Are you still looking for more chocolate after Halloween?  These delicious treats should do the trick – soft, chewy and easy to make, chocolate cookies are a definite crowd pleaser.  To ensure the all-important soft and chewy texture, take these cookies out of the oven just before they are done and leave them on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.  A few items to note about this recipe:

• I use a small melon or ice-cream scoop to ensure consistency when forming dough
• the cookies taste great regardless of whether or not you use sanding sugar!

Makes a little over 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2  1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• sanding sugar, for rolling

Combine and sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine.  Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beat to combine.  Form dough into a flattened disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Shape dough into 1  1/4-inch balls.  Roll each ball in sanding sugar.  Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.  Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Transfer to a rack and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies from baking sheet to wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies can be stored between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

original recipe can be found here