Surprise Cookies

 

 

Every summer growing up, my family would visit a lake in Western Washington for vacation. This was probably one of 2 or 3 times I would see my aunt (who has 2 boys) each year. Being pretty much the only young girl in the family, she loved to shower me with gifts that her boys just wouldn't appreciate.

One particular summer I had an slight affinity (ok, fine. It was an obsession.) for Dove chocolates. I literally ate them around the clock. As a very active kid, I hadn't the slightest worry about pound gainage. I think on a week-long vacation, I probably ate my way through 4 bags of these. I got skills.

My aunt has remembered my fondness for these chocolates since that one summer probably about 8 years ago or so. Every time I get a package from her or see her for dinner or exchange Christmas presents, I ALWAYS get bags of these chocolate. I am extremely grateful even though my tastes have moved upward and onward since then (my favorite now and probably forever shall be Green and Black dark chocolate).

Like clockwork, my aunt presented me with several bags of Dove Chocolates while I was home for Christmas. With a plethora of Green and Black chocolate also neatly wrapped up under the tree for me, I've got plenty of chocolate on my plate to keep me busy. So, why not put some chocolate to good use in some cookies?!

Of course, I got the recipe from my Martha Cookie book. These cookies are great, I didn't have any milk, so I used greek yogurt instead, which worked out just swimmingly.

Surprise Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies Book

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup nonfat green yogurt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dove caramel filled chocolates

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, yogurt and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.

Roll dough into balls about 1 1/4 inch. Flatten dough and press in a chocolate candy. Cover candy with dough and roll back into ball. Place on a cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until firm, 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.