Chocolate Chia Snow-Ball Cookies

These super-chocolaty snowballs can be made in different ways. First, the “Super Dark” (shown here) is made with “Extra Dark” baking cocoa. You can also make a regular version by using ordinary baking cocoa.
You can alter the look of the snowballs between “icy” and “snowy” depending on which type of sugar you use for rolling. Powdered sugar produces a snowy crackle coat, while granulated sugar forms a shiny crystal-icy coat. The crispy coating of the icy version combined with the soft, fluffy chocolaty interior provides a unique and fun texture!
These cookies are kid-friendly too, rolling the dough balls around in sugar is easy and fun. Either version can be enhanced by sprinkling on a few crystals of large-crystal white decorating sugar before baking.

Ingredients

½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 and ¾ cups flour

Wet Ingredients

4 tbsp softened (not melted) butter
4 tbsp MySeeds Chia Gel
1 and ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 oz. Melted unsweetened baking chocolate (cooled slightly)
2 eggs (large works best)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp light corn syrup
Small bowls with either powdered sugar or granulated sugar

First, melt the baking chocolate squares. This can be done in the top of a double boiler, or in the microwave. If using the microwave, just put the squares into a microwave-safe glass container, heat and stir carefully, repeating until melted. Set aside the hot cup to make the rest while it cools.

Next, in a large bowl combine cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder and the salt. Set it aside, and in another bowl, use a mixer to combine the butter, granulated sugar and corn syrup. It will look like yellowish crumbs or small clumps. Then, turn the mixer down to low speed and beat in the eggs, melted chocolate and vanilla. Now it’s time to add the MySeeds Chia and beat again on low until combined. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir by hand. A sticky thick dough will form.

Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 350 while the dough is still chilling, and add a few spoonfuls of your sugar of choice to a bowl (or use both in separate bowls for a cookie variety!) Spray or grease your baking sheets, and you’re ready to roll.

Using a spoon, scoop out a portion of dough, and by hand roll it into a 1 inch ball. Drop the ball into a sugar bowl and roll it around until it’s evenly coated. Repeat this with all the dough, setting the balls 1 inch apart from each other on the baking sheet. (they do not remain perfectly round, and will spread slightly) Bake them for about 8 to 9 minutes. The surfaces will become cracked when finished.

Tips:
If the dough starts getting too sticky to work with, just put it back into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.
Powdered sugar can be absorbed easily by the moist dough. It’s important to get the cookies into the ready oven as fast as you can after rolling them in the powdered sugar. (If it absorbs in, it’ll make a light brown muddy looking coat—if this happens they can be dusted with powdered sugar later to hide it, but it will not cling as well) Note: they will still taste the same, they just won’t look as pretty.