Hello Lovely Friends! Well, there is so much to talk about that I don’t know where to start. So, I think that I will just talk about the yummy recipe that I want to share with you today rather than my ridiculous life. Here goes.
Who else has been lucky enough to have potlucks as part of your past or current existence? I spent many, many, many an evening at political potlucks as I was growing up. My dad was a party chairman in our county and a local politician for most of my childhood. One of the best parts of that was going to the monthly potlucks. It is not a fable that little old ladies can cook up magical food. I have had the privilege to sample some of the best of midwestern cooking and baking. As my boys were growing up, my husband was also a local politician and they got to experience this phenomenon themselves…and they loved it. Nevermind that we had to sit quietly and listen to the speeches and obligatory meeting minutes etc. We got to eat the best food and it was worth it.
The recipe that I want to share today is reminiscent of one of the greatest (in my opinion) potluck desserts of all time….Texas Cake. I adore Texas Cake. I do not make it often and I have no reason for that. Most people would say that it makes such a large cake and it is too much for everyday baking. To that, I say, pssshhhaw. There is never too much chocolate cake. End of story. I think that, for me, Texas Cake has a special place at the potluck or family gathering and I don’t want to relegate it to an ordinary dessert.
This recipe is not for Texas Cake, though. It is for Texas Cake Cookies!!!!! They taste just like the cake but in my warped, chocolate-fueled brain, cookies are eminently more simple and homey and comforting. Cookies are for everyday and not just for special occasions. I’m weird, I know.
What makes these cookies so special is the icing so don’t skip it. I am not a person who loves to frost cookies but this is the exception. I have iced these with and without the addition of chopped pecans. Both are wonderful. To me the pecans are a part of the Texas Cake charm but some people are not into them and that is ok by me too. You may notice that in some of my pictures there are cookies made with and without pecans. I made these for a family gathering and I knew that some of my peeps do not like nuts in their cookies. Go figure.
I also have found that these cookies get better after sitting for a few hours or until the next day. This is perfect if you are planning to take them to work or a party or a potluck. Make them a day ahead and once they are completely cool, just store them in an airtight container. They keep for days without drying out. That icing seals in all that moist cakey goodness.
My measurements here are for a large batch of cookies. But, can easily be reduced if you don’t want that many. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want a lot of these delicious morsels but you do you.
For the cookies you will need 1 1/2 cups salted butter at room temperature, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 eggs, 3 teaspoons vanilla, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 cups flour and 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled slightly). For the icing you will need 1 1/2 cups salted butter, 6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s), 9 Tablespoons milk (at least), 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans (optional). I just noticed that my picture of the ingredients does not show enough butter. Oh well.
First you want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
For the cookies, put the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and zap for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and then zap again until they are all melted. Set the melted chips aside.
Then, with your stand or hand held mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides as needed. This normally takes my mixer about 4 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well again.
Add the baking powder and salt and mix well.
With the mixer on low (you know this drill), add the flour in increments. About ½ cup at a time usually does the trick. This dough is pretty thick but don’t be alarmed.
Add the melted chocolate to your batter and mix until all is smooth and incorporated.
Scoop dough into mounds that are about a Tablespoon or so onto your parchment lined baking sheet..
Bake for 7 or 8 minutes or until just set. They will look undercooked in the middle probably but that is what you want. Don’t overbake them or they will be hard and not soft and cakey.
Allow them to cool on your baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack or a parchment covered board or your parchment covered counter. Let the cookies cool until they are no longer warm to the touch before adding the icing.
For the icing, add your butter, unsweetened cocoa powder and 9 Tablespoons milk to a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk the ingredients until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Add the chopped pecans now if you are using them. Use a large spoon or small ladle to dip out small amounts of the icing and pour over the cookies. You may have to add more milk if your icing is too thick to pour. You may also have to give it a little push with a butter knife or offset spatula if the icing wants to stay in a blob on the top of the cookie.
Allow the icing to set and enjoy. Or, be like me, and eat one while still warm. Ok, maybe more than one. Shhhhh.
I hope you enjoy these cookies. They are phenomenal. So dense and fudgy but still cakey. And that fantastic Texas Cake icing covering the top is out of this world.
Until we meet again, friends, all my love!
Texas Cake Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs large
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour all-purpose
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the icing:
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 9 tbsp milk
- 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- First you want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
For the cookies:
- Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and zap for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and then zap again until they are all melted. Set the melted chips aside.
- With your stand or hand held mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides as needed. This normally takes my mixer about 4 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well again.
- Add the baking powder and salt and mix well.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour in increments. About ½ cup at a time usually does the trick. This dough is pretty thick but don’t be alarmed.
- Add the melted chocolate to your batter and mix until all is smooth and incorporated.
- Scoop dough into mounds that are about a Tablespoon or so onto your parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 7 or 8 minutes or until just set. They will look undercooked in the middle probably but that is what you want. Don’t overbake them or they will be hard and not soft and cakey.
- Allow them to cool on your baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack or a parchment covered board or your parchment covered counter. Let the cookies cool until they are no longer warm to the touch before adding the icing.
For the icing:
- Add your butter, unsweetened cocoa powder and 9 Tablespoons milk to a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk the ingredients until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar.
- Add the chopped pecans now if you are using.
- Use a large spoon or small ladle to dip out small amounts of the icing and pour over the cookies. You may have to add more milk if your icing is too thick to pour. You may also have to give it a little push with a butter knife or offset spatula if the icing wants to stay in a blob on the top of the cookie. Allow the icing to set completely.
- These can be stored in an airtight container after they have completely cooled and set.
