Crispy Chocolate Cookies

From the authors of Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters, these slender wafers have a deep cocoa flavor and a wonderful cornmeal crunch. Recipe was a favorite of the staff at Food and Wine.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cornmeal
• 1⁄4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  cup  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1  ounce  unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour with both sugars and the cornmeal, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.
2. Add the butter and vanilla; pulse until the mixture resembles moist sand.
3. Add the melted chocolate and pulse just until the dough comes together.
4. Pat the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 325°.
6. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each dough disk to flatten to about 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of parchment paper.
7. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out cookies as close together as possible.
8. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart.
9. Gather and reroll the scraps and stamp out more cookies.
10. Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes, until the tops are firm. Let cool completely on the baking sheets before serving.