Babies, babies everywhere.  In the last couple of weeks two of my friends have had babies.  Another friend is due next week, and my sister in law is due a couple of months later.  I suddenly feel surrounded by babies.  It is an exciting time.  Plus it is great that Lucy will suddenly have so many new little friends.

In celebration of these beautiful little babies I decided to bake up some cookies for my friends.  I went to the bible of baking, Dorie Greenspan’s baking book.  I decided to pick a new recipe called World Peace cookies.  At the risk of sounding a little sappy, I thought it was a nice name for some cookies celebrating these new babies.  Boy were these cookies good.  In fact, I would say they are some of the best cookies I have ever made.  They were great with a cup of tea or on their own.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 stick, plus 3 T butter (room temp.)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 sugar

1/2 salt

1 t. vanilla extract

5 ounces bitter-sweet chocoate

Method:

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together and set aside.

Using a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  Add both sugars, the salt, vanilla, and beat for about 2 minutes.

Turn off the mixer and pour all the dry ingredients all at once.   Put a towel over the mixer to stop flour from flying at you.  Pulse the mixer a few times for a couple seconds each time.  Take the towel off and mix on low for 30 seconds.  It is vitally important to not over mix a shortbread dough which is what this is.  The dough will look a little crumbly.  Add the chocolate chips or chunks until just incorporated.

Divide the dough into two and roll into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least three hours.

Baking:

After the dough is chilled, heat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment.  Using a sharp knife cut the logs into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.  They won’t look done, but they are.  Take them out and slide the entire sheet of parchment with the cookies on it onto a cooling rack.

These cookies are absolutely wonderful.  You can freeze the dough and keep for another time if you desire.  After tasting these you may just think it is a good idea to always keep some dough frozen on hand just in case you feel like one of these delicious cookies.