Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 

 

Although it took me a while to find a recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, I was very pleased with these Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies the first time I tried them. I think most people have a specific chocolate chip cookie in mind when comparing them whereas other cookies are judged less critically. This recipe is an old Ina Garten favorite from my recipe binder. I used to make them with dark chocolate because that's what I prefer, but recently I made them with white chocolate chips per my sister's request. You could really add whatever you wanted to the base cookie dough recipe including nuts, chopped up peanut butter cups, coconut, chopped up candy bars, etc. Once, I made peanut butter-double chocolate chunk cookies by squishing peanut butter cookie dough and this cookie dough together and that was really good too. I'll have to look for a good peanut butter cookie dough recipe to recreate that sometime.

Since I've been liking the texture of letting my cookie doughs rest in the refrigerator overnight, I did that with this recipe as well. By doing so, cookies tend to crisp up more on the outside and have a chewier texture on the inside. If you don't do so, the cookies are still delicious, but the texture will be a little softer. It doesn't really matter what type of cocoa you use in these, dutch-processed or not, but the darker your cocoa, the darker and richer your cookies will be. I think next time, I will also add a bit of instant coffee or espresso powder to enhance the chocolaty flavor. As with any other cookie, don't overbake them, they'll continue to cook and harden as they cool.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Recipe Slightly Adapted from Ina Garten
Makes 20-24 cookies

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup (80 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (90 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules/espresso powder (optional)
1 extra-large egg, room temp
1/3 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt, half the amount of fine table salt
10 oz white chocolate/dark chocolate, roughly chopped

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes on medium-high until light and fluffy. Dissolve the instant coffee, if using, in the vanilla extract. Add the vanilla mixture to the bowl, followed by the egg, and mix well.

On low speed, add in the cocoa powder slowly to avoid a cocoa powder dust storm. Then add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the chopped chocolate. You may bake the cookies now or refrigerate the dough overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 deg F. With an ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop mounds of cookie dough about a rounded tbsp. in size onto a lined baking sheet. Lightly wet your hands and flatten the tops slightly.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, start checking at about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temp. for up to 2 days.