Double Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies

½ cup softened butter (1 stick)

¾ cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed

1¾ cups cup sugar 

1¾ cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

⅔ cup buttermilk*

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp instant espresso powder

2 cups chopped chocolate and/or chocolate chips (semi-sweet, bittersweet, white chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the middle of the oven.

Add flour, salt and baking soda to a medium bowl. Set aside.

Place butter in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then in 30 second intervals until the butter just melted. Pour the butter in a large bowl while it's still warm and whisk in the cocoa until the mixture is smooth.

Add sugar, vanilla, espresso powder and buttermilk to the cocoa mixture and whisk together. Add about half of the flour mixture and stir gently with a mixing spoon until it's incorporated. Add the remaining flour and mix just until there are no white streaks of flour remaining.

Add chocolate chips/chunks and mix them into the dough. Use a tablespoon to scoop equal portions of dough. Roll the scoops into balls and place them 2 inches on a baking sheet. (The cookies will spread as they bake.)

Bake the cookies for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, then rotate the tray and continue baking for another 4-6 minutes (9-11 minutes in total). They are done when the edges look dry and the centers are puffed and only slightly wet. Let the cookies set for 2-3 minutes on the cookie tray before transferring them ot a rack to cool completely. 

*Buttermilk substitute: Place 1 tbsp lemon juice into a cup, add a scant cup of milk to fill to 1 cup line. Stir, let sit for five minutes.  For this recipe, measure out ⅔ cup and discard the rest.

recipe from www.theletsgosho.com