Fudge Cookies

Christmas is a time for traditions, a time for family. A time for peace and blessings and thanksgiving... and presents. Let's go ahead and put it on the table. I'm all for putting Christ in Christmas (yes!), but I'm also for giving and recieving gifts. Especially from Santa. And, as I have said before, there are things Santa needs or he will not stop.

List of things Santa loves that I firmly believe I need to leave out for him (and have for many many years) includes:
Milk
2 carrots
2 orange sticks
2-4 fudge cookies

What? What are fudge cookies? Ooh just a little thing we whip up. You know, to activate the Santa GPS. And your taste-buds. And rave reviews. It's chocolatey, it's moist and chewey. And it is delicious.

And this from a woman who claims to "not really like chocolate that much." However, I just think I don't like low quality chocolate that much. A Hershey's Bar? Please... I have much better things to be doing with my calories. Like eating almost anything with a ton of butter on it. But a nice, non-overpowering chocolate can really hit the spot. And bring the fat man a-coming.

And this hits the spot. And is easy to boot. (some things I'm happy to spend hours on. cookies, as I may have already blogged about, are not one of these things.) Plus... FIVE ingredients. Just five! Or six... but that one is optional.

pretend like there is flour in this picture.

Just heat-up your double boiler (or you can use a nice thick pan and keep the heat low) and slowly melt 9oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 2tbs butter. Don't try this with milk chocolate chips even if you totally like them better and think semi-sweet taste pretty nasty all by themselves (trust me). Nope, go for the semi-sweet.

Once it gets good and melty take the double boiler off the heat and stir in one can of sweetened condensed milk which, incidentally, is climbing the charts on my favorite things list.

Once the milk has integrated into the chocolate, add vanilla, a cup of flour and some nuts (if you're interested). We generally go for half with and half without at our house. And although the recipe I found somewhere claiming to be the "original" calls for walnuts, we have used pecans as long as anyone can remember.
Anyway, that's it. No more ingredients. No more time. Now just use two tablespoons and place small globs on your pre-greased baking sheet.

One batch will generally make about two and a half dozen, according to my mother. About 18 according to me (I have no will-power with cookie portioning. Large cookies for everyone!). Although I do suggest a rather smallish glob, if you can find the will-power.

Bake them at 350 for 10-12 minutes (please, for the love of elves, do not overbake this one). Cool, and serve. You can serve these to anyone - choco-holics, chocolate-sometimesers (not a word), your husband's platoon (rave reviews), and, most importantly, the big guy himself.

A note on beautiful cookies: if you are making more than one batch (which I suggest you do), start making the second batch when you're half way through cooking your first. Making a double batch of these just doesn't turn out right... on top of which, letting the dough get cool long enough to cook cookies and cookies before you leads to a less-attractive mess.

Fudge Cookies
aka "Cookies that Santa likes"

2 tbs butter

9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbs vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. When melted, take off heat and add milk - stir until integrated. Add vanilla, flour and nuts (if using) and mix well. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy presents from Santa.