Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Ingredients:

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon (133g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I use 1 package Baker's Semi Sweet chocolate)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 Tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (180g) mini chocolate chips

CANDY CANE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2.5 - 3 cups (300-360g) confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tablespoons (15-30ml) heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 cup candy cane dust, sifted (about 8-10 candy canes pulverized in a food processor)
• crushed candy canes for rolling, optional

Directions:

Begin with the cookies. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Continue to melt in 30 second increments until fully melted and smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Set aside. With an electric or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Beat in the sugars, scraping down the sides every 10 seconds or so. The mixture will be granular.

Mix in the beaten egg/vanilla until incorporated. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients on slow speed. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Do not overmix at any point in this process.

Chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of dough and roll into a slightly flattened ball. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies have just begun to set with the centers still appearing very soft. They will firm up as they cool.

As the cookies cool, make the buttercream. Beat the butter for 1 minute with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 2.5 cups of sifted powdered sugar and slowly mix on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 1 Tablespoon of cream/milk. Beat for about 1 minute. Manually stir in candy cane dust. If your buttercream needs to be thicker, add more powdered sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk/cream. If frosting is too sweet, add a pinch of salt.

Frost the bottom end of a cooled cookie and top with another to make a sandwich. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.