These Dark Chocolate Cookies are not for the faint of heart. Intensely fudgy, with melt-in-your-mouth centers and a positively outrageous amount of dark chocolate chips, these ooey-gooey beauties are dangerously delicious.
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These deep, dark cookies take classic double chocolate chip cookies a step farther with THREE TIMES the chocolate.
Cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a heap of chocolate chips each play a special role in making them the ultimate chocolate experience.
These chewy dark chocolate cookies have a smooth, glossy, almost brownie-like dough (as Brownie Cookies know). You don’t even need to chill it prior to baking!
And if all of the above hasn’t already convinced you to run to your kitchen to bake them immediately, the finishing sprinkle of sea salt certainly will.
One thing you’ll notice about these dark chocolate cookies with sea salt is the seemingly outlandish amount of chocolate chips (a full, 12-ounce bag).
As you stir them in, you may think that there’s no possible way the batter can hold all of these together.
But persevere! The smooth, glossy, brownie-like cookie dough will turn out exactly as it should.
Plus, I suspect that once you try them, you’ll never want them any other way.
These chocolate cookies are unquestionably decadent. For healthy dark chocolate cookies, be sure to check out The Well Plated Cookbook, which has my favorite recipe for FLOURLESS dark chocolate cookies that are more wholesome (and outrageously tasty!).
And for loaded cookies, check out the BEST Monster Cookies.
The Difference: Semisweet, Bittersweet, or Dark Chocolate?
- The terms “semisweet” and “bittersweet” are both subcategories of dark chocolate and are used in baking to indicate the ratio of sugar to cocoa solids; you can find this ratio labeled as a percent. Anything greater than 35% cocoa can be labeled “dark chocolate.”
- Usually, chocolate labeled “semisweet” has more sugar/less cocoa than chocolate labeled “bittersweet.” Semisweet usually hovers in the 50% to 60% range; it will taste sweeter than bittersweet chocolate.
- Bittersweet chocolate usually falls somewhere in the 70% range, though I’ve seen “bittersweet” chocolate in stores that’s 60%. (Confusing!)
- The good news is, you have choices! For my baking, when I want “dark” chocolate, I look for something around 65%. The higher the percent, the more intense the chocolate flavor will be, so choose to suit your own preferences.
- Wondering about “unsweetened” chocolate? This has NO sugar added and is intensely bitter. You don’t want to use this in a recipe without adding some other kind of sweetener.
5 Star Review
“I just love this recipe! It’s perfection in cookie form.”
— Gretchen —
How to Make Dark Chocolate Cookies
The secret to these dark chocolate chip cookies’ bewitching, melt-in-your-mouth texture is using a combination of both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The cocoa makes them ultra rich-tasting, while the melted chocolate makes them chewy.
Now you’ll know what homey and luxurious tastes like at the same time!
The Ingredients
- Chocolate. Melted chocolate plays a vital role in this cookie recipe, for good reason as Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies also proves. It provides part of the chocolate flavor trifecta and aids in making the cookie centers ultra moist and gooey.
- Chocolate Chips. Nestled throughout every bite of each cookie, chocolate chips add a wonderful textural element and pack additional chocolatey goodness.
The Best Dark Chocolate for Baking
Splurge on high-quality chocolate for these cookies. The flavor payoff is oh so totally worth it! I think the best brands of dark chocolate for cookies are:
- For Chocolate Bars: Ghirardelli is my go-to. It’s perfectly rich at a decent price point. For a splurge, I sometimes use Lindt. Trader Joe’s brand is also quite good.
- For Chocolate Chips: Guittard is hard to beat. Ghiradelli makes good chocolate chips as well.
- Cocoa Powder. For creating an even richer, deeper chocolate flavor (like in these cloud-like Chocolate Meringue Cookies).
- All-Purpose Flour. This recipe uses very little flour compared to other cookies, which is part of what makes them so fudgy.
- Butter. Some butter is necessary in this recipe to make sure the cookies develop that scrumptious melty center.
- Sugar. A little sugar helps balance any bitterness in the chocolate.
- Vanilla. Chocolate + vanilla = a perfect match.
- Flaky Sea Salt. While optional, this is a final flourish that truly takes these cookies to the next level (just ask these Almond Flour Cookies).
The Directions
- Sift the dry ingredients.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together, then add the vanilla.
- Combine the butter/chocolate mixture with the egg mixture.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients.
- Mix until the batter is thick and shiny.
- Stir in the chocolate chips (yes, all of them).
- Drop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 to 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough. ENJOY!
The Best Variations to Dark Chocolate Cookies
Perhaps a tsunami of dark chocolate is a little too much for you? We can’t be friends. You have options! Here are some delicious variations to try. You also can do a mix:
- White Chocolate Chips. Dark chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips are a wonderfully complementary combination.
- Nuts. Use half chocolate chips and half chopped walnuts or pecans for a rich, buttery flavor. (This is one of my favorites!)
- Dried Fruit. Take your pick! Cranberries, cherries, apricots. Have fun playing around.
- Chocolate Chunks. Up the chocolate ante by making dark chocolate chunk cookies by swapping the bag of dark chocolate chips for chocolate chunks.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Place cookies in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze. Freeze cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Tip!
For fresh cookies on demand, freeze your cookie dough. Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Store the frozen dough balls in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed, adding a few extra minutes baking time if needed.
What to Serve with Dark Chocolate Cookies
Recommended Tools to Make Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Cookie Sheet. This one is long-lasting, non-stick, and warp-resistant.
- Batter Scoop. For perfectly-portioned cookies, muffins, and more.
