Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies

A while back, Princess Ariele asked me to make a special cookie just for her. What else could I say other than “As you wish”?

So here it is: the chewiest, richest, chocolatiest, most brownie-ish chocolate cookie I could come up with…topped with sea salt. Yes...sea salt.

(This isn't a new chocolate cookie recipe per se, but this treatment is new. For a similar but still unique application, check out my Chocolate & Salted Caramel Cookies.)

For those of you who haven't tried the deliciousness that is chocolate (or caramel or any other sweet) topped with a sprinklin' of sea salt, you don't know what you're missing. Believe me: You've got to give it a try.

The secret to this chocolate cookie is, of course, in the chocolate. I use four layers of chocolate: cocoa powder, unsweetened Baker's chocolate, microplaned milk chocolate, and...ground-up Cocoa Pebbles. That's right: Cocoa Pebbles.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

(To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies.)

Creamables	2 sticks butter 2 cups dark brown sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients	2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	3 1/2 cups roughly ground Cocoa Pebbles cereal 2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, microplaned 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, microplaned 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping	1/4 cup sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
4. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
5. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
6. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
7. Flatten each dough ball a little, then top each with a pinch of sea salt.
   
8. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[IYC]

Ooooo, I SO wish I could be there for these! I could use some of your cookies now G, as I wait for medal matches to start at 4am! Eek!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, IYC! I hope NBC's giving you lots of coffee... I'll make it up to you next week. :-)

[Alicia]

Greg,

Can I sub. any cocoa puffed rice cereal? I went to that DAMN! CVS near my house b/c Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles were on sale BOGO free and I had a coupon. They had taken the sign down so I thought I'd been hallucinating that I saw them on sale. Needless to say, I wasn't paying $7 for cereal. You had to buy two to use the coupon. So, last night I was in Giant (my neighborhood grocery store) and they had a generic brand for a buck. If the taste is a little light I'm going to add a little more cocoa. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Speaking of Fruity Pebbles, how about a rainbow cookie for all the little kids going back to school. Give them an orange or cherry flavor.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, Alicia! I think Cocoa Krispies or even a generic equivalent would work OK. (I haven't tried Krispies in this recipe, but I'm sure they'd be fine.)

DO NOT use Chocolate Cap'n Crunch. I tried using the Cap'n in place of the Pebbles, and it just didn't turn out right. I think the cereal's corn flavor overpowered it's chocolate flavor.

You're right: You might need to up the cocoa if you use Krispies/generic. Pebbles is really chocolaty.

Thanks for the Fruity Pebbles idea...I'll have to come up with something for that!

[Princess Ariele]

Well I have to say these are the best yet!
Thank you so much for making my cookie dreams come true- these are absolutely delicious.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks, Princess Ariele! These are *seriously* chocolaty.

[Mumma]

I'm a true Chocoholic and my mouth is watering!! These cookies sound absolutely scrumptious! When are you coming home again?

[Alicia]

Greg,

Cap'n Crunch has too much oil in it. If you crushed them in your hand, you would have a greasy mess.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, Alicia. The peanut butter Cap'n is awesome in peanut butter cookies. (It's one of my secret ingredients...shh!)

http://oatmealcookie.typepad.com/the_oatmeal_cookie_blog/2008/06/my-entry.html

But the chocolate Cap'n is just downright wrong!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hiya, Mumma. You always ask that! Methinks someone wants Lime in the Coconut ice cream sandwiches again.