Contributor Liz Bell has been baking up a storm for family and friends, but also to sell at nearby farmers’ markets. She bakes her delectable homemade goodies with farm fresh eggs from their Quartz Hill Farm. Follow her on Facebook Quartz Hill Farm LLC.
Here is Liz, with her recipe for luscious Chewy Brownie Cookies:
Cookies are becoming a popular dessert at weddings. This cookie would be a great choice for any celebration. If you are a chocolate lover, you will love these cookies. They are great alone, or as a sandwich cookie with vanilla ice cream in the middle. Indulge just this once in one of these chewy treats. You deserve it ladies.
Baking tip: In preparation for baking, I like to mix the dry ingredients first, so, when it comes time to add them to the wet, I do not have to stop the baking process and mix them together.
Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
Ingredients:
Gather the following ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa or regular cocoa (I prefer the special dark)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (12oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Combine flour cocoa, salt, and baking soda. I use a wire whip to ensure they are thoroughly mixed. Set aside for now.
Cream together shortening, brown sugar, water, and vanilla. Add the eggs and mix well.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the shortening and sugar mixture just until they are blended. Add the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Drop cookies by rounded tablespoons about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
(Baking tip: I use a 1 oz. cookie scoop. This gives me a more-uniform shape and size.)
Bake seven to nine minutes. For a chewy cookie, bake them until they appear firm around the edges, but a little shiny still in the middle. Cool approximately two minutes and then remove cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely. Yield will depend on the size of cookie you choose to bake. If you follow the recipe and use the rounded tablespoonful, it will yield approx. three dozen cookies.
Variations: Add Andes mint chocolate chips for a little minty flavor. Or, substitute coconut flavoring and add some shredded coconut for a little German chocolate cake taste.
