INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup
unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1/2 cup
granulated sugar
1/2 cup
light brown sugar, packed
1
large egg
2 tbsp
cream or half-and-half
1 1/2
teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour
heaping 1/2 cup (almost 2/3 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 tsp
instant espresso granules, optional but recommended (doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee; serves to intensify the chocolate flavor)
1 tsp
baking soda
1/4 tsp
salt, or to taste
2 cups
semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz
cream cheese, softened (lite okay)
1/4 cup
(half of 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups
confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp
salt, or to taste
chocolate sprinkles or chocolate shavings,