Hello dark chocolate cookies loaded with chunks of chocolate pieces.
These cookies are quite simply a better way to get your dark chocolate hit in the afternoon. Soft and full of bittersweet dark chocolate chunks, they are exactly what I want from a cookie.
I must admit that while I have grown in confidence with my baking over that last couple of years, I still seem to struggle a little with cookies. It’s not that they are particularly hard or complex to make, but rather I have found I struggle with consistency. Think many underbaked, overbaked, uneven shaped cookies that left me feeling uninspired. This year I have decided to tackle cookies in a big way and we are starting today with loads of chocolate.
So far, my cookie baking has been pretty limited to Christmas time. I started by making these sugar cookies, and last year being short of time I made a batch of these snickerdoodles which were delicious and really really easy ultimately giving me the confidence to look at some new staple cookie recipes to add to my repertoire.
Personally, I like a thick, soft, chewy cookie. I know some people like the hard and crunchy type, but I am not one of them. So when wanting a chocolate cookie I knew I was going to aim for that chewy, soft texture, and of course then load it full of actual chunks of chocolate.
I looked at a few recipes and it seems as though adding cornflour to the cookie dough assists to give it that thick, soft texture. I also learnt that chilling cookie dough before baking helps to slow down spreading in the oven resulting in a thicker cookie.
With all these tips in mind, I set about to make my best chocolate cookie yet.
These cookies ticked every box texture wise. They also worked out to be not too sweet but just sweet enough to balance out the dark chocolate chunks. I used Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana Chocolate which I think is one of the best – I just love how creamy it tastes while still being completely dairy-free. I am always shocked at how many brands of dark chocolate still contain milk. Anyway, use your favourite chocolate in this and you will be happy each time you bite into a soft, creamy piece that instantly melts in your mouth.
I also made these cookies using Nuttelex Lite which if you read this blog often you will know I use for all my baking as a substitute to butter to ensure it is dairy-free. I am unsure the differences between this and regular butter but I think due to it being more like a margarine than butter I needed a bit more flour than if you would use with regular dairy butter. I would recommend sticking with a spreadable butter substitute for the quantity of flour used in this recipe.
Also, probably the biggest tip that I picked up when reading all about cookie baking, was one that revolutionised how I get my cookies looking a little more standard in shape. When spooning out your mixture, roll it into balls and place on the cookie sheet and bake. That is it. Don’t push the cookie dough ball down. I feel like my whole life I have been squashing the cookie dough flat before baking and you just don’t need to. Round balls of dough will ensure they spread evenly and remain nice and thick. Maybe you knew this, but it really blew my mind to try this and see how good it made my cookies turn out.
Once baked, these cookies do need to cool for at least 10 minutes to finish the cooking process, however I do recommend enjoying them freshly baked because that chocolate when warm and gooey is just too good to wait!
What cookie should I attempt next? What do you struggle most with when baking?
Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 170 grams (3/4 cup) dairy-free spread*
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg ,room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 170 grams 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Melt dairy-free spread in a small microwave safe bowl and set aside to cool while you complete the next step.
- In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda, cornflour and salt together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted dairy-free spread, brown sugar and white sugar until mixture becomes a thicker consistency. Add in egg and vanilla and whisk until all combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter, egg and sugar mixture and use a spatula to mix everything together. Add in chopped chocolate chunks and mix through. Batter should be soft and thick.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Using a tablespoon measure as a guide, roll cookies into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper allowing enough room for the cookies to spread. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will still be soft but the edges will start to crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes on the tray before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days but are best immediately of course. See these tips for freezing cookie dough and baked cookies.
Notes
More Cookie Recipes:
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
100s & 1000s Sugar Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies
ANZAC Biscuits
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Karly says
These cookies are everything. They look so soft and fluffy and gooey all at the same time!
Sally says
Thanks! Is there anything better than a soft, gooey cookie??