These fudgy, sparkling cookies were my favorite holiday baking recipe this season. I wanted to bake an assortment of cookies that would hold up for packing and shipping across the country as gifts and they worked perfectly.

Also in the mix were my go-to Lemon Biscotti flavored with pistachio; hazelnut shortbread and peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies. The sparkles were my chocolate pick – I love their crackled tops, chewy-crunchy texture and layers of spice and espresso in each bite.

I promised a few people I’d share the recipe, so here it is!
Happy New Year – I hope it’s a sweet and delicious 2012.

Mochaccino Sparkle Cookies

Author Karen

Based on a recipe from BHG

Ingredients

2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup natural cane sugar
1 ½ cups cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 cup plain yogurt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sanding sugar, turbinado sugar or granulated sugar

Instructions

Beat the butter in a standing mixer bowl on medium-high speed until light, about 1 minute. Add the sugars, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, spices and salt and beat until combined. Beat in the egg whites and yogurt.
Slow the mixer speed to stir and add flour in 1 cup additions until just blended - do not overmix. Cover the mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator until the dough is easy to scoop.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop balls of dough (I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon size scoop), roll them generously in sugar and arrange on the baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies in batches about 12 minutes or until the edges are just firm. It's okay to underbake the middles slightly if you like a more chewy center. Cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.