Lincoln Log Cookies

These chocolate cookies are shaped into little logs, packed with chocolate chips, and drizzled with two-toned icing that gives them a bark-like finish. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat.

The dough is a rich cocoa base made with brown sugar and shortening, which produces a softer, chewier cookie than butter would. Two cups of semisweet chocolate chips get stirred in, and the dough is shaped by hand into two-inch logs about the width of your thumb. The log shape means more surface area for that crispy outer edge while the center stays soft and fudgy.

After baking (7 to 9 minutes, no more), the cooled logs get the finishing touch: drizzles of white powdered sugar icing and cocoa icing side by side, creating stripes that mimic the look of real bark. Let each layer set before adding the next for the cleanest lines.

Chef Tips

• Shape the logs to a consistent size so they bake evenly. Two inches long and about ¾ inch thick is the target.
• Do not overbake. These firm up significantly as they cool. Pull them while they still look slightly underdone in the center.
• Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving. Fresh from the oven, they’re too soft to handle without breaking.
• Drizzle the icings with a fork or a piping bag with a tiny tip for the most controlled lines.

Variations

• Use white chocolate chips instead of semisweet for a milder, sweeter log.
• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough for a mocha flavor.
• Roll the iced logs in crushed graham crackers while the icing is still wet for a campfire-style finish.