Chocolate Chocolate Sable Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Sablé Cookies

adapted from “Around My French Table” by Dorie Greenspan

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes

(Be ready: the dough needs to set up in fridge for an hour or two.)

Yield: 12 cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (optional)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, but not whipped. Add the sugar in two batches, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture in three batches, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the bowl as necessary. The dough should be sandy and a deep, dark chocolate color.

Gather the dough together on a clean work surface, and form a log about 3″ in diameter. Gently roll and pat the log to get it into a nice circular shape. Wrap the log in parchment paper or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the log from the refrigerator and slice into 1/2 inch rounds. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet (I actually needed two) about 1 inch apart and bake for 15-18 minutes. Rotate the pans after 8 minutes to ensure even baking. Check at 15 minutes — don’t overbake them — you don’t want darkened edges. Remember, there are no eggs in this recipe, so underbaking is okay.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, and then remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. They’ll firm up when cool. Store them in an airtight container. These cookies will stay fresh for a few days.