WFD? Hot Cocoa Roll Out Cookies

So earlier this week, I posted some hot cocoa cookies inspired by a Christmas card.  It was all part of Haniela's post link up, which was super fun.

Anyway, I mentioned that they were hot cocoa flavored and I got a decent response for the recipe.

So here it is!:




Hot Cocoa Roll Out Cookies 

5 sticks salted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1lb 6oz unbleached all purpose flour
3 oz unsweetened cocoa
3 oz Ghiradelli White Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix the butter and the sugar together in a stand mixer till well incorporated
Add eggs and vanilla and mix till also incorporated
In a separate bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together.  Add to the butter mixture all at once.  BEFORE YOU TURN ON YOUR MIXER, get a kitchen towel (or tea towel as my British friends call it) and wrap it around your mixer so that the space between the bowl and the top of the mixer is covered.  This will keep all the dry ingredients in your mixer.  Give you mixer a big hug, because it does so much for you, and turn it on low.  When it feels like the dry ingredients have all been moistened, remove the towel and mix until it all comes together.  It should form a sort of ball around the beater, but it may not come clean off the side of the bowl.

Separate the dough in half.  Roll each half in between 2 pieces of parchment paper and put it in the freezer for an hour.  Preheat your oven to 325 in the meantime.

After an hour, remove from the fridge and cut your shapes.  I find that this chocolate dough gets a little softer a little faster (could also be my granite counter tops tho.  If you have another material on your counter, it may stay frozen longer).  If they get really soft, place back in the freezer for another 15 minutes.

Bake shapes at 325 for 14-16 minutes.  It might be hard to tell if they are done by sight because they are dark, but hopefully your nose will help you out.  I usually find then when I start to smell them from my living room, they're done.

I weigh out my dry ingredients like flour and cocoa, just about always.  It's the only reliable way I have found to do it.  Otherwise your cookie dough can be too dry or too wet....and that doesn't bake up so well....gotta get those wet and dry ratios even.

I also use this specific hot cocoa mix for this recipe.  You can substitute it for a different brand or flavor.  It could come out awesome.  Especially maybe peppermint cocoa.  Yum!  But I use this one because the coffee flavor in it enhances the chocolate.  And also because it has a sweet flavor I can't describe that reminds me of marshmallows in my cocoa.

It's pretty dang good on it's own as a midnight sip btw....just sayin'

This dough will be a little different.  It might be a little stickier or denser, but they hold their shape really well and have a nice soft but sturdy texture.

Anyway, give them a shot and let me know what you think!  Also, if you make some adjustments that send this over the top drop me a note.  I would love to hear (and see) what y'all do with it!  :)