Amply flavored with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Chocolate is used three times! Cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and chocolate chunks are used, making these perfect for chocolate lovers!!
5ouncesbittersweet baking chocolate or dark chocolateroughly chopped into chunks (I use Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus bar; use a favorite bold dark chocolate or chocolate bar)
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating for Rolling
¾cupgranulated sugar
1teaspooncinnamon
Instructions
In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
To the slightly cooled butter (so you don't scramble the egg), add the egg, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, molasses, oil, vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and whisk vigorously to combine until batter is smooth and silky.
Add the flour, baking, soda and stir to just incorporate; dough will be thick.
Fold in the chocolate chips and chocolate baking chunks (I used nearly 6 ounces; using a total of 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips is okay if you don't have baking chocolate or a chocolate bar to chop).
Cover mixing bowl or transfer batter to an airtight food storage container and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days, prior to baking.
Preheat oven to 350F, line two baking trays with Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mats liners, parchment, or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Make the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, combine about 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and stir to combine.
Using a cookie scoop, form 2-ounce mounds of dough and roll each ball through the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on baking trays, spaced about 2 inches apart (I bake 8 to a tray).
Allow cookies to bake in fairly domed-up, mounded, ball-like shapes. Bake for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until tops have just set, taking care not to overbake so they stay soft and chewy. Note - The cookies in the photos are baked for exactly 8 minutes, and they're soft with melted chocolate.
Upon removing trays from oven, if cookies stayed domed while baking (likely they will) immediately give cookies a firm yet gentle tap or two with the back of a spoon to flatten them. This creates a crackled top appearance and exposes some of the melted chocolate chips and chunks.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before moving them to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Note regarding flour: I live in San Diego and it's incredibly dry here this time of year and I likely need less flour than other climates. I used 2 1/4 cups plus about 2 tablespoons flour. Depending on your climate and humidity, you may wish to start with 2 1/4 cups and increase to 2 1/2 cups flour, as necessary. The dough should be quite thick, albeit sticky and tacky, courtesy of the molasses.Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.