Test Kitchen Thursday - Search for the Ultimate Chocolate Cookie

My search for the ultimate chocolate cookie recipe ended with this Taste of Home online recipe! 

For Thursday night's FFA meeting/Parent Demonstration Night, I made blue velvet cupcakes with yellow cream cheese frosting.  

Such fun!  The recipe I used was the red velvet cupcake from BHG that I found a few years ago.  Check it out - another great cake recipe!  The article always mentioned one should try serving them with little chocolate heart cookies.  Decided this year I would try that new twist.  Drat, now I'm hooked on these little chocolate cookies.

Just look at the cute little things.  Wait, how did this cookie get in my hand?  Even my husband, who is not a fan of chocolate,liked them.  And yes, they come with the teenage crowd's stamp of approval too.  Passed the Grant taste test - although I think he'd eat anything chocolate.  

I was somewhat hesitant to try them since there was one pretty bad review but the recipe seemed so simple and easy.  Glad I went with my instincts.  Taste of Home rarely steers me wrong.  Clark & Grant LOVED cutting out cookies.  The dough was really nice to work with.  

This recipe done as written is easy and delicious.  The only things I did that might differ were:

• Added 1/2 teaspoon salt - because I used unsalted butter
• Used Dutch process cocoa (adds a lot to chocolate flavor in my opinion)
• Rolled out using a combination of flour and cocoa to keep from sticking to counter
• Placed on parchment paper on pan to bake
• Because they were so small (mini cutter) only took about 5 minutes to bake - so depending on size and oven watch closely and check early

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Directions
  

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 2-3 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
•  Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.