Thursday, April 10, 2008

Dark Chocolate Crackles

For many, if there will be dessert... it must be chocolate. My family covets chocolate. I'm more of a vanilla gal. Don't hold it against me, but given a choice- I would take vanilla over chocolate any day. I enjoy chocolate only when it's really, really fantastically good. Only when it's something that is completely worth the calories that will be consumed. I'm a bit manic when I've had too much chocolate too as I can't quite manage my caffeine. One too many bites and I'm off to the land of migraines and darkened rooms. That said, I like to make chocolate treats that I can send off for others to enjoy. This day: Dark Chocolate Crackles.

This recipe makes a good amount (5 dozen) so it was perfect to send off with the boys on a YMCA Indian Guide camping trip. If you're not familiar with Indian Guides, it's a father-son group that is designed to harbor close relationships between the two. They do a lot of boy-type activities together and head out on weekend camping trips once a month with the rest of their "tribe." It's great fun for them, and a quiet, relaxing weekend for me! It also gives me a chance to bake away... and send off goodies that are much-appreciated by the hungry group of men.

A recipe from Fine Cooking, these very chocolatey cookies are filled with three kinds of chocolate and a smidgen of orange zest to set them apart from the rest. You'll need a tall glass of milk to wash it all down. If this doesn't send the already energy-filled boys into a caffeine frenzy then I don't know what will. I'm sure the dads will appreciate me for this one.


A little peek inside shows you that you will indeed get a chocolatey chunk or two inside each cookie.

Chocolate lovers... you'll like this one. Me...? I had my cookie, enjoyed it and will move on to decaffeinated pleasures for the remainder of the day.

This recipe can be found HERE.
at

44 comments:

  1. Catherine WilkinsonApril 10, 2008 at 9:59 AM

    Oh, you have definitely found the way into my heart with these gems! This is a must bake! Thanks for posting...the pics are lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  2. CookiePieApril 10, 2008 at 12:14 PM

    These look fantastic! That little bit of gooey chocolate in the middle put me right over the edge. And I love the photos!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lori LynnApril 10, 2008 at 12:39 PM

    They look great! I love the little peek into the cookie...

    ReplyDelete
  4. MelanieApril 10, 2008 at 1:06 PM

    I wish I had your fondness for vanilla instead of chocolate. It is my downfall...especially dark chocolate, so you can imagine my joy at seeing this recipe. Bookmarking as we speak!

    ReplyDelete
  5. DeborahApril 10, 2008 at 1:20 PM

    These do look like a chocolate dream!! If I had to decide between chocolate and vanilla, I don't think I could ever decide. It totally depends on my mood. I just hope no one ever makes me choose!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 10, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    I'm more of a vanilla girl too, but those chocolate cookies look great! I'm sure I'd eat more than one before packing them up for the boys!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousApril 10, 2008 at 3:34 PM

    OMG the cookie looks so thick and yummy and chocolate galore. I need a new chocolate cookie recipe and I'm going to overdose on this one. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. JennyApril 10, 2008 at 3:37 PM

    What fun little cookies those are. Dark Chocolate is my weakness for sure. I'll have to try them soon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cannelle Et VanilleApril 10, 2008 at 4:52 PM

    Crispy, chocolate-y... gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. PheMomApril 10, 2008 at 5:11 PM

    I'm with Jenny. Its all about dark chocolate for me. These cookies look wonderful (and we all know I'm a chocoholic) but I love vanilla too. Just all around yum!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gretchen NoelleApril 10, 2008 at 5:49 PM

    These look great. I could eat one or sixteen right now. I am just too tired to make them. Will you share?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)April 10, 2008 at 6:04 PM

    My husband made these (I think the recipe was from Dorie Greenspan) a few months ago -- they were so good that we ate almost the entire batch ourselves. I haven't let him make them since then!

    ReplyDelete
  13. test it commApril 10, 2008 at 6:07 PM

    Pass some of those over here. They look chocolaty and good!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Peter MApril 10, 2008 at 6:08 PM

    Lori, you what the boys are gonna do with these cookies in camp? There are going to use them as chips in poker games!

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousApril 10, 2008 at 6:56 PM

    RecipeGirl, I used to be more of vanilla girl, but I've made the switch, and there's no turning back. rarely a day passes without a nibble of chocolate. these crackles look great!

    ali

    ReplyDelete
  16. ChichaJoApril 10, 2008 at 7:43 PM

    Whoa! I am a chocolate girl myself so you can just imagine how GOOD these cookies look to me :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. EggheadApril 10, 2008 at 7:51 PM

    These look so yummy. I will make them with my 8 year old granddaughter this weekend. Your site is killing my diet.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mama MiaApril 10, 2008 at 7:53 PM

    Hello! I am so happy I discovered your blog!!!! You are amazing and your website will be a regular of mine from now on.

