Mocha Crinkles

So for the past few weeks I've been craving something sweet and chocolate and wanted to make something. I'd recently picked up some cocoa powder to make souffles. Of course I had to find other means of using up the cocoa before leaving for Alaska. I found this super easy recipe in a cookbook my boyfriend's family had gotten me a few Christmas' ago. I love this book. Almost every recipe has a picture. Who doesn't love pictures?! I'm one of those people who likes to know what my food is supposed to look like when I'm done, hehe.

I was disappointed in myself for not reading all the way through the recipe first before getting started. Why was I disappointed? It calls for the dough to be refrigerated for a few hours so you've been forewarned! Now don't go and try to pass the fridge step, it won't be the same! Letting the dough chill for a bit will make it easier to roll into balls.

They're not overly sweet and really the coffee flavor is very light. They stayed nice and soft and were chewy on the outside. I was a little weirded out by the black pepper in the recipe, but I stuck it in anyway! I'm not sure what 1/8 tsp. of black pepper really does for these cookies, but who cares? They were yummy! I'm pretty sure these will be on the list for the holiday baking.I'm a sick sick woman aren't I? Already planning my holiday baking...

Mocha Crinkles

adapted from The Cookie Bible

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3 tbsp. egg whites (or 1 egg)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tsp. instant espresso or coffee granules

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Beat sugar and oil in a medium bowl. Mix in sour cream, egg whites (or egg) and vanilla. Set aside.

Mix flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, salt and pepper in another medium bowl.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; mix well. Refrigerate dough until firm, 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pour powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 10 to 12 minutes or until tops of cookies are firm to touch. (Do not overbake.) Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 5-6 dozen cookies (depending on the size you make them).

and for the close up...

oooohhhhhh...