Chocolate Crinkles

The last couple of days have been pretty stressful around here. What were meant to be peaceful demonstrations around the country erupted into angry riots, after courts took away the protesters' right to march.The high court eventually over-turned that order, but by then, the damage had been done.

What this meant for us is that for the last two days we have effectively been locked down in our home, discouraged from venturing out into the city for fear of getting caught up in the mayhem.

I don't really like being cooped up. It makes me anxious. And then, add to that worries over a situation that in my childless days I would have probably laughed off, but now, with two vulnerable little ones to look after, I couldn't stop obsessing about....well, let's just say I was a wee bit stressed.

So, true to my genetics, I did what my mother did too, when she had something heavy on her mind...I baked.

And I didn't bake just anything - I baked Chocolate Crinkles, a delicious brownie in a cookie, which I have been making since about the time I was first able to crack open an egg. My sister and I were known, as children, to make these cookies just to eat the raw batter (there was no fear of salmonella in my house, I guess). The cookie dough is even better after it has been rolled in powdered sugar:

After baking, the powdered sugar forms a lovely, cracked coating on top, hence the name.

Chocolate Crinkles

4 sq. unsweetened chocolate (4 oz)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
about 1 cup of powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave or double boiler.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the sugar and the melted chocolate and butter. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the chocolate mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 F. Sift some of the powdered sugar onto a plate. Using 2 spoons, drop teaspoonfuls of dough into the powdered sugar. Roll the dough in the sugar, shape into balls, and shake off the excess sugar.

Place about 2” apart on greased baking sheet. Be careful not to over-bake!

Makes about 50 cookies.