Pictured are ‘Chocolate Crackle Cookies,’  recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. Notwithstanding your feelings regarding insider stock trading, these are some particularly delicious cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Chocolate. Goodness.

The pattern that’s formed by the icing sugar and cookie dough after baking makes for an appropriate name change.

I didn’t modify anything other than adding buttermilk in place of milk. I used regular bittersweet chocolate chips. Pretty standard supermarket stuff. Of course, finer quality chocolate will make these cookies even better. For those who like the flavours of orange and chocolate, I was thinking some grated orange zest added to the mix would be a successful option. Another option would be the addition of a tablespoon or two of liquor, like Baileys for example. In that case, cut down on some of the milk. It goes without saying that these cookies are well-nigh irresistable with a glass of cold milk or some vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies – recipe by Martha Stewart

Makes about 4 dozen

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling

Heat oven to 350°F. Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and scoop out a piece of about 1 or 2 tablespoons. Working quickly, roll into a ball and completely coat in confectioners’ sugar.

Note: make sure the dough is covered by an abundance of icing sugar. That way the cookies turn out better. I shook the excess sugar off of some of the cookies, and the patchwork effect was too muted — basically light-brown instead of white. Overdo the icing sugar!

Place the cookies 2″ apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookie flattens and the icing sugar splits, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.