Double Chocolate Chips Cookies

      Tessa’s Recipe Overview

      FLAVOR: A tribute to chocolate, featuring three types all in one cookie!

      TEXTURE: Thick and fudgy, resembling a brownie, with large chunks of chocolate throughout.

      Simplicity: No mixer is necessary, but chilling the dough is essential for optimal results. Fortunately, these cookies only require 7 minutes of baking time!

      REASON TO LOVE THIS RECIPE: Your friends will assume you purchased these from an upscale bakery. They don't need to know how simple they were to make!

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      I have been eagerly anticipating sharing this recipe! Its development was a true labor of love. The recipe went through extensive testing over a dozen experimental batches to create a cookie that is perfectly thick, chocolatey, and indulgent that anyone can replicate.

      In fact, one of my taste testers declared these “the best cookies ever!”

      The inspiration for this recipe came during a visit to New York City when I tried one of Levain’s Double Chocolate Cookies for the very first time.

      Cookie Disasters? Discover How to Bake the Perfect Cookies.

      Grab my free printable to resolve texture problems once and for all!

      I didn’t want my version to be as large and dense as Levain’s cookies, but I still aimed for outrageously rich and fudgy cookies with molten pools of chocolate.

      I’ve authored a complete cookbook on cookie baking and have shared numerous cookie recipes right here on my site, yet I still get incredibly excited when I perfect a new recipe.

      Read on to get insights into my recipe development journey and all my tips for achieving flawless cookies.

      A Touch of Science

      Essential Ingredients for Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

      Understanding specific ingredients enhances your knowledge of why your beloved recipes work and how to troubleshoot when problems arise. While the complete ingredients list can be found in the recipe card below, here are a few key ingredients that help ensure the recipe’s success.

      Bleached All-Purpose Flour: This recipe was crafted using Gold Medal Bleached All-Purpose Flour. When tested with unbleached flour, the dough became looser and stickier due to its lower absorbency. If using unbleached flour, you might need to add an additional 1-2 tablespoons, especially in humid climates.

      Light Brown Sugar: Only brown sugar is used to add moisture, flavor, and to reduce spreading compared to white granulated sugar.

      Egg Yolk: An extra egg yolk, in addition to a whole egg, provides added richness for a fudgier texture.

      Natural Cocoa Powder: Although I usually prefer Dutch-processed cocoa for its taste and color, I found that natural cocoa resulted in a chewier texture and a more nostalgic chocolate taste for this recipe.

      Instant Espresso Powder: This is an optional ingredient! A small amount enhances the chocolate flavor without a strong coffee taste.

      Milk Chocolate Chips: Milk chocolate helps balance the chocolate intensity and adds a contrasting color for beautiful, gourmet cookies. My preference is for the slightly oversized Ghirardelli chips.

      Semisweet Chocolate “Super” Chips: I enjoy using Guittard Super Chips in this recipe. These large chocolate chips become melty in the cookies. They can be a bit pricey, so I like to buy them in bulk when they are on sale at Sprouts. Alternatively, chopped chocolate chunks work well too.

      How to Prevent Dry Chocolate Cookies

      Cocoa powder can absorb moisture from cookie dough. To counter this, we incorporate moisture-retaining ingredients such as brown sugar and an additional egg yolk. However, it’s CRUCIAL to avoid over-measuring the cocoa powder, as this can lead to dry, crumbly cookies. This is surprisingly easy to do when using volume measuring cups.

      I strongly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to precisely measure both the flour and cocoa powder in this recipe to ensure your cookies remain moist. Learn how to measure flour correctly here.

      Is chilling the dough necessary?

      Absolutely, but I assure you the wait is worthwhile! Chilling the dough intensifies the chocolate flavor and results in more moist, thick, and fudgy cookies. Scoop the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour, but preferably overnight or up to 48 hours. Discover more about the dough chilling process here.

      For Thicker Cookies, Bake at a Higher Heat

      During my testing phases, I baked the same recipe, portioned equally, at three different oven temperatures:

      I discovered that the cookies baked at 400°F were not only thicker, but also significantly softer, fudgier, and moister inside, maintaining that texture longer after baking!

      Can I make smaller or larger cookies?

      Yes! Here are some tips:

      Smaller Cookies – portion the dough into 1.5-tablespoon balls (using a medium cookie scoop) and bake at