Rocky Road Cookies

I am a sucker for the “cookie books” that show up in the grocery stores around Christmas, and get a lot of ideas from them. This recipe came from this season’s Betty Crocker book.

The original recipe used a pouch of double chocolate chunk cookie mix as the base. While I am a fan of shortcuts, I figured cheating that much would defeat the purpose of this new adventure that I am undertaking, so I replaced it with the classic toll house cookie recipe and cocoa. I also think that the additional pecans really add to the presentation.

Rocky Road Cookies

Cookies:

2 ¼ C. Flour

½ c. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 C. Butter, Softened

¾ C. Sugar

¾ C. Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

2/3 C. Chopped Pecans

12 Large Marshmallows Cut in Half

Frosting:

1 C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1/3 C. Whipping Cream

1 tsp. Butter or Margarine, Softened

1 tsp. Vanilla

½ C. Powdered Sugar
1 C. Pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla, beating until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately press marshmallow half lightly, cut side down, on top of cookie. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until marshmallows begin to soften. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in 1-quart non-stick saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Add whipping cream, butter, and vanilla; blend well. Stir in powdered sugar until smooth.

Spread frosting over each cooled cookie, covering the marshmallow. Place a whole pecan on the top. Let stand until frosting is set.

Adapted from: Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies, 2009