Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (115 g) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1 cup (200 g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup (75 g) Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
  • 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) Granulated Sugar (for rolling)
  • 1 cup (120 g) Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar, for rolling)

Instructions:

  1. Melt Butter and Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, both granulated and brown sugars, and cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.
  2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Do not overmix; stop mixing when you see no streaks of dry flour.
  5. Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. The dough must be firm enough to roll without sticking.
  6. Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Set Up Rolling Station: Place the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Place the 1 cup of powdered sugar in a second, larger shallow bowl.
  8. Scoop and Shape: Using a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), portion the chilled dough into uniform balls. Roll them quickly between your palms to smooth them out.
  9. The Double Coating Technique: First, roll each dough ball thoroughly in the granulated sugar. Second, immediately roll the ball generously in the powdered sugar, ensuring the entire surface is thickly coated (it should look like a snowball).
  10. Bake: Place the coated cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft and fudgy. The sugar coating will have cracked beautifully.
  11. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.