Earlier in the week S & I went to a cookie exchange here in the neighborhood. Every cookie on the platter above was DELICIOUS!!These cookies, Coffee Toffee Cookies, are my new favorite cookie and are the cookies I took to the exchange.
It is not your imagination, the cookies are different colors. I had to bake 6 dozen cookies for the exchange, so I used 2 different types of cocoa to see if I could tell the difference. I could tell, but no one else could. I like the cookies made with cocoa from Penzeys, the darker of the cookies, they were a little more rich & a tad more "chocolaty" than the cookies made Hershey’s. Both were very good and I would not hesitate to use the Hershey's cocoa again.
Here is my variation of the recipe...the original is here.
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 TBL brewed espresso or strong coffee
2 tbl milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz pkg heath bars (you know the ones broken up in the package)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunk
½ cup sliced almonds
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with Reynolds Parchment Paper; set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
BEAT butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together in a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add coffee, milk, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
ADD flour mixture gradually to creamed mixture; beat on low speed just until blended. Reserve 3/4 cup Heath toffee bits; stir remaining Heath toffee bits & 1 cup chocolate chunks into dough. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2-inches apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Combine 1 cup chocolate chunks, almonds and reserved Heath toffee bits; set aside.
BAKE 4 minutes (cookies will still be wet on top.) Remove from oven; press cookie flat with the back of the measuring spoon. Sprinkle 1/2 heaping tablespoon almond-toffee mixture onto each cookie. Using the back of the measuring spoon again, lightly press topping into dough to form a larger round cookie.
CONTINUING BAKING 8 to 9 minutes longer or until cookies are set. Do not over bake. Slide parchment with cookies onto a wire rack to cool.