Bake up a batch of these chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies that are buttery and crisp on the edges while being soft and chewy in the centers. These chocolate chocolate chip cookies are made with dark chocolate cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Best Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are a few culinary things in this world I am a self-proclaimed connoisseur of: homemade scones, cinnamon rolls, pie of any flavor, and the double chocolate chip cookie. I am very, very picky when it comes to double chocolate cookies. Very picky. Too many double chocolate chip cookies are dry and crumbly–lacking a true soft and chewy texture with buttery crisp edges.
What I want out of my double chocolate chip cookies is the same texture as a gooey chocolate chip cookie but with all of the rich chocolate flavor of a chocolate brownie. And when I tell you this is the only chewy double chocolate chip cookie recipe you need, I mean it. If there’s one thing I know in this world, it’s double chocolate chip cookies and how they should taste.
These are a chocolate lover’s dream based off my best chocolate chip cookie recipe but made better because it’s a chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Four Reasons I Love These Chocolate Cookies:
1. Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder: This is a super key ingredient to these cookies: Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder (which is different from unsweetened cocoa powder). Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder is my absolute favorite cocoa powder to use. It is slightly more difficult to find in store (but it is in plenty of retail grocery stores), but the flavor is unmatched. I talk more about substitutions down below if you can’t find dark chocolate cocoa powder.
2. Baking Soda: A small ingredient, but it makes a huge difference in texture. We use baking soda as the leavening agent rather than baking powder (or a combination) in order to keep these cookies incredibly fudgy and chewy.
3. No Chill: And maybe the best part of these fudgy chocolate chip cookies is that it is a no chill cookie dough recipe. You can whip up a batch and have them baked and ready in under 45 minutes.
4. Sea Salt: Another tiny ingredient that packs a big punch is flaky sea salt. Salt enhances the flavor of chocolate so I like to add a sprinkle of sea salt on top of each cookie after they have baked.
Bake these next: Some of my other favorite cookie recipes are these chewy Sugar Cookies (aka the perfect Christmas cookie), Chocolate Fudge Cookies (aka brownie cookies), Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, and these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: I almost exclusively use unsalted butter in my baking recipes because I like to control the amount of salt in my recipes. With salted butter you don’t know exactly how salty your baked goods are going to taste because the salty flavor differs from different brands.
- Granulated Sugar
- Dark Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is used for two reasons: firstly, it’s adds an extra depth of flavor since it has molasses in it and secondly, it adds more moisture, which makes these cookies really soft and chewy (and technically if we’re going to get into the science side of things, brown sugar + baking soda + dutch processed cocoa powder makes for the perfectly textured cookie we have here).
- Egg
- Espresso Powder: I’m a big believer in espresso powder, because it’s an easy ingredient that enhances to overall flavor of these cookies. Coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate and that is very apparent in these dark chocolate chip cookies.
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- All Purpose Flour
- Dark Cocoa Powder: I specifically use and recommend Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder. If you cannot find it, I give some substitutions down below.
- Vanilla Extract
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Sea Salt
How To Make These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies From Scratch:
- Step 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer) cream the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Next, add in the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Next, add in the egg and beat until combined.
- Step 2: Next, add in the baking soda, espresso powder, salt, and the vanilla extract. (We add the baking soda now because it reacts quickly to the butter and sugar mixture thanks to the brown sugar. You can add it to the dough when you add the dry ingredients, but it is ideal if you can add it in first). Mix until combined.
- Step 3: Add in the cocoa powder and flour, and mix until well combined.
- Step 4: Add in the chocolate chips and mix until well combined.
- Step 5: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out cookie dough balls and place them on the cookie sheet about 2″ apart.
- Pro Tip: A medium sized cookie scoop equals about 1 Tablespoon of dough while a large cookie scoop is about 2 Tbsp of dough.
- Step 6: Bake these for about 10-12 minutes, or until they are just about done (they will continue to cook as they cool on the cookie sheet).
- Step 7: Once they have baked, if desired, add a few more chocolate chips on top and then add a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Pro Tip: If you want perfectly round cookies, use a large cookie cutter (it has to be larger than your cookies) and spin it in a clock-wise circle around the baked cookies, making sure you’re actually moving the cookies. This will reshape the chocolate cookies into perfect circles and make them a thicker cookie as well.
Storage Tips:
- Like all classic chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cookie recipes, these need to be stored in an airtight container or sealed ziplock bag. They can be stored at room temperature, or you can store them in the fridge (I know I’m in the minority here, but I actually love a cold chocolate cookie recipe. I think cold double chocolate chip cookies are amazingly rich and fudgy–try it and let me know!)
- If you want to freeze these dark chocolate chip cookies, I suggest freezing the dough rather than the baked cookies. Make the dough and then scoop tablespoons of dough into an airtight container lined with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months.
- You can bake the cookie dough frozen, but you will need to add a few more minutes to the overall bake time.
Can I Substitute Natural Cocoa Powder Instead Of Dark Cocoa Powder?
In this recipe, yes, unsweetened cocoa powder (natural cocoa powder–think Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder) can be substituted as-is for Special Dark Cocoa Powder (aka Dutch Processed Cocoa). HOWEVER, I highly *highly* suggest you make these double chocolate cookies with dark cocoa powder first.
Unsweetened cocoa powder can work in a pinch, but I do believe the flavor lacks in comparison to a dark dutch processed cocoa powder. Chocolate cookies made with natural unsweetened cocoa powder are often dry and crumbly and don’t have the chewy chocolate chip cookie texture we really want in our double chocolate chip cookie recipes.
One last note, you can never substitute cocoa powder with hot cocoa mix or hot chocolate powder. They are completely different ingredients and it will not yield the same results.
Final Baking Tips and Tricks:
- Chocolate Chips: You can use chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet chocolate chips if you’d prefer.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before making the double chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Cocoa Powder: While you can use both dutch processed or unsweetened cocoa powder, I suggest first making this cookie recipe with dark cocoa powder (dutch process cocoa powder) before trying it with unsweetened cocoa powder. Trust me, if you bake these with Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, you’re going to have one of the best chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipes you have ever had. It’s going to satisfy and chocolate cravings you have.
- No Chill: And, this is a no chill chocolate cookie recipe! Whenever the need for chocolate strikes, you can have these fudgy chocolate chip cookies in no time at all.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (dutch-processed cocoa powder; Hershey’s special dark is my favorite*)
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- Sea salt, optional
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add in brown sugar and granulated sugar, and continue to cream the mixture until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg, and then cream the mixture until well combined.
- Next, add in vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Mix until well combined.
- Add in all purpose flour and cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
- Lastly, add in chocolate chips and mix until combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop (equals about 2 Tbsp of dough*), scoop balls of cookie dough and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2” apart. (For a large cookie sheet, I usually bake 6 cookies at a time.)
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are just about set.
- Remove from the oven and if desired, top with extra chocolate chips and a sprinkling of sea salt.
*Cocoa Powder: This recipe is best with a dark chocolate cocoa powder (dutch processed), but you may substitute unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
*Chocolate Chips: I like to add more chocolate chips to each cookie after they have baked, but that is optional.
*Cookie Scoop: A large cookie scoop is about 2 Tbsp of dough while a medium cookie scoop is about 1 Tbsp of dough. If you use a medium cookie scoop, you will probably be able to get about 22-24 cookies instead of 12 large ones.
Here are some other extra chocolatey recipes to try next:
Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Leave a Reply