Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

There is nothing like a good cookie to make a bad week end on the right note.  This week wasn't really bad it just dragged on....and on.  Each time something got crossed off my list ten more things were added.  I couldn't seem to get ahead.  On top of the busyness, I was incredibly tired.  It was just one of those weeks.

I find these weeks can be easily remedied with two things...coffee and cookies.  Tuesday began my 3pm coffee break.  A mug of flavored coffee with skim milk is like a mini latte.  Once those babies started going down I was no longer needing to go to bed at 8:30pm.   This method is not the best fix but it certainly got me through this week.  My second cure was a chocolaty cookie goodness that not only gave me a sugar kick but also put me in the best, BEST mood.  I think there is something magically in these suckers.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies
adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder2 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.  With the mixer on low, add the cocoa powder and mix until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and briefly mix by hand to incorporate any crumbly bits left at the bottom of the bowl.

Using a medium cookie scoop divide dough into equal pieces.  Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, a few inches apart.  Gently flatten the tops (don’t press down too much).  Bake for 10 minutes and remove immediately.  (Tops should no longer be glossy, but do not over bake.)  Let cookies cool(finish baking) on pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I made 1/2 the batch and froze the rest. Even though there wasn't too many cookie I had to watch myself. I made them fairly small.  Two per sitting was not over the top, but after the two you definitely are left wanting two more.  We are going away this weekend so the remaining cookies went into the office.  People were happy.  Nothing like a chocolate cookie to get you through the hour long meeting at the end of the day.  

The moral of today's post: Coffee + Chocolate Cookies = Cure All Aliments