Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

I'm not sure if I've ever had a Texas sheet cake.   

But when I saw these, I knew I was on board with the poured chocolate icing.   In fact I was just looking for a vehicle to get the icing into my mouth (other than a spatula).  When I was done making cookies, I didn't let any of the "drippage" (that icing that slides off the cookie and onto the cutting board underneath) go to waste.   I ate about a half pound of strawberries by dipping it in chocolate.   

What a great way to incorporate fruit into your diet!

See?  Drippage

What You Need

For the cookies:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup flour

12 cup chocolate chips, melted

For the icing:  

(seriously, so good....and it makes more than you need for the cookies, so you can indulge without feeling like the cookies will be naked...they won't be)

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons milk (I used skim)

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

What You Do

Preheat the oven to 350.   

Cream the butter and sugar in a medium bowl using a hand mixer.  Add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing.   Then add the baking powder and salt.

Slowly add the flour.  It will make your dough thick.   

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in a small bowl.   Melt 30 seconds at a time and stir after each 30 seconds.    If you over cook the chocolate, you can't go back.   So much easier to melt a little at a time and let the last few chips melt while stirring.    Add the chocolate to the cookie dough and stir until mixed.

Drop by tablespoon onto a cookie sheet covered by a silicone mat.    I put 9 cookies on a sheet.   Bake 7 minutes, then remove from the oven, cool for a minute on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack (cooling rack is also great when it's time to ice these).    

Because I live in a tropical climate, I put the dough in the fridge between baking so that it didn't get too soft.   This can also help cookies, in general, keep their shape when baking.    

When the cookies are all on the cooling rack, it's time to make the icing.

In a small/medium sauce pan, melt the butter with the cocoa and milk.    When it's all melted, stir with a whisk.    Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar.   Whisk with enthusiasm until the icing is glossy and lump free.      

I used a tablespoon measuring spoon to ice the cookies.   That will cover most of the cookie and then you'll need to add a little extra to hit all the edges (nothing sadder than cookie that isn't completely iced).     Put a silicone mat, wax paper or a cutting board underneath the cooling rack to contain the chocolate and keep it (a little) cleaner.    You can clean up that chocolate with your hands, a spatula, fruit, or pretzels.     If you have any extra, it would make a tasty ice cream topping.   

Recipe Source:

I found this recipe over on a blog that I follow on the regular called Cookies and Cups.  You should definitely check it out!

This time from Ireland

Glendalough was a monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century.    This was such a beautiful site to visit and amazing to see buildings that have survived for so long and to learn about this time in Ireland's history.   I would definitely recommend it!

St.  Kevin's Church