(from Joanne Fluke’s “Gingerbread Cookie Murder,” pg. 44-48)

 

3/4 cup softened salted butter

2 cups brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar (optional)

 

For Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

2 cups (12-oz) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 pecan half to decorate the top of each cookie

 

Cookie instruction:
Do not preheat the oven, as the dough must chill before baking.

Beat the softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the sour cream and the whipping cream. Mix until incorporated.

Mix in the vanilla, baking soda and salt.

Add cocoa powder. Mix at LOW SPEED until incorporated.

Working at LOW SPEED, add flour in ½ cup increments, mixing after each addition.

Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Overnight is fine.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.

Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease.

Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto the cookies sheets.

Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Cookie dough shouldn’t come away on your finger when touching lightly.  Let cookies cool 2 minutes. Slide parchment paper with cookies off pan onto the wire rack until completely cool.

Frost with Fudge Frosting (below) or dust with powdered sugar.

 

Frosting instruction:
Melt chocolate chips in the top of the double boiler or heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wood spoon or a heat-resistant spatula. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and cook approximately 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the frosting is shiny and of spreading consistency.

Work fast to frost every cookie and place pecan or decoration on top. If frosting hardens too soon, reheat over low heat until spreadable again.