Small Batch Chocolate Cookies (8 Ways)

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 26 minutes

Ingredients

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, substitute white sugar

1 large egg yolk, reserve white for another use

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa, (not Dutch-processed)

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour, substitute all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch fine sea salt

2 tablespoons chocolate chips, plus more for topping cookies if desired

Walnut Brownie Cookies

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

6 walnut halves

Chocolate Almond Cookies

Omit vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons sliced or chopped almonds

Coconut Pecan Cookies

1 tablespoon shredded coconut, toasted

1 tablespoon chopped pecans

6 pecan halves

Peppermint Cookies

1 tablespoon crushed mints

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Omit dark chocolate chips

1 tablespoon crushed mints

2 tablespoons white chocolate chips, melted

Spicy Hot Chocolate Cookies

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

S’mores Cookies

1 sheet graham cracker

18 mini marshmallows

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions

In a medium bowl beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in egg yolk and extract.

Place mixer on lowest speed and add cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and any additional mix-ins (see flavor variations in Notes section below).

Chill cookie dough for at least 10 minutes.

While the dough chills, preheat your toaster oven to 350°F and lightly oil your cookie sheet or line with a small silicone baking mat.

Roll chilled dough into 6 tablespoon-sized balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart and lightly flatten.

Gently press extra chocolate chips into the top each cookie if desired.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cookies are set but the centers are still puffed and soft. Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

QUADRUPLE THIS RECIPE AT MINIMUM

For Walnut Brownie Cookies: Stir chopped walnuts into dough before chilling. Press a walnut half into the top of each cookie before baking.For Chocolate Almond Cookies: Substitute almond extract for the vanilla. Stir sliced or chopped almonds into dough before chilling.For Coconut Pecan Cookies: Stir toasted coconut and chopped pecans into dough before chilling. Press a whole pecan into the top of each cookie before baking.For Peppermint Cookies: Stir crushed mints into the dough before chilling.For White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: Omit the dark chocolate chips and stir crushed mints into the dough before chilling. Drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate.For Spicy Hot Chocolate Cookies: Add ground cinnamon and ground cayenne pepper with flour.For S’mores Cookies: Crumble graham cracker sheet and stir into dough. After baking as directed above, immediately top each warm cookie with 3 mini marshmallows. Broil cookie just until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned, about 15 to 30 seconds.For Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies: Omit dark chocolate chips. In a small bowl stir together peanut butter maple syrup until a soft dough forms. Roll into six small balls. Flatten a chilled chocolate dough ball, place a peanut butter ball in the center and roll chocolate dough around it. Repeat with remaining dough and bake as recipe directs.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 104
• Total Fat: 5.6 g
• Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
• Cholesterol: 38.4 mg
• Sodium: 106.7 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 1.7 g