Cream Cheese Double Chocolate Cookies

Are you looking for a soft and "cakey" chocolate cookie recipe? Well, this might just be the one! Cream cheese and brown sugar keep the cookies moist and soft. It's important to remember to beat the butter only lightly, which results in a puffy and cakey texture. Any time butter is beaten until light and fluffy, you'll end up with a crispy cookie. Refrigerating the dough prevents the cookies from spreading out too much during baking and they'll stay nice and thick. Using sifted flour is another great tip to keep the texture of your cookies soft. It incorporates air and makes any baked product lighter and fluffier. Lastly, baking time has to be very short, usually about 8 - 10 minutes. I've noticed that theses cookies are best eaten the same day as they do harden a little bit overnight, which is normally not a problem in my house.  Cookies tend to disappear before they even get a chance to cool off . . . 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preparation

In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir until melted. Set chocolate mixture aside and let cool.

Combine sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in small bowl.

Cream together brown sugar and cream cheese with mixer. Add chocolate mixture and lightly beat on medium speed until well combined, but nor fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips by hand. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape refrigerated dough into walnut-sized balls and place on prepared sheets. Flatten slightly and bake for about 8 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire racks.