I first had these in church when a Sunday School teacher brought in these oh-so delicious chocolate cookies to share. It’s a very simple, chewy, chocolate shortbread cookie with little chunks of chocolate. These are a type of shortbread cookie or sablé, which in French means “sandy.” Pierre Hermé created this cookie for a then-new (now-closed) restaurant in Paris, but because he was inspired by the American chocolate chip cookie, it has brown sugar and thus a chewier texture. The hint of salt brightens the flavor and underlines the chocolate. These cookies are formed by shaping the dough into a log, refrigerating or freezing it and then slicing and baking it.
It has been said that if everyone had this cookie, peace would reign over the planet. I agree! This cookie is so simple and yet so flavorful and elegant – a definite crowd pleaser.
TIPS: For best results use high-quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks. I’ve made these cookies with fleur de sel and with regular salt and they have a much more complex flavor when made with the fleur de sel – use the fancy salt! Make sure to chill the dough logs for the recommended time; if they’re too warm, the dough logs will smoosh and crumble when sliced. Keep any dough in the fridge until ready to slice and bake; these cookies overbake very easily, so it’s key that the dough is cold when baked.
World Peace Cookies (Chocolate Sablé)
Makes about 36 cookies
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (170 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (155 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
2/3 cup (134) light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel, or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, best-quality, chopped up
Directions
- Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the salt and vanilla.
- Turn off the mixer and add all of the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to start blending. Once most of the flour is incorporated, turn the mixer on low and beat until the dough forms big, moist chunks.
- Add in the chopped chocolate and mix to incorporate.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface and pull together.
- Divide dough in half, shaping each half into 1 ½”-diameter logs.
- Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and freeze for 2+ hours or refrigerate for 3+ hours.
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 F. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Pull out one log and slice the dough into ~½”-thick rounds. These may crack as you cut, but you can press them back together.
- Arrange on the prepped cookie sheets, leaving about 2″ between them
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Don’t open the oven and when the timer rings, they won’t look done, and they won’t be firm, but they’re perfect.
- Remove from the oven and place sheet on a cooling rack to let the cookies rest until warm to touch and then remove them to the cooling rack.
Eat the cookies warm or let cool completely – either way they’re a little slice of heaven!
