Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

My daughters told me about these cookies from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  I bought the cookbook but so far this recipe is all I've made (maybe more than a few times) from the book.  When I get two recommendations for the same cookie in one day I take note.  They're buttery, tender, and chocolate-y with just a hint of vanilla. Don't overcook them; they're best soft.  They're quick to make (for a cut out cookie) and I always have the ingredients in my pantry.  Nothing fancy; just the basics.  I've made ice cream sandwiches with them too. They're perfect for those because they hold together well.

They're a hit at parties and I had an cookie assignment last night so I made a batch.  Someone at the party tasted them and said,  "Oh, I make this recipe. I love these, but yours are better.  Mine are more tough".

Shall I tell you my secret?  When I make cut-out cookies, I keep a bristle pastry brush on the counter.  I brush off excess flour from the bottom and top of the raw cookies before putting them on the baking sheet.  I also brush off excess flour from the underside of the scraps before gathering them together in a ball to re-roll the dough. 

Flour makes cookies tough and the less of it you put into the dough while handling it, the softer your cookie will be.  Chilling helps and gentle handling of the dough is preferable so you don't over-develop the gluten.
A pastry or dough scraper (the white gadget above) makes clean up of our rolling board or counter fast and easy as well).  

I just needed a few dozen for the party so I wrapped a few bags for my freezer from the batch.

Six cookies in a cellophane bag tied with bakery twine were the perfect THANK YOU for a neighbor.

That's pretty good multi-tasking from one batch of cookies.  And not a bad days work, if I may say so.

Here's the recipe directly from Smitten Kitchen blog.

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies*
Recipe from Deb’s mom

3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (225 grams) lightly salted butter, softened (Deb note: I don’t really see “lightly salted” much these days, so I used one stick salted, one stick unsalted)
1 1/2 (300 grams) cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (approximately 60 grams — weights can vary a bit depending on brand. I use the “good” stuff–Droste, Galler or Valrhona –but I can assure you that my mother only used Hershey’s growing up, so your choice)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Whisk dry flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top. (It does disappear once baked, though, so don’t overly fret if they go into the oven looking white.) Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8 to 11 minutes (the former for 1/8-inch thick cookies, the latter for 1/4-inch cookies) until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

* According to my mother’s recipe, they’re called chocolate sugar cookies but I do not feel that it does them justice.