How long does it take two college boys to eat a plate of cookies?

So how long DOES it take two college boys to eat a plate of cookies? Well, when it’s THESE cookies (and there were 22 on this plate…I may or may not have snuck two before I brought them out)…it turns out about ten minutes.

Saturday was kind of a weird day. I really just wanted to hang out a bit at home…you know, watch old movies, CSI reruns, and Cops (yes, I know I have very eccentric taste in media). But, we ended up cleaning up the house a bit and hosting two midshipmen (college guys getting ready to enter the Navy) who were visiting. You see, when you are at the Naval Academy or in NROTC, you spend two weeks of your summer vacation each summer with Officers actually in the Navy. So one summer you might be on a boat, one summer you might go with a helecopter squadron, and for these two guys, this summer they spent two weeks with my hubby’s squadron. They didn’t have a car or much to do, so we invited them over to our house Saturday night.

I was in a baking mood, and decided to make these World Peace Cookies. Wow. They. Were. Awesome. After making a batch, I set them out for the boys, and they ate every single one! Wow. I think I’ve found the way to prevent myself from eating all my own baked goods! Apparently you just need to employ college boys to eat all your food! I mean, my hubby usually does a pretty good job, but his calorie intake pales in comparison to these guys. I wish I had that sort of metabolism!

Here’s the recipe:

Korova Cookies or World Peace Cookies
(makes about 36 cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 11 tbsp unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fleur de sel or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into tiny bits

Method:
1. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda. Set aside dry ingredients. I don’t actually have a real sifter. So I sift things through a rice colander I have. It works JUST as well, and then I have one less multi-tasker in my kitchen. Ya-Hoo!

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla and mix for 1 minute. Don’t beat too much air into this batter, or else your cookies will turn out flatter than Kansas (Which is REALLY flat. I know. I’ve driven across the whole state. Funny fact about Kansas, they have a lot of museums. Seriously. TONS of museums. At least one per town, I’d say. My favorite? The Museum of Telelphonary. Really. That’s what it’s called.)

3. On low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the chocolate bits and mix just to incorporate. Try to avoid eating lots of dough. Otherwise, you’ll only end up with 24 cookies rather than 36 like this recipe says it makes.

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into one mass and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. I dare you to try to leave them in your fridge for 3 days! Ha!

5. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or silicone mats. I really need to get some of those silpats.

6. Remove the chilled logs of dough from refrigerator. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are about 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on your prepared sheet pan, about 1 inch apart.

7. Bake for 12 minutes. The cookies won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. They’ll firm right on up as they cool. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

8. Invite college kiddos over to prevent yourself from eating 36 of these cookies.