Deep Dark Chocolate & Butterscotch Cookies

Recently, I found myself at my in-laws house with a craving for something chocolaty.  As I didn't have my recipe box with the old standbys I thoroughly perused the many options on my Pinterest boards for inspiration and concluded that this recipe would most certainly do!  

The intended final result picture of cookies on a plate does not exist as they didn't exactly last that long...

The ingredients.  It was not realized at this point that we wouldn't  have enough chocolate chips.  Planning ahead fail.

The chocolate was melted in 15 second increments to avoid almost inevitable burning in the microwave.

And the egg whites are whisked within an inch of their lives!  Mwahahaha!

Dry Ingredients are measured and piled together.

When egg whites, sugary powdery things, and melty chocolate come together the heavens sing!

Oh look, the butterscotch!  Hooray for improvising!

Mmmmmm

While the butterscotch chips were not part of the original plan, the resulting flavor combination proved to be so epic that one day it will most certainly be repeated.  Their delectableness aside, this recipe is also perfect in that it only makes about a dozen and a half cookies. And why, you may be asking yourself, is this a good thing?  Shouldn't cookie recipes always make 2 dozen or more giving you plenty of dough to snack on while the rest bake?  Yes, I would agree, however the smaller quantities mean that they go fast in a house of 5 and would be perfectly suited for a weeks worth of dessert in a house of 2 which is always a challenge!

Thanks for reading and happy baking!

The recipe:
1 C chocolate chips
1/2 C butterscotch chips (or any other kind of chip you'd like)
3 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

• Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 cookie sheets.  
• Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl stirring occasionally.  (I found 15-30 second increments to work well to avoid burning and stirred every time the microwave beeped.)
• Let cool slightly.
• Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites to form soft peaks.
• Gradually mix in 1 C sugar until the mixture resembles marshmallow cream.
• In a separate medium bowl whisk: 1 C sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg white/sugar mixture and beat until it resembles a meringue.
• Mix in the now lukewarm chocolate and the butterscotch chips.
• Place 1/2 C of sugar in a bowl.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in powdered sugar.  (I find a second set of hands here to be incredibly helpful.  Much thanks to The Husband for helping with this!)
• Place on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. 
• Bake about 10 minutes or until the tops have cracked.
• Let cool 10 minutes on cookie sheets and completely on racks.  (Or decide to eat them after only 10 minutes of cooling and relish the melty chocolaty goodness!)