Choco-Marshmallow Cookies

 

Last Thursday I took some time to bake cookies.  I would have guessed that I had posted this cookie recipe a long time ago, but it doesn't seem to be here, so I'm posting it now.  The Kindle photo above shows these cookies being packaged in a tin, which is only right, as you will see if you read on.

This is an old favorite that I often made years ago.  When my daughters were at boarding school in the 1990s, I routinely sent tins of cookies back to school with them after the weekend.  These cookies seemed necessary to get them and their friends through the week.  There were a number of different types of cookies that I baked, and this is one of the recipes that I used.

One friend of Carrie's, in particular, loved these chocolate cookies with a marshmallow half hidden under frosting,  and so from time to time I would make them just for her.

Here's the recipe:

CHOCO-MARSHMALLOW COOKIES
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening -- I used butter flavor Crisco®, but I'm sure you could use butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk
Chopped walnuts if you like -- I never use them
18 regular marshmallows cut in half horizontally
Cocoa Frosting (recipe follows)

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream together shortening and sugar in bowl until light and fluffy, using electric mixer at medium speed.  Add egg and vanilla, beating well.

Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.  Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts if you are using them. 

Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake in 350º oven for 10 minutes.  Top each with a marshmallow half, cut side down.  Return to oven for 2 minutes.

Let cool slightly before transferring cookies to cooling racks. 

When completely cooled, frost with Cocoa Frosting, swirling frosting to cover the marshmallow.  Makes about 3 dozen.

COCOA FROSTING
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
Dash of salt
3 Tblsp.melted butter
4 Tblsp. cream or milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Sift sugar, cocoa and salt into mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.

A couple of notes:
* I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in these most recently.
* I doubled the recipe, but found I did not need to double the frosting amount.

This recipe was one I originally found in Farm Journal's Choice Chocolate Recipes --  a favorite cookbook and well used.  Its pages are liberally spattered with chocolate, and whole sections have come loose from the book.  Are you familiar with Farm Journal cookbooks?  I loved them and own quite a few of them.

Hope your family enjoys these cookies if you try the recipe!