Chocolate Brownie/Cookies

I wanted to make cookies the other day, but was nearly out of butter so started looking around on the internet for cookies made without butter and, of course!, found tons of recipes made with oil. This one looked pretty good and it did not disappoint! Chewy inside like a brownie with crispy outer edges like a cookie…perfect combo of textures. Plus, NO BUTTER, so nearly a health-food! I love the way they crack on top. Finishing with flaky sea salt adds a nice touch of balance to the sweet chocolate.

I added more chocolate chips to the batter as I wanted to see little bits of melted chocolate on the brownie/cookie tops. This is optional, but strongly recommended. :-)

They also were easy to make using just one bowl and a whisk and rubber spatula for mixing. You will want to use a neutral oil like grapeseed, canola oil, vegetable oil or my new favorite…Avocado Oil.

Start by adding 1/2 cup avocado oil, or whichever neutral oil you decide, to a large bowl. Add both 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed, and 2 tbsp. white sugar.

As you can see the texture looks grainy, very unlike when mixing lots of butter and sugar for regular cookies.

Next add a large egg and continue whisking for at least 1 full minute. The batter starts to come together with the addition of the egg, but it is still loose and grainy. Always bring eggs to room temperature before adding.

Add 2 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. flaky sea salt, like Maldon.

Next add 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa. If the cocoa is lumpy, sift through a fine mesh sieve by pressing on the cocoa with the back of a spoon. This step just takes a couple of minutes and is definitely worth it as you don’t want lumps in the dough. See how sifting the cocoa results in a very fine powder.

Once the cocoa is sifted in, add dry ingredients: 1/4 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 tsp. baking soda, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, and 1 cup All-purpose flour.

At this point you will want to switch to a rubber spatula as the batter becomes much too thick to whisk and will just get caught up.

Now the batter looks much more like brownie batter. You don’t have to add additional chocolate, but why wouldn’t you? Stir in 1/3 cup sweet chocolate bits plus 3/4 cup bitter sweet to make a hefty full cup. You can use all sweet or all bitter, but I like the combination.

Let the batter rest, covered in the bowl, on the counter for 15 minutes. While resting, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using a 2″ ice cream scoop, drop 12 little mounds of batter keeping them rounded up and leaving at least 1 inch around the border and about 2 inches between the batter as you don’t want them to stick together.

As with so many of my beloved kitchen tools, this scoop most likely came from one of our Grandparents. Probably from my husband, Jerry’s as they lived in Boston. The scoop is from Gilchrist’s Department Store, circa 1930. My Grandparents lived in Alstead, NH, population just over 600 in 1930, so would not have had access to a Gilchrest’s store. Gilchrist’s opened in Boston in 1842 and operated continuously for 135 years. It was a major middle-class and working-class shopping landmark located downtown, next to Filene’s and Jordan Marsh.

Do not press the batter down as they re-shape as they bake. Sprinkle a little flaky salt over the top of each brownie/cooking. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cracks in the top are visible and the brownie/cookies are puffed up.

Let cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes as at this point the brownie/cookies are very tender and tear easily.

Once the brownie/cookies have deflated and start to firm up, move to a wire rack to cool completely. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container on the counter. I guarantee they won’t last more than 1 to 2 days!

My husband, Jerry, is my official “taster” and he gave these Chocolate Brownie/Cookies a big thumb’s up!

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Chocolate Brownie/Cookies

Very chocolatey, rich and delicious. The interior has a brownie texture and the exterior is crisp and tops are cracked with perfect cookie texture.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Avocado Oil Or other neutral oil.
• 2 Tbsp. White sugar
• 3/4 cup Brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 lge. Egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. Pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. Flaky sea salt Such as Maldon.
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. Baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. Baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1 cup Flour, white, all-purpose
• Additional flaky sea salt for topping the batter before baking.

Instructions

• Add the avocado oil to a large bowl. Add both white and brown sugars and whisk the mixture very well for at least a full minute.
• Add the egg and whisk for another full minute.
• Add the vanilla and flaky salt and whisk to combine.
• Add the cocoa (sift if it's lumpy) and whisk to combine.
• Switching from a whisk to a rubber spatula add in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to combine well.
• Stir in chocolate chips if using.
• Let the batter rest, covered in the bowl on the counter for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a 2 inch scoop drop the batter onto the parchment in nice, round mounds. Leave 1 inch border along edges and good space in between so they don't stick together.
• Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they puff up and the tops are cracked all over.
• Let cool for a couple minutes on the cookies sheet. Remove to completely cool on a wire rack.
• Store at room temperature in an airtight container.