Homemade Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Shape the dough into a 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap it well and chill completely—at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the dough into 1/8-inch slices and place them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell good and remain firm when lifted with a spatula. Or, if you’re only making the cookies for the crumbs, roll out one big 1/8-inch cookie between 2 sheets of parchment, remove the top sheet, and bake the dough for 15 minutes, until it smells good and portions of the cookie remain firm when lifted with a spatula. Cool the cookies on a wire rack, uncovered, overnight or until they are completely dry and wafer-like.

Use a food processor to crumb the cookies. Or, put the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and press the air out before sealing. Roll over the bag of cookies with a rolling pin until they form fine crumbs. Crumbs keep well in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a couple of months.