Add Some Dutch Cocoa Powder To Flour For An Extra Chocolatey Cookie

Everyone knows what it's like to have an irrepressible chocolate craving. If you have the patience to make yourself a chocolatey baked good, you might feel boxed in by the limited number of options out there. Brownies and fudge are good, but there's a sneaky way to give any of your favorite cookies an extra chocolate boost. This hack goes beyond simply adding chocolate chips to the batter because, although that's delicious, it might not be chocolatey enough. From peanut butter cookies to shortbread, you can give some decadent chocolate personality to your cookies by adding Dutch cocoa powder.

This hack works with any cookie recipe — just make a chocolate-infused flour mix by stirring in some Dutch cocoa powder. However, don't just add it in. First, subtract a portion of flour from the recipe and replace that exact amount with cocoa powder. Then consider how strong you want the chocolate to be. If you want to max out on chocolate flavor, substitute up to a quarter of the flour with Dutch cocoa powder. But keep in mind that, due to its starch content, cocoa powder can have a moisture-absorbing effect on the dough and may lead to a dry cookie.

Before you start, there are some things you need to know before baking with Dutch cocoa powder. When compared to standard cocoa powder, otherwise known as natural cocoa powder, Dutch cocoa powder has some obvious differences in color and flavor. Whereas natural cocoa has a warm brown hue with a sharp cocoa kick, Dutch cocoa has a decadent, deep brown color, and a smooth, rich taste. These desirable qualities are due to an alkalizing process during production that neutralizes the acidity in Dutch cocoa powder.

This neutrality also makes Dutch cocoa powder the ideal substitute for a recipe that normally doesn't call for cocoa powder. To explain the reason for this requires a quick lesson in the chemistry of baking. In order for baked foods to rise (leaven) in the oven, the batter needs a reaction of an acid and a neutral base. Natural cocoa powder is an acid and baking soda is a base, so these two ingredients are paired together in chocolate baked goods to leaven the dough. But in baked goods without an acidic ingredient, baking powder is used because it contains both an acid and a base. Thus, neutral Dutch cocoa powder will not affect the leavening process, and it is compatible with recipes that use baking powder.

And let's not forget about Dutch cocoa powder's flavor. It's the perfect choice for a velvety and rich chocolate cookie. Add it to a peanut butter banana cookie recipe for an extra-decadent outcome, or try it with a cookie that doesn't need leavening at all, like shortbread. These cookies will pack a full-flavored chocolate punch and have a luxurious dark color that can't be achieved with natural cocoa powder.