Salted Choco Choco Chip Cookies and a New Addition to the Fam

 

These days, if your cookie doesn't have salt on it, you're a total square. When I was a kid, nobody wanted a salty cookie. That would be like asking for pie with motor oil on top. But now, salting desserts is all the rage: cookies, mini-cakes, ice cream, chocolate bars. Sugar has decided that salt is the Romeo to her Juliet, and she can no longer function alone. 

Despite being a serious dessert lover, and being well-aware of the popularity of salted sweet treats in recent years, I've never had a salted cookie. And I certainly hadn't made my own before now. Every time I thought about it, it seemed like an unnecessarily risky move for a batch of cookies that I knew would be delish on their own. Not this time, boys and girls - full salt ahead.

I decided that a salty topcoat would be most delicious on a dark chocolate cookie (I decided correctly). This batch was a chocolate cookie base with white chocolate chunks. I used vegan buttery spread because that's what I had on hand that day, but butter can be swapped in no problem. Or, in the alternative, you could replace the egg and white chocolate chips to make vegan cookies. For the sprinkling of salt, I found that two pinches of sea salt per cookie was just the right amount. Your gut will tell you to stop after one pinch, but ignore it. Go for two pinches. And make sure you're using large grain sea salt. Tiny grains of table salt won't have the same flavor effect.

The result? Real good cookies. The problem? Salty cookies, much like pretzels or chips or any other salty snack make you want to keep eating them. Mmmmm, that salty cookie was so yummy and salty, I'm thirsty for another. Ooooooh, those two cookies make me want a third even more! And let's not talk about the compulsion I felt for a fourth. Needless to say, they're dangerous. Just make sure you're in a portion-control state of mind when you bake these suckers. Or bring them to a big party where they're sure to go quickly.

And another thing, unlike any other cookie I've ever encountered, these guys are best after they are completely cooled. When you eat them warm out of the oven, the salt doesn't mesh as well with the cookie flavor - it's as if you were eating a regular cookie with some salt sprinkled on ex post bake-o. But once they have a chance to cool, the salt magically becomes one with the cookie and you have a perfect, sweet cookie with the faintest savory bite.

And in other news...

We got a new dog! I usually like to tie the concepts of a post together, but I'm not even going to attempt that here. Dogs don't go with chocolate cookies. Period.

This is our new baby! How cute is that face?!! Her shelter name was Mocha, which we both wanted to change, but nothing else stuck, so Mocha it is. She is 9 months old and we got her from the Washington Humane Society on Georgia Ave. The staff was great, especially the adoption manager. 

If you're looking to add a four-legged member to your family, I urge you to check out your local shelters and rescues before going to a breeder. So many wonderful doggies and kitties already exist and are just waiting for someone to love. If you live in the DC metro area, check out any of the following organizations that help to place pets with the right owners: 

• Washington Humane Society
• Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
• Washington Animal Rescue League
• Homeward Trails Animal Rescue
• Labrador Retriever Rescue
• Greyhound Welfare

There are a surprising number of breed-specific rescues if you're looking for a certain kind of dog and almost every county has an SPCA or Humane Society - just google what you're looking for. I don't know about all of the shelters, but I know that Lucky Dog has adoption events where they bring their dogs to a neighborhood in DC, MD and VA on weekends so that people can see who's available for adoption. Check the websites to see when they're making a visit to your area. And if you're not looking to adopt a pet but wouldn't mind some temporary furry company, shelters are always looking for foster homes.

In the meantime, you can enjoy looking at our new pride and joy. Aaaaah, I love her!!

Salted Choco Choco Chip Cookies
adapted from FoodNetwork.com

Makes 20-22 cookies

1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 
1 stick Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread (or butter) 
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar 
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla 
3/4 cups white chocolate chips
sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa together. Cream Earth Balance with sugars, egg and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, mixing with an electric mixer. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop cookies onto a cookie sheet and lightly press each one down using your fingers. Sprinkle each cookie with two pinches of sea salt.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool. Do not feed to pets, no matter how cute they are.