I would be lying if I said I had a favorite dessert–there are just too many that I love for me to pick only one. However chocolate is definitely the ingredient that unites them all so these rich little cookies easily earn a top spot. If you've never tried so-called "crinkle cookies" you're in for a treat. Not only are they delicious, they are a lot of fun to bake: they start out small, puff up in the oven to crack their powderd-sugary coating, and stay perfectly chewy for days. 

 

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Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

3 tablespoons of canola oil

3 large eggs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 cup confectioners sugar

 

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Melt chocolate with oil in a medium pan over low heat, stirring until smooth.

3. Remove from heat and stir in eggs, granulated sugar, and almond extract.

4. Stir in flour mixture, then stir in almonds. Chill covered until firm, about 2 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift confectioners sugar onto a plate. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and roll balls as formed in confectioners sugar to generously coat.

6.  Arrange balls 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until puffed and cracked but centers are still a bit soft, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.