Published November 1, 2005.
To cram big chocolate flavor into a tender, crisp chocolate butter cookie recipe, we found that cocoa powder—with a much higher percentage of cocoa solids than other forms of chocolate—was clearly the best candidate. So we doubled the amount of cocoa in our chocolate butter cookie recipe. Then we discovered that "blooming" the cocoa powder in melted butter (along with a teaspoon of instant espresso) before adding it to the dough really maximized the chocolate flavor.
Natural cocoa will work in this recipe, but we found that Dutch-processed yields the best chocolate flavor. Espresso powder provides complexity, but instant coffee can be substituted in a pinch. To avoid overbrowning, we recommend lining nonstick baking sheets with parchment paper. If desired, sprinkle each glazed cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped candied orange zest (you will need about 1/2 cup). Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days but should be glazed the day they are served.
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