Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tomorrow is the Ashley Hall Christmas Play. All of the angels are gathering together beforehand to spend a little time with one another. We are meeting at a friend's house that is only a block or two away from where the play is being performed. Because I love to bake and because I didn't want the host to have to handle the burden of providing all of the food, I decided that I would bake a treat to bring along.

I wasn't sure exactly what I would bring. What do angels eat anyway? It had to be something that wouldn't spill down the front of anyone's dress and something that would appeal to most everyone. Cookies are easily transportable and everyone loves chocolate, so I landed on these little guys.

The flavor profile and texture are similar to that of a brownie but a bit more dense, kind of like a truffle. The chunks of toasted walnuts add another dimension and the chocolate chips bring a festiveness to the cookies that otherwise might not have been there. They are the perfect thing to bring as a hostess gift or simply something to snack on as you are doing your holiday shopping.

I sincerely hope that all of my classmates enjoy these cookies. Maybe they will even describe them as heavenly. Who knows?

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 60 cookies
Adapted from Room for Dessert


1 pound bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips

Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Whip eggs, sugar, and vanilla at high speed in a standing mixer fixed with a whisk attachment until they form a well-defined ribbon when you lift the whisk. Remove the whisk and attach the paddle to the mixer. Turn the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate mixture. Stir together flour and baking powder and add them to batter. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Chill dough until it's firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into three 10-inch logs, 2 inches in diameter. Preheat the oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick cookies and place on baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool completely.