Cooky #4 - Chocolate Drops

Yes, that is the hand of my 3-year-old son reaching in to sneak another cookie.  Excuse the dirty fingernails, please.  Like I said, he's three.  And a boy.  'Nuff said, right?

These are Chocolate Drop Cookies (page 8.)  I would describe these as a brownie-like cookie.  They are soft and wouldn't do well overbaked. 

I topped it with "Marie's Chocolate Icing" (page 150) as suggested in the recipe, and won't make it again.  Or, should I say, I won't make it again the way it is written in the book.  It called for an ounce of unsweetened chocolate, some butter, water and 1 cup of powdered sugar.  I could taste the bitterness of the unsweetened chocolate in the icing, and it was distracting to me.  I think it would be fine, however, made with semi-sweet chocolate, and will try it that way next time.

The cookie itself, like I said, is brownie-like, which I love.  However, just as written, again, I found it a little plain.  However, one of the variations has cherries in it, which sounds delicious!  And I think that the cherries, along with some nuts, will make for a cookie that is more my style.  Apparently I have discovered that I need a lot of goodies and texture in my cookie to really love it! 

My boys, however, were crying for more after 3 cookies, so it passed standard for the three-year-old set just as it is.

A few more notes: I think because the chocolate flavor in this one is so apparent, it is worth using a high quality chocolate.  I used Baker's brand, because it was the only kind at the store when I bought it, but I will definitely use at least Ghirardelli brand or better next time.

Also, I scaled way back on the salt this time because I was using salted butter, and the last few times I used the called for amount of salt with salted butter it was just a little too much.  This time, it wasn't quite enough.  I used about 1/8 t. (the recipe calls for 1/2 t.) and I think next time I will use at least 1/4 t.  So I haven't figured out the salt ratio quite yet, but I will get it eventually!

So, all in all, expect to see this cookie again, but in a slightly sweeter, cherrier, nuttier version.