crinkle lines

I'm halfway into my 30th year now. I need to be coming to terms with the fact that there are several things that I used to be able to do that aren't so easy now. Plus, my bumps and bruises hurt more and don't heal as quickly. I also have to accept that I can't pull out every gray hair I spot and that those little wrinkles around my eyes won't be going away. Like, ever.

The kind of crinkle I happily accept is the one that emerges when a particular type of cookie gets baked. You know what I'm talking about--classic molasses cookies, some spice or sugar cookies, and the like. It's especially noticeable in this batch, as the dough gets rolled in powdered sugar before it bakes and that makes the nooks and crannies even more evident.

These are some super rich, fudgy, and delicious chocolate cookies...unless you overbake them. A mere extra minute or two in the oven renders them dry and brittle and not rich, fudgy, and delicious at all. Do yourself and the people you feed a favor and don't overbake them. That'd just contribute to more wrinkles.

Crackly Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Cookies Unlimited
Makes about 70 small cookies
Ingredients:

• 4 ounces butter, cut into pieces
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it get hot and bubble up slightly. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Swirl the pan to make sure the chocolate is submerged and allow it to melt for 2 minutes. Whisk smooth.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir well to mix.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs by hand until broken up. Whisk in the sugar in a stream, then the vanilla. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F when you're ready to bake. Place the powdered sugar in a bowl. Use a small scoop or spoon to divide the dough into small balls, then roll them in the powdered sugar; make sure the coating is thick. Place the balls on cookie sheets, leaving about 3 inches around each cookie.
Bake 12-15 minutes, until well-crackled and firm. Cool briefly on the pans, then remove the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.