Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

With a rich chocolate base, and creamy chocolate chips inside, these Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfect for sharing. Why not whip up a batch this weekend?

Sometimes when I am driving, I just listen to my kids talk to each other. The murmur of their voices reveals bits of the people they are becoming. At ages 8 and 10, they have lives away from me — ones filled with friends, interactions, excitements and disappointments. They aren’t little-little kids anymore who rely on me for everything. There are times everyday when they make choices about what to do with their time, what to read and who to spend time with. And in their conversations, I catch glimpses of all this.

I also see how they interact with each other and the world. Sometimes, I even hear my voice in their words, and it’s amazing and frightening all at once.

There, in the backseat of my car, there’s giggling, arguing, bargaining, negotiating, happiness and … of course … disappointment. And while I learn more about them, they learn too — that you can’t always convince people to do what you want, that life doesn’t always go in the direction you wish, that there’s room for more than one opinion and that silliness can lift up the soul.

And there’s another important lesson learned in that backseat: Your words have power.

Heck, everyone’s do.

No matter how insignificant words may feel at times, the words you use affect everyone around you. A bad-timed off-the-cuff remark can hurt others. A misused word can fuel misunderstand. And stubbornly sticking by words, even when they’re wrong, doesn’t lead to a positive place.

On the flip side, the mere effort of saying hello can be the sweetest thing, thank you’s are always appreciated and a caring comment can change everything. Words are more than just a means of communicating what we want. They color our impressions of each other, and jaded our views. They have the power to lift each other up, or tear each other down. They can help, and they can hurt.

In our life, I am a stickler about the importance of follow through. In other words, if you say you are going to do something, you damned well better do it. When you don’t, your words become hollow, and your promises become just wisps of a breeze. Trust is compromised.

I wish I could say I am perfect at follow through, but I’m not. Sometimes even with the best of intentions, we don’t get to everything I say we will. But I try, everyday, to live what I believe.

That means whenever I tell my kids we need to make something to share with whomever we’re visiting, we do it even if we’re running short on time. And recently, this Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe has become our go-to for sharing. Paige and I have made these cookies at least a half-dozen times, adjusting the recipe a little along the way. Originally, they were a little different — with white chocolate chips, and less salt and baking soda. But the tweaking has led to a soft, chocolatey cookie that’s rich and satisfying.

A soft chocolate cookie, dotted with rich semisweet chocolate chips, is delightful … and always appreciated. These are lovely hot from the oven (let them cool a little before trying though — those chocolate chips get so hot!), but also great for days to come.

Hint: Stick a slice of bread in the container you store the cookies in and they will remain soft and fresh much longer. It works!

Want to share these Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies? I love sticking some in a little lined basket for sharing. For the liner I cut remnant or quilting fabric squares to fit. They are economical and so pretty — but a nice paper napkin would work too.