Coffee and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Miss Mia requested we make Crinkle Cookies for her Christmas Party at school.  I was happy to oblige.  The cookies are yummy and easy to make.  I love that she is able to help by rolling the cookies into balls and then rolling them in the powdered sugar.  We still have a ways to go on "spacing" issues, but when Gramma and I explained how she doesn't always appreciate her sister being near her, she started calling the cookie balls "Aisey and Mia" .  .  . kind of odd to name your food, but . . . .

We made a few different versions of this recipe to determine which one we liked best.  Our recipe boxes are stuffed full of cookie recipes and we need to get rid of some.  Thing is, we couldn't come to a consensuses.  People here liked the different recipes for various reasons . . . sigh . . . guess we'll have to rid ourselves of other recipes!

I will say that the Coffee and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were NOT a favorite of the kiddos.  But - their Daddy liked them a whole bunch.

The three types of Crinkle Cookies.  The Coffee and Chocolate are in the right hand upper corner.

Coffee and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
~ adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T instant coffee crystals
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 1/2 c all purpose flour

~ topping ~
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Beat butter.  Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, soda and cinnamon.  Beat in egg.  Slowly add in flour.

Chill dough at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Shape dough into  1/2 inch balls (the recipe calls for 1" balls, but we liked them a little smaller as they were for a party).  Place on cookie tray (for our cookie trays, we were able to do 5 rows of three cookies).

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until edges are firm.  Let cool a few minutes.  Mix the granulated sugar and cocoa powder.  Dip cookies into the topping mix of sugar and cocoa powder.  Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

These can be stored at room temp for 3 days or frozen for up to three months.