Add all of the wet ingredients to a standing mixer and mix on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium.

*Turn off the mixer each time you add dry ingredients so they don't go flying all over your kitchen!

Slowly add the dry ingredients 1/4 cup at a time. Mix on low speed between each 1/4 cup. Your cookie dough will be somewhat firm like the pictures above.

Divide the dough in half and put each half into two bowls.

Add cocoa and 1 tablespoon additional sugar to one bowl. Mix well. This is your chocolate part of the cookies.

Now you get to use it like playdough! Get a piece of wax paper and lay on the counter. Tear off pieces of cookie dough from both piles and roll like snakes! 

Alternate vanilla and chocolate rolls, pressing together firmly (without smooshing them). Create 3-4 layers of snakes.

Use the wax paper to gently press the layers together. If you look at my photos, you can see tiny gaps...I didn't press enough when adding each vanilla and chocolate roll. 

Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Remove the plastic wrap and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Use a sharp knife to slice cookies from the roll. (See photo above.)

Lay each cookie flat on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack.