Jolt

I haven't been sleeping well lately.  I'm so exhausted that I fall asleep watching television and then wake up around midnight.  Then I wake up again every hour, on the hour, until about 5:00 a.m., at which point I fall into a deep sleep, only to be jolted awake by my alarm at 6:00 a.m.  This is no way to live.

Needless to say, coffee and I have become good friends.  It's sad to say, but I need my morning jolt of java these days.

Not only is coffee my beverage of choice, it is also my taste enhancer of choice as well.  I don't know if you know this, but coffee makes chocolate taste more chocolately.  Yes!  It does!  And what could be better than more chocolately chocolate?

I don't usually make double chocolate cookies because I hate dealing with cocoa powder.  It's so messy and it gets everywhere.  It clings to the counter and everything else it comes in contact with.  But, on the other hand, if what you're really in the mood for is a double chocolate espresso cookie, well then you just have to deal with the cocoa powder.  There are worse things in life, right?

A double chocolate coffee cookie probably isn't the best bedtime snack for someone who spends the night looking up at the ceiling.  On the other hand, if it weren't bad form to start the day off with a cookie, this might just do the job of my morning cuppa joe.

Recipe:  Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

(Food52.com)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (like Medaglia D'Oro, or similar)

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Then, add eggs one at time, mixing after each addition to make sure they are well combined. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. I use a whisk to make sure the dry ingredients are well mixed. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix everything until the ingredients are fully combined, but do not overbeat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop, or rounded teaspoon, drop dough on the sheet 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve.