Cocoa Drops

Soft, cakey chocolate drop cookies with cream cheese blended right into the dough. That cream cheese is what makes these different from a standard cocoa cookie. It adds moisture, tang, and a velvety softness that butter or margarine alone can’t achieve.

The dough comes together fast: cream the sugar, margarine, and cream cheese, add the egg and vanilla, then fold in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Drop by spoonfuls and bake. No chilling, no rolling, no fuss. They spread slightly in the oven and bake up with a soft, pillowy center and barely set edges.

Cool them completely before eating or stacking. They’re fragile when warm but firm up nicely once they reach room temperature.

Pro Tips

• Soften the cream cheese and margarine before mixing. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the dough.
• Don’t overbake. Pull at 12 minutes even if they look slightly underdone. The centers set as they cool.
• Space the drops 2 inches apart on the sheet. They spread more than you’d expect.

Variations

• Roll cooled cookies in powdered sugar for a crinkle-cookie look.
• Add mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to the dough for extra chocolate richness.
• Swap half the cocoa for espresso powder for a mocha-flavored version.