Cookie #58 - Pennsylvania Hershey's Special Dark Double Chocolate Cookies

In 1903, Milton Hershey began construction of a chocolate plant in his hometown of Derry Church, Pennsylvania - now Hershey, Pennsylvania,

"The Sweetest Place on Earth."

While on vacation last week, my family and I stopped in Hershey to visit Hershey's Chocolate World.  I was excited.  I hadn't been there since I was a little girl and my family vacationed in Pennsylvania Dutch Country one summer.  In the shadows of the roller coasters of Hershey Park, my husband, two daughters and I learned all about the Hershey Process. 

Well, my husband and I did. 

My girls cared more about the singing animatronic cows. 

The whole thing is quite neat. 

As you walk through the halls to get to the tour, the smell of chocolate is rich in the air. 

My mouth was watering. 

Upon exiting, each of us was given a small Hershey bar.  Sydney, my three-year-old, devoured hers.  After the tour, you enter the Hershey shop where you can buy anything and EVERYTHING Hershey - including bulk packages of Hershey products. 

If it wasn't 95 degrees out that day, I can almost guarantee I would've left there with a lot of chocolate. 

When it came to my home state of Pennsylvania, I originally thought about doing a regional cookie called a Kiffle.  I then learned that most of PA doesn't actually eat Kiffles. 

They are regional to the Allentown area.  I wanted to do something that was a little more recognizable for Penna, so I moved on to Hershey.

For these cookies, I used Hershey's Cocoa and Hershey's Chocolate Chips. 

When I went to the grocery store to buy some ingredients, I discovered they have a Special Dark version of both.  I've never tried them before and was excited to try them in this cookie. 

The result is a deep, dark, almost black cookie. 

They are very rich and chocolaty, but not bitter, like some dark chocolates can be. 

Not nearly as dark and bitter as the Ghirardelli cookies. 

These cookies also held their shape surprisingly well.  I was expecting them to spread like a traditional chocolate chip cookie, but they didn't.  They stayed quite puffy and thick.  Because of that, they stay quite soft and don't get thin and crunchy - I like them that way. 

Pennsylvania Hershey's Special Dark Double Chocolate Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Add gradually to butter mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Dough will be very stiff.

Drop tablespoons full of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets about 2" apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.