Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Meg had a cookie exchange over Christmas.  I always have difficulty deciding what to make when I’m going to a party because I always want to try something new, but then again, what if it doesn’t turn out and is a flop?  In order to avoid this problem I made two cookies.  The tried and true Red Velvet cookies and a brand new recipe called Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Since my Aunt introduced me to Pinterest I have been pinning different recipes I wanted to try and happened upon this recipe when I was browsing. 

The recipe comes from tastykitchen.com and the blogger wrote, “The Best Cookies I Have Ever Made.”  That’s a pretty grand statement; so in my mind I was preparing for the greatest cookie ever.  I had to make some substitutions though.  She called for 4 small packages of nestle hot chocolate.  I did not have this, but I did have Ghirardelli hot chocolate, which I was thinking would be even better.  Also, instead of using 3 different kinds of chocolate chips, I used semi-sweet chips and crushed candy canes to make it a little more festive.  All good ideas I thought… but I was wrong. 

These cookies tasted like a regular chocolate chip cookie, only with a hint of hot chocolate flavor.  When I was in the midst of baking I added a few more tablespoons of hot chocolate mix because I felt like the hot chocolate cookies didn’t taste chocolaty enough.  I’m not sure what I was really expecting, but in my mind, a hot chocolate cookie should taste like chocolate.  I also felt like the amount of flour and baking soda were on the high side… you could definitely reduce that, but when playing with ingredients you always run the risk of your cookie falling flat.

At the end of the day I feel like it comes down to the fact that I wanted a cookie that tasted like hot chocolate, but instead got a cookie that tasted like a chocolate chip cookie with the farce of chocolate in the batter that barely gave any chocolaty taste.  Either way, these cookies were not bad; they just were not what I was expecting.  I did bring them to the cookie exchange, and they were received well… mainly because who doesn’t like candy canes in cookie?  But I don’t think I’ll make this one again.

Hot Chocolate Chip Cookie

(4 dozen cookies)

2 sticks butter

1 cup white sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3- ¼ cups flour

4 packages (1 oz packets) Hot Chocolate mix (although I would add more)

1 tsp salt

1- ¼ tsp baking soda

2-3 cups chocolate chips.  You decide if you want to add candy canes, white, milk, semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in addition. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together.  Add in eggs and vanilla, beating until combined.  In a separate bowl combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly, in 3-4 parts.  Once all is incorporated fold in the chocolate chips.  Chill the dough for an hour or so (although I don’t think this is necessarily needed) and bake 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.