Chocolate Cookie Bark

Continuing on with the cookies I'd made during the holidays ... this chocolate cookie bark is addictive and makes an enormous amount. I'd clipped the recipe out of the Washington Post a couple of years ago but hadn't made it until last fall. It's flat, crisp, VERY chocolatey and really good with a glass of cold milk.

Chocolate Cookie Bark (my adaptation of a recipe from the Washington Post)

1-1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups (one bag) mini chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Mix melted butter, sugars, water, and vanilla until smooth; add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place one third of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet; spread the dough as thin as the chocolate chips will allow (don't worry if the dough has 'holes' in it). Be sure to leave a 3" margin on all sides of the cookie sheet -- the dough will spread a lot as it bakes! Repeat with remaining dough on additional cookie sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time, at 350 degrees for 14-15 minutes or until the top looks dull (not shiny) and is evenly firm at the edges and center. Remove from oven & slide cookie (still on parchment) onto a wire rack to cool; cookie will be soft but will crisp as it cools. When crisp, remove from parchment and place on paper towels to absorb any butter residue. Break into pieces.

Tip: I find it easiest to 'spread' the dough by topping it with a piece of waxed paper and using a rolling pin to press it out flat.