Grammy's Chocolate Cookies

This recipe took grand prize in the cookie contest Martha Stewart held last year. It is a wonderfully simple recipe that is one of the best tasting cookies I've ever had.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa-powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups (2 sticks plus 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar, plus more for dipping

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and eggs on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and combine with mixer on low speed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.
  3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Dip top of each ball into sugar. Place on baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool on baking sheets about 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.