    ReplyDelete
  19. HeleneApril 10, 2008 at 7:56 PM

    They look perfect and exactly what I am missiong now with my cup of tea!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Obsessive Foodie or Food Addict....You DecideApril 10, 2008 at 8:59 PM

    I am like you....I like chocolate but a little goes a long way. I like my chocolate w/something. I will pick vanilla ice cream anyday over chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Obsessive Foodie or Food Addict....You DecideApril 10, 2008 at 9:00 PM

    These do look amazing and I still must make them.....my husband can take them into work....better his employees get fat rather than me hehehehehehe *evil laugh*

    ReplyDelete
  22. EmilyApril 10, 2008 at 10:43 PM

    These look fab! I used a recipe a few months ago for a cookie like this, and had terrible results. I'll use this recipe next time.

    I'm sorry you get migraines from the chocolate. I'm weird. I take in quite a bit of caffeine and it doesn't seem to effect me. Well, if I DON'T have caffeine, then I'll get a headache.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Susan @ SGCCApril 10, 2008 at 10:52 PM

    I find that I'm a lot more discriminating about my chocolate as I get older. I don't want to waste the calories unless it is really special. I think these cookies fit the bill. They look great!

    ReplyDelete
  24. KJApril 11, 2008 at 2:27 AM

    When I saw the title of your post I was expecting something totally different. In Australia chocolate crackles are made with rice bubbles and copha. These look much yummier. Absolutely delicious in fact.

    ReplyDelete
  25. LizNoVeggieGirlApril 11, 2008 at 4:34 AM

    I'm definitely a carob girl, those crackles look phenomenal!! especially the gooey/fudgy innards :0)

    ReplyDelete
  26. La Cuisine d'HeleneApril 11, 2008 at 9:41 AM

    I will take chocolate over anything. This cookie has probably a different taste with the addition of orange zest. They look good.

    ReplyDelete
  27. ElleApril 11, 2008 at 10:09 AM

    I'll be dreaming of chocolate cookies later. mmmm!

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousApril 11, 2008 at 10:26 AM

    these cookies look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Mike of Mike's TableApril 11, 2008 at 12:30 PM

    Those look delicious and I really like the photos you got of them! And now in my mid-lunch/dinner lull, you've got my stomach rumbling...

    ReplyDelete
  30. Susan from Food BloggaApril 11, 2008 at 4:20 PM

    I've never made crackles, but I have made crinkles (the ones with the sugar in the "cracks" or "crinks" or whatever you call them. Yours look great and would be a perfect snack with some cold milk.

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousApril 11, 2008 at 6:39 PM

    Ohh, you got me drooling! The cookeis look fabolous. Thanks for sharing and lovely pics!

    ReplyDelete
  32. AnonymousApril 11, 2008 at 6:55 PM

    While I love vanilla, at heart I'm a chocolate girl, and these look like a perfect chocolate fix.

    ReplyDelete
  33. michael, claudia and sierraApril 11, 2008 at 7:27 PM

    oh my
    this is a MUST
    great recipe
    bookmarked...

    ReplyDelete
  34. LauraApril 11, 2008 at 9:36 PM

    Oooh these look fantastic. I adore vanilla but think I might be actually addicted to chocolate. When I was in Thailand I carried little Hershey's nuggets with me everywhere. Vanilla is a flavor--chocolate is a food. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. graceApril 12, 2008 at 3:30 AM

    fortunately, i don't think it's possible for me to have too much chocolate. it hasn't happened yet, and let me tell you, it's been put to the test. it seems i have no self-control when chocolate is involved. :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. ShelbyApril 12, 2008 at 5:36 AM

    Wow, what happens when you don't have time to surf? YOU MISS THINGS! Some great looking food...I need to play some catch up! These chocolate cookies look especially yummy & gooey.

    ReplyDelete
  37. AnonymousApril 12, 2008 at 8:21 AM

    Lori,

    These cookies look delicious, for me anything with chocolate has to be good. I do know what you mean about vanilla ... I could bath in the stuff it smells so good :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. LoreApril 12, 2008 at 9:42 AM

    That peak inside the cake really convinced me and my husband likes dark chocolate so will make these soon! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  39. CakespyApril 12, 2008 at 10:25 AM

    Dark chocolate crackles? Accent on the CRACK--these look exceedingly addictive!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. PatsykApril 12, 2008 at 1:36 PM

    I can't resist a chocolatey cookie! I've made the crackle type cookies before, but these may have to make an appearance on my next cookie tray. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  41. AnonymousApril 12, 2008 at 6:08 PM

    Those look so tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  42. SophieApril 12, 2008 at 9:29 PM

    Thanks for the sweet comment :). You know, from one "light baker" to another :D, sometimes I substitute 1/2 cup of butter for 1/8-1/4 tbsp applesauce when I make cookies. It works like a charm, one tricky thing I've learned about applesauce is that it tends to make cookies extra soft and biscuit-like if too much is used...I've learned! Hehe. Just thought I'd pass this little tip along; still trying to figure out the "light" cooking, but if you have any other tips, I'd love to hear about 'em! :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. RosieApril 14, 2008 at 8:15 AM

    This is definitely a recipe for me with chocolate *giggle* This is a must bake, thanks for sharing :)

    Rosie x

    ReplyDelete
  44. Maria♥April 14, 2008 at 1:11 PM

    Oh I love these gorgeous mounds of chocolate! They remind of the chocodoodles I make.

    Maria
    x

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for hanging out here! Your feedback is much appreciated :)