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Deep, fudgy chocolate cookies coated in powdered sugar that crack into beautiful snowy fissures as they bake, revealing an intensely dark interior that tastes like the best brownie you've ever had.
These cookies appeared on American Christmas tables sometime in the mid-twentieth century, and they've stayed there ever since. The reason is simple: they deliver. That dramatic crackled surface dusted in white sugar looks like something from a bakery window, yet the technique requires nothing more than patience and a willingness to chill your dough properly.
The magic happens in the oven. As the cold dough balls warm and spread, the powdered sugar coating stretches and cracks, creating those signature fissures that expose the dark chocolate beneath. It's a bit of theater, really. Your guests will think you spent all day fussing. You'll know better.
I've made these cookies with countless students over the years, and the same mistake appears every time: insufficient chilling. Warm dough spreads too fast and the crinkles flatten into something disappointingly smooth. Give your dough the time it needs. Three hours minimum, overnight if you can manage it. The results speak for themselves.
The interior should remain slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven. They'll firm as they cool, leaving you with that dense, fudgy center that makes people reach for a second cookie before they've finished the first. This is not a crispy cookie. This is a chewy, brownie-like confession of chocolate, and it belongs on every holiday cookie tray worth assembling.
Quantity
4 oz (113g)
chopped
Quantity
1/2 cup (113g)
Quantity
1 1/2 cups (300g)
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
3
Quantity
2 cups (250g)
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 cup (60g)
for rolling
Quantity
1 cup (120g)
for rolling
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| unsweetened chocolatechopped | 4 oz (113g) |
| unsalted butter | 1/2 cup (113g) |
| granulated sugar | 1 1/2 cups (300g) |
| pure vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons |
| large eggs, room temperature | 3 |
| all-purpose flour | 2 cups (250g) |
| baking powder | 2 teaspoons |
| fine sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| granulated sugarfor rolling | 1/2 cup (60g) |
| powdered sugarfor rolling | 1 cup (120g) |
Place chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. The bowl shouldn't touch the water. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth, about 4 minutes. The mixture will look glossy and flow easily from your spatula. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. It should feel warm to the touch but not hot enough to scramble your eggs.
Whisk the granulated sugar into the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated. The mixture will turn from glossy to slightly grainy looking. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. After all three eggs are in, whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the batter looks smooth and slightly thickened.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be thick and glossy, almost like brownie batter. Resist the urge to overmix. Once the flour disappears, you're done.
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. The dough must be thoroughly chilled and firm enough to roll into balls without sticking to your hands. This step is not optional. Warm dough spreads too quickly and won't crinkle properly.
When ready to bake, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in another. These two coatings work together: the granulated sugar prevents the powdered sugar from absorbing completely into the dough.
Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough (about 25g each) and roll between your palms into smooth balls. Work quickly so the dough stays cold. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, coating completely, then immediately roll in powdered sugar until thickly coated. The powdered sugar layer should be generous, almost excessive looking. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies are done when they've spread and the tops are cracked with deep fissures, but the centers still look slightly underdone and soft. They'll appear almost too wet in the middle. Trust the process. They firm significantly as they cool.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will deflate slightly and the centers will set into that characteristic fudgy texture. Repeat with remaining dough, allowing baking sheets to cool between batches.
1 serving (about 30g)
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