Salted Double Chocolate Spice Cookies
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These decadent chocolate cookies get a slightly savory twist with the addition of warm winter spices and an extra sprinkle of good salt. Take note that the dough needs to chill for at least 45 minutes before baking, which is not included in the listed Prep Time. The Cook Time is based on the assumption that you'll bake 3 pans of cookies in succession. If you don't want to bake all the cookies at once, the dough will keep covered in the refrigerator for 3 days or up to a month in the freezer, so feel free to bake as many (or as few) at a time as you'd like.
Author:
Recipe type: Baking, Chocolate, Dessert
Cuisine: Modern American
Yield: 17-18 cookies
Ingredients
  • 140g (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter or dairy-free shortening, cut or broken into pieces
  • 10 ml (2 tsp) cold water
  • 220g gluten-free flour blend*
  • 35g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder, sifted
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • ¾ tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne
  • 98g (½ cup) organic cane sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 100g (½ cup) brown sugar
  • 85g (½ cup) chopped dark chocolate (at least 72% cacao)
  • Flaked or smoked salt for topping
Procedure
  1. Brown butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, until deep amber in color and highly fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl, whisk in water, and place in refrigerator or freezer, whisking occasionally, until butter is cool to the touch but not solidified.
  2. While butter is cooling, whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and spices in a medium bowl.
  3. Using a hand mixer with beaters or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses on medium-high speed until mixture is thickened and foamy. Reduce speed to medium, add brown sugar and cooled brown butter, and mix until combined, about 15 seconds. Turn off mixer and use a spoon or spatula to stir in flour until only a few dry streaks remain. This takes a bit of effort but it will come together. Fold in chopped chocolate and continue mixing until dough comes together, all flour is blended in, and chocolate is evenly distributed throughout.
  4. Wrap tightly in plastic or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate dough for at least 45 minutes, but preferably overnight. Dough will keep in refrigerator for up to three days.
  5. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  6. Measure cookies into 45-gram portions (about 1 ½ Tbsp each) and form into mounds. Place 6-8 dough mounds on each prepared sheet pan, spacing them at least an inch apart on all sides as cookies will spread. Sprinkle the top of each one with a pinch of flaked or smoked salt.
  7. Bake pans one at a time on center oven rack for 14-16 minutes, until the centers are puffed and cracked but still soft, and the edges have set.
  8. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool until set, then loosen with an offset spatula and transfer directly to rack to cool completely.
Notes
*I like to use the following blend of flours for these cookies, but you can substitute an equal weight of another homemade or store-bought blend. I recommend using one that contains at least a portion of whole grain flour (like Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour). Be sure to omit the xanthan gum if your blend already contains it.

70g (½ cup) sweet white rice flour
50g (⅓ cup) teff flour
60g (7 Tbsp) sorghum flour
40g (⅓ cup) tapioca flour
3g (¼ + ⅛ tsp) xanthan gum
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/salted-double-chocolate-spice-cookies/