Chocolate Cookies are rich and fudgy with soft, chewy interiors. They’re packed with two kinds of chocolate and absolutely perfect with a sprinkle of sea salt on top!
Try some other popular cookie recipes next: Snickerdoodles, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The Best Chocolate Cookies Ever!
There’s nothing quite like a rich, brownie-like chocolate cookie, a personal favorite treat of mine.
However, finding the perfect chocolate cookie can be a challenge. Many store-bought or cookie shop varieties often end up being average or even downright disappointing.
But not these cookies – they are, without a doubt, the best chocolate cookies I’ve ever tasted. They require a few special ingredients, but I assure you, the result is absolutely worth it. These aren’t just good chocolate cookies; they’re the best!
Ingredients In Chocolate Cookies
- Unsalted Butter: Use straight from the fridge for best cookie texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: Make sure to use fresh and soft brown sugar!
- Eggs: Binds the ingredients and adds structure.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor.
- Salt: Balances and enhances flavors.
- Baking Soda: For rise and fluffiness.
- Corn Starch: For tender, thick cookies.
- Dutch-process Cocoa Powder: Deeper chocolate flavor. Here’s a summary of cocoa powder differences:
- Cake Flour: Lighter, tender crumb; don’t try DIY substitutes here.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms Chocolate Cookies structure.
- Chocolate Chips: Mix of types and sizes for varied texture and flavor.
How To Make Chocolate Cookies
- Cream: Combine butter and sugar until creamy.
- Mix Wet: Add eggs and vanilla, mix.
- Combine Dry: Incorporate salt, baking soda, cornstarch, cocoa, and flours.
- Fold in Chips: Add chocolate chips to the dough.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Form Balls: Make 2 tablespoon-sized dough balls. A food scale is great for accuracy!
- Bake: At 325°F for 8-12 minutes. Enjoy!
Cookie Tips
- Use Cold Butter: Ensures less spreading and thicker Chocolate Cookies.
- Brown Sugar Packing: Firmly pack for consistent sweetness and texture.
- Accurate Measuring: Especially for flour, to avoid dense or cake-like cookies.
- Don’t Over-mix: Mix until just combined to keep cookies tender.
- Even Balls: Consistent size for uniform baking.
- Double Chill Dough: Chill after mixing and again after shaping for better flavor and to avoid spreading.
- Use A Liner: Ensures even baking.
- Don’t Over-bake: Take cookies out when glossy top disappears for a soft, fudgy texture. Over-baking results in hard, less tasty cookies.
Storage
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days before they start losing texture.
How To Freeze Chocolate Cookies
- Freeze dough instead of baked cookies!
- Place dough balls on a pan, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Bake frozen dough balls directly, adding extra bake time. No thawing required.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Swig Sugar Cookies
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Filled Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- No Bake Cookies
Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Cookies are rich and fudgy with soft, chewy interiors. They're packed with two kinds of chocolate and absolutely perfect with a sprinkle of sea salt on top!
Equipment
- Sheet pan & silicone (or parchment) liner
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1-1/2 cups soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, baking soda, corn starch
- 1/2 cup Hershey's special dark cocoa powder, spoon into measuring cup (Note 1)
- 1 cup cake flour (Note 2)
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
- 2 cups milk (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips (Note 3)
- Optional, but delish!: Maldon sea salt flakes
Instructions
- CREAM: Cut cold butter into cubes. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl with electric mixers), cream together butter and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes until consistency of peanut butter.
- ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Beat in eggs and vanilla. Then add cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, mixing until just combined. Gradually mix in cake and all-purpose flours until no flour streaks remain. Avoid over-mixing. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour (up to overnight).
- FORM COOKIE BALLS: If dough was chilled longer than 1 hour, let it soften slightly at room temperature. Roll dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls (40 grams each) (~40 total cookies). Chill formed cookie balls for 10 minutes.
- BAKE: Preheat oven to 325°F. Space cookies 2 inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet (I bake 6 at a time). Bake for 8-12 minutes, leaning towards underbaking for fudgy cookies. Upon removal, immediately press wayward edges inwards with a spatula. Optionally, add extra chocolate chips on top and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- STORAGE: Best eaten fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, though they lose texture and flavor after 3 days. Re-warm leftovers in microwave.
- FREEZING: Freeze dough balls instead of baked cookies. Bake from frozen, adding extra time as needed.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Cocoa Powder: Use Dutch-process cocoa powder like Hershey’s® “Special Dark” for optimal flavor and moisture. Regular cocoa powder may result in a less flavorful, drier cookie. Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling off; excess can dry out cookies.
Note 2: Cake Flour: Essential for a fluffy, tender crumb. Don't substitute; don't make a DIY Cake Flour -- doesn't work.
Note 3: Chocolate Chips: Milk chocolate is our preference, but feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate for less sweetness. Choose your favorite; it all works!
Chill Dough: Essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much. If dough is chilled longer than an hour, bake time may need a couple extra minutes,
Baking: Slightly underbake for best texture. Look for firm edges and a set center. Cookies firm up more as they cool.
Get Cookies To Spread More: If the cookies aren't spreading by 7-8 minutes, take them out of the oven and tap the baking sheet 2–3 times on the counter to encourage spreading. Then, return them to the oven to finish baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.9g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 21.5mg | Sodium: 64.8mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 17g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As your sister, THESE COOKIES ARE SO GOOD! Haha we make them and always finish the whole batch…they’re irresistible
We’re the exact same! So happy to hear this! Thanks Callie! 🙂