Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I got this from one of my new favorite blogs-by-people-I-don't know, Love and Olive Oil.

Makes approx. 3-4 dozen.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk or soy milk
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 oz dark chocolate candy coating (or 14 oz dark chocolate if you want to try tempering the chocolate)

Directions

1. Beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add soymilk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
3. When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands), form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.
4. Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions. Using forks or a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week (though good luck making them last that long).

RESULTS:
At some point in the middle of making these I was struck with the thought of how they were just wrong. We all crave raw cookie dough, but it's the danger of the raw eggs that keeps us from indulging. (and, let's face it, that danger is part of the appeal, no?) And now here's this recipe that says, go ahead, eat all the raw cookie dough you want. It won't kill you, at least, not immediately. But, believe me, they are oh so good. Chris is very mad that I took some to a party and am sending another batch to my old (and now redux) office in Bloomington.

I say make the balls whatever size you want. I yet again used my melon baller. I have yet to use that thing to ball melons, but it gets a lot of use.

If you're wondering, like I am, why the recipe includes baking soda when there's no need for leavening, the author said it adds a little something to lend to the authenticity of the cookie taste. Leave it out if you don't want it.