Easy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I perfected a one-bowl Double Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes thanks to a simple pantry-friendly trick.

I swear these Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies taught me a lesson. I wanted a chocolate cookie you could make faster than your patience lasts, so I melted some unsalted butter and tossed in a ridiculous amount of semisweet chocolate chips.

The result is a soft, chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies vibe but without fuss. I mean, it’s basically an Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies hack that actually works.

You’ll wanna know why they puff just enough and crack on top, but I won’t spoil everything here. Try one warm, you’ll see why I kept sneaking seconds, even though I said I wouldn’t.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: Gives rich fat and chew, adds flavor, lots of calories though.
• Brown sugar: Sweetness and moisture, caramel notes, adds sugar and carbs, a little minerals.
• Cocoa powder: Deep chocolate flavor, low fat, provides antioxidants and some fiber, slightly bitter.
• Eggs: Binders add protein and structure, helps chew and adds richness.
• Flour: Mostly carbs for structure, gives chew, not much fiber unless whole grain.
• Chocolate chips: Melty sweet pockets, add sugar and fat, bring intense chocolate bursts, yum.
• Cornstarch: Makes cookies softer, adds fine starch with no flavor, small effect on nutrition.
• Flaky sea salt: Tiny salt flakes lift flavor and contrast sweetness, adds trace minerals, use sparingly.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, makes cookies extra soft)
• 1 1/2 cups (250 to 270 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional to boost chocolate flavor

How to Make this

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, set the rack in the middle of the oven.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the melted, slightly cooled butter with the packed light brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and shiny.

3. Stir in the large egg plus the extra yolk, the vanilla extract, and the instant espresso powder if using; mix until everything is combined.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, fine salt, and the cornstarch if you want extra soft cookies.

5. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir just until no dry streaks remain, dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.

6. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, reserving a few extra chips to press on top if you like.

7. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough (or use a medium cookie scoop) per cookie onto the prepared sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies; if the dough is very soft chill the scoops 10 minutes to keep them from spreading too much.

8. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if using and press a couple extra chips onto each mound, then bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set but centers still look slightly soft.

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they set up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; they’ll firm as they cool but stay soft and chewy inside.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Medium mixing bowl (for flour, cocoa and leavening)
4. Whisk
5. Rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon for folding the dough
6. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you want precision)
7. 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough
8. Wire cooling rack to let the cookies finish setting up

FAQ

Easy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter: you can use salted butter, just cut the added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon, or swap melted butter for 3/4 cup neutral oil like canola or vegetable for 1 cup butter, cookies will be a bit chewier.
• All purpose flour: use a cup for cup gluten free all purpose baking blend that contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, or swap half the flour for whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor, expect slightly denser cookies.
• Cornstarch: replace 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon arrowroot or 1 tablespoon potato starch, or just skip it if you dont mind slightly less soft centers.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: use chopped bittersweet or dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent in the same weight for deeper chocolate flavor, or use milk chocolate for a sweeter cookie, or mix types for more texture.

Pro Tips

1) Let the melted butter cool until it feels just warm to the touch before you add the egg, otherwise you’ll end up with bits of cooked egg in the dough and the batter wont emulsify properly. Trust me, a few minutes makes a huge difference.

2) Weigh the flour and cocoa if you can, they pack down real easy and too much makes the cookies dry. If you dont have a scale spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, and sift the cocoa so you dont get lumps.

3) If your kitchen is warm chill the scooped dough longer than 10 minutes, like 20 to 30, it helps the cookies keep their shape and gives those fudgy centers. Also press a few extra chips on top right before baking and sprinkle a little flaky sea salt after they come out for that bakery vibe.

4) Little hacks for bigger chocolate flavor: use the instant espresso powder and a mix of chopped good quality chocolate plus chips for melty pockets, and include the extra yolk or a teaspoon of cornstarch if you want them extra soft. Dont overmix the dough or youll wind up with tough cookies.