Chocolate Chip Cookies & Brownie Cups

As a thank you for someone and a gift for someone else I decided to whip up some heavy-chocolate treats. One just didn't seem like enough with all of the delightful recipes so I turned a classic Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and a Brownie Cup recipe into reduced fat deliciousness. The cookies were very light and fluffy, almost cake-light and the brownies were flat-out dreamy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat over to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda in medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat sugar, vanilla, butter, applesauce, and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Slowly add flour mixture, beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Brownie Cups

48 Hershey Kisses (Meltaway)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

1. Unwrap kisses and place in freezer.
2. Beat butter, applesauce, sugar, water, vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and beat well.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda. Slowly add to sugar/butter mixture, beating on low until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to roll into balls.
4. Heat over to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tray with paper/foil baking cups or spray with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place in muffin cups.
5. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Do NOT overbake. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack, dust tops with powdered sugar. Press frozen kisses into each brownie. Cool IN PAN on wire rack and remove when cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Original Cookie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5014&name=HERSHEY%27S-%22Perfectly-Chocolate%22-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

Original Brownie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=8608&name=Chocolate-Meltaway-Brownie-Bites


AEM