Chocolate Beer Cookies with Salted Caramel Frosting

These cookies destroyed my Lenten vows of no dessert/no chocolate. For 3 days in a row. I tried to forgive myself on Sunday since it's the mini-Easter reprieve from Lent, but Monday was willful and deliberate ignoring of my fast. I rationalized it at the time by telling myself I was saving my wife from having to eat them (she had been complaining about too much unhealthy food over the weekend and wanting to get back to normal come Monday). So it was an act of love/an act of sacrifice on my part?

 I only had lager on hand and being the cheapskate that I am, that's what I used in the cookie dough. I am 100% certain that a really nice chocolate,oatmeal or espresso stout would knock the cookie batter out of the park though. The other perk of this recipe is that it only uses half a beer, leaving me half a beer to drink (the perfect size for me). The cookies turned out moist and almost cake-like, studded with melted chocolate chips, and when topped with salted caramel frosting and crunchy salty pretzel bits, the combo was divine!!!!! Yep it was a pretty spiritual food experience.

The one lesson I learned: pretzels on frosting go STALE. So, if you make this recipe, only frost as many cookies as you anticipate eating at that seating. Then when you want more, reheat the frosting, dunk the cookies and apply fresh pretzels because you really do want the crunch factor.

Chocolate Stout Cookies with Salted Caramel Frosting (from cravingchronicles)

• 1 1/2 cups flour
•  1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon dark cocoa 
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
•  1/2 cup dark brown sugar
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•  1 egg
•  6 ounces stout beer (such as Chocolate Stout or Oatmeal Stout, or whatever beer you have on hand)
•  1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or bittersweet chocolate chips)
• 1 batch Easy Salted Caramel Frosting (below)
•  1 bag of salted pretzels (I used multigrain pretzels)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. Beat butter with brown sugar using a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat vanilla and egg in. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the beer. Beat just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula.
4. Chill dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
5. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes or until tops spring back lightly when touched. Cool on pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Easy Salted Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
•  pinch or two of salt
•  1 cup packed brown sugar
•  1/4 cup heavy cream
•  1 tsp vanilla extract
•  1 cup powdered sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, salt and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently for 1-2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in cream, followed by vanilla. Cool 5-10 minutes.
3. Whisk in ~1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. 

To Assemble
Spread frosting over cooled cookies.
Crush pretzels into small pieces (put them in a bag and roll over the bag with a rolling pin). Spread pretzel crumbs out in a plate. 
Dip each cookie frosting side down in the pretzel crumbs, pushing lightly to make sure they stick.