Giant Double Chocolate Cookies

----- Yield: 12 very large cookies

Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cubed 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs cup dark cocoa powder 2 cups all-purpose flour tsp. coarse salt 1 tsp. baking powder 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the cocoa powder until well blended. Add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead briefly by hand to be sure the ingredients are well combined. Divide the dough into 4 ounce portions (or divide into 12 equal pieces). Roll each portion of dough into a ball and flatten just slightly into a disc. Place on the prepared baking sheets, a few inches apart. Bake 16-20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Chewy Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies ----- Yield: 12-14 cookies Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder* 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/3 cup milk 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate (I used about 6 oz.) *Substituting all natural cocoa powder is not recommended. (I used a blend of natural and dutch-process since that was all my store had). Directions: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and cream on medium-high speed. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Add half of the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until incorporated. Add the milk and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat on low speed just until dry ingredients have been mixed in. Gently fold in the chopped white chocolate with a rubber spatula. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets using a medium-sized cookie dough scoop (about 3 tbsp. of dough), pressing down slightly. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies--------------Yield: about 24 cookies Ingredients: 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 4 tbsp. unsalted butter 2/3 cup all-purpose flour tsp. baking powder tsp. fleur de sel (sea salt), plus more for sprinkling 2 large eggs, at room temperature cup packed light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Combine the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring in between.) In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture, blending until incorporated. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the remaining chopped chocolate with a spatula. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2-3 inches apart (I used my medium-sized dough scoop). Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are just slightly soft in the center and crackly on top, about 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and let cool on the baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.