Ever had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week? I have. But not for a long time. Then last week happened. Horrible. No good. Very bad. Times two. Times ten. So how else to turn it around but to make World Peace Cookies?!
World Peace Cookies were featured in Bon Appetite magazine this month (Sept. 2010), but the recipe has been circling around the Internet for a few years (recipe by Dorrie Greenspan). This cookie screams chocolate, yes, screams. It’s a roll-and-slice dough made with lots of chopped bittersweet chocolate. The texture of the cookie approaches that of shortbread, but it’s not as crumbly.
I smuggled samples of these into the movie “Eat Pray Love” today, along with a Coconut Rice Krispie Treats and a mini mincemeat tarts, for four of my conscripted taste testers to evaluate. These were the winners. Not a dissenting vote–and I know the Coconut Rice Krispie Treats and the mincemeat tarts were good! Were these THAT good?! Yep!
Roll-and-slice cookies are a bit bothersome to work with. There’s that whole chilling step to deal with. Then there’s the slicing, and this dough crumbles when sliced. It’s easy enough to squish the dough back together and reform the cookie, but it is a annoying to have to. I do like the fact that one roll of the roll-and-slice dough can be refrigerated (or frozen) to be baked later though.
I made a mint version of this cookie by stirring in 3/4 teaspoon mint extract in with the vanilla (I then rolled the roll in green decorating sugar to distinguish it from the pure chocolate cookie). The mint version tasted like Mint Chocolate Girl Scout cookies! I loved them. They are the ones I have pictured above. Next time I think I will make an espresso version, adding some espresso powder in with either the flour or the butter, but I’m getting carried away. There’s nothing wrong with a very chocolatey shortbread cookie. In fact, there’s a lot of things right with it. World peace anyone? (I love the name of this cookie!)
World Peace Cookies
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (can use any type of salt)
5 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate (not to exceed 85% cacao), chopped (no pieces bigger than 1/3 inch)
Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth but not fluffy. Add both sugars, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended (mixture may be crumbly). Add chopped chocolate; mix just to distribute (if dough doesn’t come together, knead lightly in bowl to form ball). Divide dough in half. Place each half on sheet of plastic wrap. Form each into 1 1/2-inch-diameter log. Wrap each in plastic; chill until firm, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using thin sharp knife, cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies appear dry (cookies will not be firm or golden at edges), 11 to 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!
