Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

This post is sponsored by Ghirardelli.

These cookies are for my fellow chocolate lovers. They are luxurious in every way, with two kinds of chocolate, rich cocoa powder, and a sprinkle of flaky salt to amplify the flavor.

This is another riff on my Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0. In my recipe testing I replaced some of the all-purpose flour with Ghirardelli’s Majestic Cocoa Powder, and then swapped chopped bittersweet chocolate and chocolate chips for Ghirardelli’s Dark Wafers and Milk Wafers. The combination of cocoa powder and the two different chocolates is superb; the chocolate flavor is is deep and dark thanks to the cocoa and dark wafers, and the milk chocolate adds a creamy, light contrast. These cookies are rich and delicious.

Ingredient Notes for Chocolate Cookies:

• All-purpose flour: Make sure your all-purpose flour is not too high or low in protein; I like to use Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose for cookie baking. At 10.5 percent protein it is a good, moderate choice to keep baked goods tender.
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Wafers: both Milk Chocolate Wafers and Dark Chocolate Wafers. I am a big fan of Ghirardelli Chocolate, and tested most of my 100 Cookies cookbook with it. I am very excited about their professional line of chocolate; there are more varieties to choose from, and the bigger bags are perfect for recipe testing, holiday baking, and snacking! The 5 pound bags are geared toward bakeries and professional kitchens, but it’s honestly been more economical for me (and maybe you, too) to buy the larger bags with the increase in chocolate prices and holiday baking season beginning. I know I will be going through a lot of chocolate in the next few months!
• Ghirardelli Majestic Cocoa Powder: When I was recipe testing with this cocoa powder, I noticed the difference with one bite of the cookies. Ghirardelli uses the heart of the cacao bean, called the nib, to create this premium dutch-processed cocoa. The nibs are ground, pressed, and pulverized to release their intense flavors. They are then treated with an alkali to neutralize acids. This process gives it a darker color and a mild, subtle flavor that complements other baking ingredients.
• Pure vanilla extract: I prefer the flavor of pure vanilla extract over artificial, and recommend it here since this recipe includes a tablespoon of vanilla. However, if you love a brand of artificial and use it regularly, it will work fine.

The quality of the chocolate is the result of Ghirardelli’s commitment to control all steps of the chocolate-making process, from roasting the cocoa beans, to refining the product for smoothness and well-balanced flavor. In addition, the company understands that sustainable sourcing and knowing the origins of the cocoa beans speaks to the quality of the finished product.

Can The Cookie Dough Be Frozen?

This cookie dough can be formed into balls and frozen for up to 2 weeks; let the cookies sit out at room temperature until the oven preheats. The cookies will need an extra minute if baked frozen. Also, cookie dough can be formed and refrigerated overnight, then baked the next day; the cookies may need an extra minute if chilled.

More Cookie Recipes:

• Pan-banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Half-and-Half White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
• Perfectly Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

Servings: 18 cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Rich and delicious chocolate cookies with milk and dark chocolate plus cocoa powder. Intensely chocolate, with crisp edges and a chewy center. Easy to make, no chilling time necessary.

Sarah Kieffer

5 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups [213 g] all-purpose flour
• ½ cup [50 g] Ghirardelli Majestic Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 9 tablespoons [126 g] unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¾ cup [150 g] granulated sugar
• ¾ cup [150 g] brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 oz [142 g] Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Wafers chopped
• 2 oz [57 g] Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Wafers chopped
• Flaky salt for sprinkling, if desired

Equipment

• Half Sheet Pan
• Size 24 Cookie Scoop

Instructions

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F [200C]. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated and brown sugars and salt and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the chopped chocolates and mix into the batter on low speed. Use a rubber spatula to give the dough a final mix and make sure it is completely combined.
• Form the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each [50 g], and place 8 cookies on each sheet pan. Sprinkle each cookie with a little flaky salt, if desired.
• Bake one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake the cookies until the tops are golden brown and the cookies are slightly puffed and starting to crinkle, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use the back of a spatula to gently press the top of each cookie to flatten it. Let the cookies rest on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cookies are best slightly warm but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Cookies will soften the longer they sit.
• Cookie dough can be formed and refrigerated overnight, then baked the next day; the cookies may need an extra minute if chilled. Cookie dough can also be formed into balls and frozen for up to 2 weeks; let the cookies sit out at room temperature until the oven preheats. The cookies will need an extra minute if baked frozen.

Notes

• I prefer to sprinkle the flaky salt on the tops of the cookies before baking vs after – I think that it helps bring out more flavor without tasting overwhelmingly salty. 

 

• I have not had trouble with the bottoms browning too much, but a few people have. Something to note: using an oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven can be helpful; many ovens are off by up to 25 degrees (mine included). If your oven runs hot, you can bake a single cookie first to see how it turns out. If the bottom is too dark for your liking, you can stack two sheet pans on top of each other and bake the cookies on them to slow down browning.