Halloween Monster Cookies

Directions

1. Pour the melted and slightly cooled butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer or mixing by hand).
2. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed just until the butter and sugars combine; a separated look is fine. Avoid overmixing, as incorporating too much air leads to a cakier texture.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs until fully incorporated, ensuring the batter looks smooth and emulsified.
4. In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, Dutch cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder. With the mixer on its lowest setting, add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing after each. This gradual addition minimizes mess and prevents overmixing; it's fine if the flour isn't fully incorporated before the next addition.
5. Once most of the flour is incorporated, add the dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate). Mix on low speed just until distributed, or fold in by hand with a spatula for better control.
6. Take the bowl off the mixer and give the dough a few turns by hand to incorporate any unmixed bits from the bottom. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to drop dough portions onto a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Press 6 to 8 M&Ms into each dough mound; they'll spread out during baking.
8. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough mounds overnight (or for at least 1 hour). You can also freeze them at this stage for later use.
9. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line another half-sheet pan with parchment paper, and arrange 4 to 6 chilled dough portions on it, leaving space between them.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. For a chewier cookie, bake 14 minutes; for a softer one, 12 to 13 minutes. If baking from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pan for even cooking.
11. Take the cookies out of the oven and immediately press candy monster eyes into the warm cookies, ensuring they stick well.
12. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 6 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. These cookies are delicious served warm or at room temperature.
14. For unbaked dough, transfer the frozen portions to a gallon zip-top bag or airtight container and keep in the freezer. To bake later, place frozen dough on a parchment-lined pan and bake at 350°F for 14 to 17 minutes.
15. To store baked cookies, layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper or 2 to 3 tortillas between each layer. Replace the tortillas every couple of days as they dry out. Baked cookies stay fresh for 3 to 5 days at room temperature.
16. For freezing baked cookies, arrange them in a single layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven before serving.