Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
  • 0.5 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (50g)
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 0.25 cup vegetable oil (60ml)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp espresso powder
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar (60g)

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the 0.25 cup vegetable oil, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy, which usually takes about 2 minutes. Note: This aeration helps create a lighter texture in an otherwise dense cookie.
  2. Sift the flour, Dutch process cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt into the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until no dry streaks of flour remain. Don't overwork it, or the cookies will become tough rather than fudgy.
  3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This is non negotiable. The dough will be very sticky at first, and chilling allows the flour to fully hydrate and the oil to stabilize.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare two bowls: one with the extra 0.25 cup granulated sugar and one with the 0.5 cup powdered sugar. Scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Roll first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
  5. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them. Bake for exactly 10 minutes. The cookies will look slightly underdone and soft in the center, but they will firm up as they cool.
  6. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes until they are stable enough to move. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy.