Published · Modified by Paula Montenegro
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Fudgy, easy-to-make cookies with a double dose of chocolate that makes them irresistible. They come together quickly and can be baked immediately, or the cookie dough can be refrigerated or frozen for several days or weeks.
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Chocolate cookies are a year-round treat, and we have several favorites like chocolate snickerdoodles and brownie cookies that are good for potlucks, bake sales and, of course, the Christmas cookie tray.
These are simple and intense, sweet and chewy. A dreamy chocolate cookie to make often. They're fantastic with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee in the afternoon.
The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for a month before baking.
About this recipe
- Easy to make: a one-bowl recipe that can be made and chilled for a few days before baking them.
- Freezing: you can freeze the scooped cookie portions and bake them when needed.
- Great for gifting: they are great year-round, of course; what cookie isn't? But are especially good as Christmas cookies as they travel well.
Ingredients
- Chocolate:use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate for this recipe. I likeCallebaut 54% chocolate wafersorGhirardelli Premium baking bar.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: any brand you already use works fine. I usually use Ghirardelli semisweet Chocolate chips, Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Hershey's semisweet baking chips.
- Cocoa powder: make sure it's unsweetened. I usually use Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder, Valrhona Pure Cocoa powder, and Hershey's natural unsweetened cocoa.
- Vanilla - I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
- Unsalted butter.
- Sugar: we use white granulated sugar, and brown sugar (light or dark) for this recipe.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking soda: make sure it's not expired.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
How to make chocolate cookies
- Melt the chocolate: always start with chopped chocolate in a microwavable or glass bowl. You can use the microwave (short 10-15 second spurts stirring well between each one until it's fully melted) or a double boiler with the bowl containing the chopped chocolate not touching the water. In both cases, make sure it doesn't scorch.
- Electric mixer: it's what I use to cream the butter, sugars, and eggs before adding the flour mixture and add-ins, which I do with a spatula. A stand mixer with the paddle attachment also works, and make sure you mix at low speed after adding the dry ingredients.
Melted chocolate: add it while still warm but not starting to set, so it integrates well with the butter mixture.
Dry ingredients: don't overmix or overbeat at this point, so the cookies aren't tough after they're baked. The final chocolate cookie dough will be thick.
Add-ins: the chocolate chips are added to the cookie dough.
Baking
Baking sheets: I butter the cookie sheet lightly and don't use parchment paper. But you can if that's what you usually bake cookies on.
Leave space between cookies to allow them to expand during baking, about 1 ½ inches. The cookies will still be soft in the center when you take them out.
Kitchen notes
- Organization:read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time:keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chocolate: the better the chocolate and cocoa powder you use, the better the flavor of the cookies. The brands I use can be found in the ingredients list and the Notes section in the recipe card below.
- Chilling: I usually bake them directly but have chilled the dough for several hours and up to 2 days. There is not much difference in my experience. They're a tad more compact but not very noticeable. So use the refrigerator to make the cookie dough ahead if you need to.
- Freezing: you can freeze the scooped cookie portions and bake them later. Put the scoops on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer. When the dough balls are rock solid, transfer them to a plastic bag or freezer container to free up the baking pan and space in the freezer. Bake them directly as instructed in the recipe. They might take an extra minute or so.
- Extra chocolate: you can sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies before baking them if you like an extra dose of chocolate.
Related recipes you might like:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe andloved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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Double Chocolate Cookies
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Fudgy, easy-to-make cookies with a double dose of chocolate that makes them irresistible. They come together quickly and can be baked immediately, or the cookie dough can be refrigerated or frozen for several days or weeks.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 30 medium cookies
Ingredients
Units
- 4.5 oz (¾ cup) semisweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup white, granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Butter or spray a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate: always start with chopped chocolate in a microwavable or glass bowl. You can use the microwave (short 10-15 second spurts stirring well between each one until it's fully melted) or a double boiler with the bowl containing the chocolate not touching the water. In both cases, make sure it doesn't scorch.
- Beat butter with both sugars in a large bowl for about 3 minutes, until creamy.
- Add the egg beating well. Scrape the sides of the bowl each time.
- Add the melted chocolate, the vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) before adding them to the butter mixture, or have them measured and sift as you add them.
- Don’t overbeat at this point. Simply mix well with a spatula or beat at the lowest speed until no streaks of flour remain.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold to incorporate. At this point, you can bake the cookies or cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for a day or two.
- Scoop portions on the prepared baking sheets making sure they're separated 2 inches from each other.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are dry but the centers are still soft.
- Let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes and carefully remove from the sheets and let cool completely on the cooling racks.
- Store in an airtight container or cookie jar.
Notes
- Baking time:keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chocolate: the better the chocolate and cocoa powder you use, the better the flavor of the cookies.
- Chilling: I usually bake them directly but have chilled the dough for several hours and up to 2 days. There is not much difference in my experience. They're a tad more compact but not very noticeable. So use the refrigerator to make the cookie dough ahead if you need to.
- Freezing: you can freeze the scooped cookie portions and bake them later. Put the scoops on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer. When the dough balls are rock solid, transfer them to a plastic bag or freezer container to free up the baking pan and space in the freezer. Bake them directly as instructed in the recipe. They might take an extra minute or so.
- Extra chocolate: you can sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies before baking them if you like an extra dose of chocolate.
- Author: Paula Montenegro
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
About Paula Montenegro
I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.
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