BRUSH
Keeping It Clean

So the kids are back in school, the days are busier and the holidays are over…what to do to combat those post-holiday blues? Bake a batch of braces-safe chocolate chunk cookies. You will be the most popular mom in your neighborhood.

And we must thank Dr. Malerman, Kris, and Michelle for their hard work tasting and evaluating each batch as The Cookie Lady worked on the recipe!

• 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional
• 1/2 tsp. salt

set aside dry ingredients.

Add

• 8 to 12 oz. dark chocolate bar

chop into chunks and set aside.

Beat together

• 1/4 lb. (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar

Beat butter and sugars until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add to butter mixture to combine very well

• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. butterscotch ice cream topping (see note)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir in dry ingredients on slow speed of mixer and then add the chopped chocolate bars.

Chill the cookie dough one hour or overnight.

At this point, you can chill the dough one hour or several hours. The finished cookie looks better and I think tastes better if you do this step.

Preheat oven to 375°

Drop dough using a small ice cream scoop or from two spoons onto parchment lined, lightly vegetable-sprayed heavy cookie sheets two inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie. DO NOT OVER BAKE!!

Yield: about 100 two-inch cookies.

Notes:

1. The dark brown sugar and honey help to make this a softer cookie.
2. If you don't have butterscotch topping, just use 1 Tbsp. more of honey.
3. Use the best chocolate bars you can and chop using a serrated knife. The chocolate dust that you get along with the chunks will melt into the cookies.
4. DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE CHIPS! When they solidify, many times they get too hard.
5. DO NOT USE THICK OR CHUNKY CHOCOLATE BARS! Only the regular thin chocolate bars are braces-friendly.
6. Store cookies in a glass jar or tin with a tight lid.
7. For a totally chocolate cookie add 2 Tbsp. of cocoa.

A Cookie Lady Recipe