Chocolate Comfort Cookies

My house smells like a chocolate shop! These cookies have just come out of the oven and although it is early in the day, they are very tempting! This has to be my very favorite cookie of all time. I really think I've shared this recipe in the past, but if I can't find it on the blog, I'm afraid you might not be able to either and I would really HATE for you to go through life without having eaten these triple chocolate cookies! The great thing about them is that they never dry out. You can keep them for weeks (ha! ha! NOT likely to happen!) and they will still be soft and chewy. SWOON!

The recipe calls for dried cranberries, toasted nuts (pecans) and chocolate chunks. You can omit the cranberries, but I have to tell you that they add a nice "bite" of tartness to the cookie. I use toasted, chopped pecans but you can use walnuts, macadamia or hazelnuts. I generally make them with Ghiradelli dark chocolate chunks. I do believe the dark chocolate makes them better, but use semi-sweet if you would like.

Today, I had 1/2 of an 8-oz block of cream cheese (leftover from another recipe) so I used the entire 4 ounces. I have a "thing" about wasting even 1 oz of cream cheese. If I did not have this leftover, I would have bought the 3-oz size as the recipe states. I can't tell any difference at all in the results!

If a recipe says "softened" butter, etc it sould be the consitency of playdough. Does that help?
Spray the measuring cup with Pam before measuring marshmallow creme.

Give this one a try and I think you'll agree.. the BEST chocolate cookie EVER! Let me know what you think!

Chocolate Comfort Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (3-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk ( I used 1/2 and 1/2)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa ( I used Guittard from Wms Sonoma)
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped, toasted nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper.

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer. Add egg and beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla, milk and melted chocolate. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and unsweetened chocolate in large bowl; whisk until well combined. Add to creamed mixture and mix until the dry ingredients are no longer visible. Add marshmallow creme and mix until the white disappears! Stir in nuts, cranberries and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto baking pans. Bake for 13 minutes. Cool on pans for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Yield: 4 dozen.