Double Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are quick to make because you use cold butter.  No remembering to get the butter out of the fridge beforehand!  They do use cake flour, but Mel's Kitchen Cafe (where the recipe comes from) has 2 solutions to cake flour that you probably already have at home.  (Using flour and cornstarch).  The recipe calls for dark or Dutch-processed cocoa, but I just used the regular Hershey's I had at home, and these were still delicious.  I subbed some mini Reese's Pieces for some of the dark choc chips, and I really enjoyed the bits of PB in these. 

Double Chocolate Cookies
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces), cold butter straight from the fridge cut into tablespoon-size pieces (I use salted butter)
1 cup (7.5 ounces) lightly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour (click for how to make your own)
1/2 cup (1.75 ounces) regular, dark or Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (I subbed some mini Reese's pieces)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cold butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Start the mixer on low (the butter will fly around a bit since it's cold) and gradually increase to medium speed. Mix for 4-6 minutes until the mixture is creamy and very well-combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

2.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined and the batter is light in color, 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together (and so the dry ingredients don't fly everywhere). When just a few dry streaks remain, add the chocolate chips or chunk and mix just until combined and there are no dry spots.

3.  You can make huge cookies, like the original recipe, or just use a regular cookie scoop like I did.  Scoop  balls of dough place several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes until set on the outside but still soft in the middle. (Don't overbake; you want them soft in the middle.)  Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets to cool for 5-7 minutes before removing. 

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