Hot Cocoa Cookies

I'm kind of majorly freaking out about these cookies.

I was just planning on making regular chocolate chip cookies. I always like to add a touch of cinnamon because yum. But, because it's fall and the weather is so extremely fall-y I sort of went a little crazy on the cinnamon. Adding in some other spices as well. Then I completely forgot I did that and kept making the batter. I was looking in the pantry for the flour and saw the cocoa powder and thought, "hmm... that might be a nice addition!" So I replaced half a cup of flour with cocoa powder. 

And, you know, if you add cocoa powder... you need white chocolate... and maybe milk chocolate. So I added those in as well. 

Then they started baking... and the cinnamon-y, autumn smell started taking over the kitchen. It was magical. And then I scarfed down about a hundred of them and am still crying over how good they were. They aren't crazy chocolatey because there isn't too much cocoa powder. They stay chewy on the inside despite them being crispy and crackly on the outside. They're light even though they sound so extremely decadent. I'm naming them hot cocoa cookies because of this. 

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

• 1 cup Salted Butter
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

On medium speed, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix in. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and spices. Mix into the butter mixture until well incorporated (this takes some time). Stir in all the chips. 

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet about two inches apart. Place in the freezer for ten minutes. Bake cookies on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes. They will start to crack when they are ready and will no longer look wet. Let cool before eating.