- Stand Mixer. This appliance is a worthy investment if you love to bake.
Dark Chocolate Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped I used 60%; the darker the chocolate, the more intense the cookies will be
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips about 2 cups
- Flaky sea salt such as Maldon or Fleur de Sel (optional)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water's surface. Add the bittersweet chocolate and butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, just the chocolate and butter are almost fully melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir until it melts completely and looks smooth and shiny. Let cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until they are pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla.
- Scrape down the bowl, then reduce the speed to low and add the cooled chocolate mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Scrape down the bowl again. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter.
- The batter will be thick and shiny and brownie batter-like.
- By hand with a rubber spatula, gently stir in the chocolate chips.
- For small cookies (2-inch) cookies, drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between the mounds of dough. For larger (3-inch) cookies, drop into mounds that are 2 inches across (you'll need about 2 tablespoons of dough). Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a pinch of flaky salt.
- Bake the cookies for 9 minutes (if smaller) or 10 minutes (if larger). The tops of the cookies will appear slightly dry and the inside will be soft. Let rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then gently transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature (or as long as you can stand).
- Repeat with the remaining dough, baking only one sheet of cookies at a time in the center of the oven. If you are reusing the same baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.
Notes
- If when the cookies are cooled, the chocolate is still gooier than you’d like, simply refrigerate the cookies for about 10 minutes.
- Actual cookie yield may vary depending upon the size of the dough scooped.
- TO STORE: Place cookies in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Nutrition
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Kolach! (Eastern European nut roll)
Peanut butter balls!
I have to bake chocolate peppermint powder cookies this time of year!
Hi Erin! I’m very eager to try this recipe, it looks so good & yummy! Do you have the metric version so I can try to bake? Thanks in advance!
Hi Yani! Unfortunately, I’m not able to provide metric measurements. There are several online conversion sites—one good one is from King Arthur! Here’s the link: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.
These were delicious and so fudgy just as you said. The chocolate was intense. Excellent!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Kim! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Good golly Miss Molly!! I would give these 10 stars if I could. Recipe was easy to follow and cookies turned out exactly as promised. Fragrance filled the house and flavor was divine. Thank you for yet another go to recipe.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Margaret! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Easy recipe that taste so delicious!! Would highly recommend ?
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Monica! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Mmmm! I can’t wait to try these!
I hope you enjoy the cookies if you try them!
Hi Erin, can these be made with a butter substitute? Husband is lactose sensitive so yummy butter won’t work & we don’t want to leave him out!
Hi Claire! I haven’t tried a butter substitute in this recipe myself, so you’d be experimenting. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
This was the first recipe I tried from Erin and it was everything I hoped it would be…even though I was a little short on the dark chocolate and totally forgot the sea salt finish, (probably bc by son was home and I was chatting while baking)! The rise was sky high and they were the dark chocolatey gooey goodness I was hoping for!
So glad you enjoyed the cookies Kirshell! Thank you for the review!
That was an amazing and easiest way of making chocolate cookies at home. I am definitely gonna try this very soon.
Hi Rajni! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
Can the dark chocolate cookies be made with gluten free flour i.e. Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour? They look so delicious, I cannot wait to make them.
Thank You
Hi Roseann! I’ve not tested this out but usually you can use the 1:1 for substituting all-purpose flour. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Hi Erin, this is not about the chocolate cookies it about your pickled onions. My whole family is addicted and I have made many jars for Xmas gifts. Everyone is asking for your recipe and raving about these onions. Thank you I love your emails. Erica. Osoyoos. B.C. Canada 🍁 🇨🇦
Hi Erica! Thank you so much!
I have made these dark chocolate cookies several times. Lots of dishes and chocolate to clean up but it certainly is worth the effort. I use a small cookie scoop and get 45 +/- bite size cookies which are perfect for eating with morning coffee, evening red wine and as a perfect size snack. Thanks for sharing this great receipt with all of us.
Hi Tom! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
AMAZING, definitely very dark but for those who like that it is the best. The consistency is almost brownie like and my new favorite chocolate cookie
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Hannah! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Amaze-balls! A chocolate lover’s dream come true.
Hi Hallie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I tried it again as a gluten free option and they are still great! I used King Arthur gluten free cup-for-cup substitute; to account for the rice flour in the flour blend, I added 1/8 cup of water (this prevents grittiness of the rice flour). The richness of the recipe helps make the recipe stay moist.
Hi Hallie! Thanks for the feedback on making these gluten free!
Delicious, rich, and all around amazing. Like a cookie and brownie put together. I sprinkle with sea salt before baking!
Hi Robin! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Tried the recipe. It is easy and super tasty
Hi Akhila! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Can I use flax seeds instead of eggs for all your recipes
Hi Vasanth! I’ve only tested the recipe as is, so can’t say specifically how it would work. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Hello Erin,
I will try with flax seeds a substitute for eggs which I have tried in other recipes and they have come out well. I will substitute in your recipe and come back with the results. I am sure it will come out well
Thanks Vasanth! Hope you enjoy them!
Hi Erin! Am very eager to try your recipe it looks so yummy! But could you help to convert them into metric measurement please? Thanks in advance!
Hi Yani! Unfortunately, I’m not able to provide metric measurements. There are several online conversion sites—one good one is from King Arthur! Here’s the link: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.
So delicious! It was to many chocolate chips for my taste but that was my fault I dumped them in there to quickly without checking but that’s ann easy fix! I also reduced the sugar but very yummy!!
Great to hear, thank you Lizzy!