar by hand in a mixing bowl until the mixture has lightened in
      color.

Eggs and sugar

4)  Add the cooled chocolate mixture, vanilla extract, cream, and liqueur, stirring to incorporate, then
      gently and gradually fold in the flour mixture to form a soft dough.

5)  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

6)  Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the
     sifted confectioners' sugar on a plate.

7)  Shape a heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball, then roll to coat completely in the confectioners'
     sugar.  Repeat to use all of the dough, spacing the dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
     Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes; the cookies will be puffed and cracked but soft in the
     center.  Do not over bake.

8)  Remove from the oven.  Cool for 2 minutes on the sheet; transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool
     completely before serving or storing.

Ready to come out of the oven

YIELDS:  36 cookies

The cookies may be stored in an airtight tin for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.