Sweet Revenge

These cookies have an intriguing name and an even more intriguing flavor. The dough is dark and fragrant with Dutch-style cocoa and a warm-spice lineup that reads straight out of gingerbread territory: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. That combination gives the finished cookie a complex aroma that’s more chocolate-chai than straight chocolate.

The lightness comes from a yogurt-for-butter swap. Only 5 tablespoons of margarine in a batch of 3 dozen cookies, with a third of a cup of yogurt picking up the moisture. The result is a chewy, slightly softer cookie that keeps surprisingly well in an airtight tin for up to three weeks.

Two hours of chilling is a must, not a suggestion. Warm dough spreads flat and greasy in the oven. Cold dough holds its ball shape and bakes up with the signature cracked-sugar exterior that makes these so photogenic.

Pro Tips

• Use Dutch-processed cocoa for deeper color and less acidity. Natural cocoa works but yields a browner, sharper-tasting cookie.
• Don’t skip the granulated sugar roll before baking. That coating is what gives the cracked, glittery exterior. It doesn’t sweeten the cookie much, it’s all for show.
• Bake only until the edges look set and the tops still look slightly soft. Residual heat finishes them on the pan, so pulling them early keeps them chewy.
• Let the cookies sit on the hot pan for 2 minutes before transferring. This lets them firm up enough to move without cracking apart.

Variations

• Swap margarine for real unsalted butter for a richer flavor and slightly crisper edge.
• Add a half cup of chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips to the dough for pockets of melt.
• Replace half the sugar-roll coating with powdered sugar for a more traditional crinkle-cookie look.