Have a weatherman in your family? Live in Hurricane alley? Or, want to make cookies that will leave your guests asking "How did you do that?!?" Then this hurricane cookie is for you. I first made this cookie in the summer of 2011 when Hurricane Irene hit NYC.

What I love about this cookie, other than it's design, is that it combines two of my favorite flavors: chocolate and vanilla. Plus, who wouldn't love to take a bite out of a crispy and sweet hurricane, or dip a hurricane in a cold glass of milk?

And guess what? With a little patience and my step-by-step instructions, you'll be serving up this unique little cookie to guests before you know it!

To see the blog post where this recipe is featured [CLICK HERE].

Step 1: Make Your Dough

Ingredients
    5 1/3 C. Flour
    1 Tsp Baking powder
    1 Tsp Salt
    2 C. Unsalted butter, at room temperature
    2 C. Sugar
    1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
    2 Eggs
    ½ C. Cocoa powder

Instructions
1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla to butter and sugar.
3. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour to the wet ingredients.
4. Divide the dough in half. Add the cocoa powder to one of the halves of dough.
5. You should now have one chocolate and one vanilla dough.

Step 2: Divide Your Dough

You now need to divide your dough so that you can put together the hurricane design.

Divide your chilled chocolate dough in half and your vanilla dough into thirds.

With the chocolate dough, make two cylinders. I find that making two cylinders allows you to handle the dough easier than making one large roll.

Roll two of the 1/3 portions of the vanilla dough into small cylinders that are the same length as the chocolate cylinder. Cut each piece lengthwise, so that you have four pieces of vanilla dough that are the same length as the chocolate dough.

Roll out the last 1/3 portion of the vanilla dough until thin and flat.

Step 3: Form the Hurricane Shape

Now that you have your dough divided, it's time to make the hurricane design!

Stand each chocolate cylinder up so that the round portion is facing straight up. Using a sharp knife, cut into the bottom and top of the round portion to form the “arms” of the hurricane symbol. Continue cutting along the cylinder of dough. Once the “arms” are cut, pull them slightly away from the “eye” (i.e., the center) of the hurricane symbol.

Use the small strips of vanilla dough to fill in the space between the hurricane “arms” and the “eye”. Use two pieces of vanilla dough for each chocolate dough hurricane.

Pres the combined dough together to form a cylinder.

Cover each cylinder with the leftover flat piece of vanilla dough, so that the entire hurricane symbol is surrounded by the vanilla dough.

Step 4: Slice and Bake Your Cookies

Now that the hurricane symbol is formed, chill your dough for 2 hours.

Slice 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick slices of cookie dough. Place on a cookie sheet or mat and bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Serve!!!

To see the blog post where this recipe is featured [CLICK HERE].

For more unique recipes and healthy recipes visit my food-blog, Shabbott's Habits.