Amazing Brownie Sugar Cookies
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup icing (powdered) sugar, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl (or, if using a stand mixer, use that bowl), whisk softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa. Slowly add the flour mix to the wet mix and blend just until combined and smooth.
  2. Take the dough out of the bowl and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or more.
  3. Prepare a large surface by sprinkling it lightly with flour. Turn out the chilled dough onto your rolling surface, sprinkle the dough with flour, and roll out. Once the dough is the desired thickness (1/8”-1/4” is ideal), grab your favourite cookie cutter and cut away. If possible, make a new ball with the scrap dough, roll out, and cut more cookies (you can also just bake the scraps for you to snack on!). Line up the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes (less time for thinner cookies). The cookies should have firm edges but still be a bit soft in the center.
  4. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack. If desired, sift icing sugar over the cookies for a nice, snowy look.
Recipe by PopArtichoke at http://www.popartichoke.com/2012/12/amazing-brownie-sugar-cookies.html