Cocoa Spice Crackles

I have been a cookie baking maniac the last couple of weekends, getting ready for Christmas.  The last few years I've made up gift baskets for the daycare teachers and now we've added a kindergarten teacher, kindergarten aide and a bus driver to the list.  Madeleine really likes her bus driver ... which is a good thing since the kindergarten kids are required to sit in the front seats and she is first on and last off.  Oh to be a part time worker, but I digress.

These are probably my favorite cookies.  Not too sweet and they are a combination of chocolate and warm spices.  I always make sure to bake a double batch of these so I can have a small stash in the freezer. 

Cocoa Spice Crackles
Land O Lakes
 
1 cup  sugar
3/4 cup  butter -- softened
1/4 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
2 whole  eggs
1 3/4 cups  all-purpose flour
1/3 cup  unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons  crystallized ginger -- finely chopped  (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 teaspoon  baking powder
1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon  ground cloves
1 cup  mini-chocolate chips
Coarse grain sugar or sugar

Combine 1 cup sugar, butter and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and coarse grain sugar. Beat until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate until firm (4 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls with lightly floured hands. Roll in coarse grain sugar. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Makes 4 dozen.