Gooey chocolate cookies don’t get any better than this. Last week, I hosted a cookie exchange chez moi. It was a smash hit. I used every ounce of discipline I had not to sample every cookie on the table. We all shared recipes, so I thought I’d share mine with you. Warning: These cookies will fill your home with the most delicious chocolate smell, and if you or anyone else samples them still warm from the oven you might pass out from pleasure. P.S. I’m giving a bunch of these morsels to my children’s teachers as gifts, along with frosted sugar cookies and raspberry jam laced with rose petals.

Catherine’s Gooey Chocolate Crinkles
Makes about 35 cookies
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup sugar
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate cut into small chunks or semisweet chocolate chips
About 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, for coating the balls

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, melted chocolate, vanilla, and eggs and mix with an electric mixer on medium-low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well blended.
3. Reduce the speed to low, add the reserved flour mixture in 2 batches, and continue mixing for about 1 minute, or until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough 1 to 2 hours, or until firm enough to handle. (Cooking Note: The dough can be refrigerated overnight.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl.
5. Using a tablespoon, scoop out one tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place the ball in the confectioners’ sugar and gently nudge it until well coated. Space each of the balls about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Very slightly flatten the each ball with a fork.
6. Bake 14 minutes, or until just set (the cookies will be a little soft in the middle). Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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