Milk Chocolate Cookies and Crystal Bowersox

Here I sit on a Thursday night watching the Top 20 on this season’s Stridex Amateur Hour waiting for the pizza to arrive, bourbon and ginger in hand (some of you may know it as a Horse’s Neck – post coming soon). Ah, little Crystal Bowersox couldn’t look more uncomfortable singing along to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” with the forced peppy enthusiasm usually reserved for an Up With People concert or a parade float at Disneyland.

Crystal Bowersox is my new favorite on this season’s American Idol not just because of her singing, but also because I dig her name, even though I can’t remember it. Last night, she performed on the show, which many thought would not happen because of a last-minute trip to the hospital. While noticing MG reading the perfomance results later in the evening on his laptop (we chose the ABC comedy line-up of The Middle and Modern Family over Idol), I leaned over and and, “Hey, does it say anything about how that Kristina Crossbow did?” Close enough, right? In fact, I think I improved on her name. Now she can be an American Idol OR a James Bond hench-woman. You’re welcome, Crystal!

So… I like Crystal and all, and I hope she makes it through tonight, but to be honest, I don’t really care if she wins. I haven’t picked up the phone to vote for Idol in about five seasons. I’d rather spend the time these days making cookies in the kitchen.

And, in fact, there are a lot of cookies coming out of my oven these days. These Martha Stewart milk chocolate cookies are tough to beat if you’re looking for chewy and gooey with a just a hint of salt to offset the sweet and the burst of chocolate chunks in every other bite. These are the cookies you send your kids to school with if you want them to be more popular. These are the cookies you make for people who don’t quite make the cut on your Christmas present list, but that you still want to feel the love. And if you ever end up in a brutal break-up where mutual friends are at stake, meet the cookie that will keep your Scattergories party packed to the gills even after you’re single.

Recipe after the jump.

Milk Chocolate Cookies from Martha Stewart

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 ounces good quality milk chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 4 ounces cut into 1/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat over to 325F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Melt 4 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool slightly.


Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined (Can you do it by hand? Yes, I did. It was tough on the forearm, but I don’t have a mixer).

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in the flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks.

Using a 1 1/2 inch scoop, drop dough onto parchment paper-line baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies should be soft). Let cool. Makes approximately 3 dozen.

Tags: American Idol, cookies, Crystal Bowersox, Martha Stewart, milk chocolate