Chocolate Comfort Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 2 cups extra-large semisweet chocolate chips (Nestle's mega morsels)
• 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 ounces best quality unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (high altitude: add 2 more tablespoons for a total of 2 1/4 cups flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 1 cup commercially-prepared Marshmallow Creme

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Spread nuts on an ungreased cookie sheet and roast for 7 to 12 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and some skins have loosened. Set aside to cool.
3. butter. cookie sheets.
4. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, cranberries and cooled nuts; set aside.
5. In another large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, cream cheese and egg until very creamy and smooth.
6. Beat in milk, melted chocolate and vanilla extract.
7. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa, then add to the butter.ixture.
8. Blend in the Marshmallow Creme, stirring until thoroughly combined.
9. Add the chips, cranberries and nuts. Stir until well mixed. Batter will be thick.
10. Using a 1/4 cup measure or an ice cream scoop, measure out batter and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets, putting no more than 6 cookies per sheet.
11. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until puffed and baked through.
12. Cool on sheet for 1 minute; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.