Long ago, I got it into my head that I needed to read a few blogs from the first post on to see how they got their start. Long ago was really not all that long ago, but rather in September 2011 when I was three months into blogging. I have no idea what triggered this compulsion, but I suspect two things came into play. The first is I learn by taking what I see elsewhere and then applying it to my own life. The second is sometimes I am just nuts.
I remember sitting on the couch on a rainy Labor Day weekend and seeing a blog I enjoyed had 4oo Facebook likes. I thought to myself, “I will never be able to get 400 Facebook likes.” But lo and behold, Love & Flour has reached 400. 402 to be exact. To mark this milestone, I have little to offer but a cookie recipe and a heartfelt “thank you” said 402 times.
I realize 400 likes are not all that much, especially when most popular blogs have likes that number well into the tens of thousands. But as someone who does not make a whole lot of effort at promotion other than to show up in this space every now and again with what I hope is a trifecta of recipes, photos and words, 402 means a lot. If you no longer like this space, that is okay. But for the love of all that is good and holy, please do not unlike my Facebook page for at least a day or two, less I suffer a fit of tears.
Now, on to those cookies. I can only imagine the lengths I go to in order to remove everything vegan from a recipe, even though I have tried to get on board with a plant-based diet, is comparable in its ridiculousness to statements like, “I’m a vegetarian except I eat chicken and fish and sometimes pork.” Sooo, you are not a vegetarian then, right? And a person (this would be me I’m talking about) who puts milk from cows and eggs from chickens in a once-vegan recipe is failing miserably at eating a plant-based diet.
The good news is these babies rock. I thought they would be similar to brownie cookies, but the taste actually reminded me of Little Debbie Fudge Rounds. It is worth noting I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, so cookies made with regular cocoa powder will appear lighter than the ones seen here. I also suspect the rich dark chocolate overpowered some of the coffee flavor, but the glaze made up for it. If coffee is not your thing but chocolate is, I suggest omitting the coffee extract from the cookies and glaze (add vanilla in its place, perhaps) and carrying on with baking.
Ironically, as I type this, it is another rainy day where I live. Yet the difference from that rainy day I experienced long ago and this one is, where I was once intimidated by trying out this blogging thing, today I am even more excited about it. And for that, I thank you.
- For the Cookies
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ teaspoons coffee extract
- For the Coffee Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon coffee extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, milk, egg and cornstarch until the mixture is thick and smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla and coffee extracts.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and continue to stir until fully incorporated.
- Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes to thicken, then drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes until they appear done in the centers and puffy throughout.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, make the glaze by sifting the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl (taking the time to sift will remove unsightly lumps from the confectioners’ sugar).
- Stir in the milk and flavor extracts until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the room temperature cookies and allow to set before serving.
Great post – you certainly made the trifecta of words, photos and recipe! Congratulations on reaching your milestone. I’ve only been following your blog for a short while but I really like what you do and look forward to seeing more.
402 IS a lot.