I just made the kind of Dark Chocolate Cookies that make you unreasonably defensive when anyone dares say one cookie is enough.
Today’s my birthday and I’m selfishly making these soft and chewy dark chocolate sugar cookies because I want them all. I adore how the dough smells like chocolate and butter, but it’s the dark chocolate chips melting into goo that ruins me every time.
I’m obsessed with dense, brownie-like bites that still feel like cookies. Dark Chocolate Cookies with that slightly crackled top are my weakness.
No pretence here, just rich chocolate, a little crunch on the edge, and that soft middle that begs for another. Yummy Cookies to celebrate turning thirty-one.
Zero regrets, I’ll eat the whole tray today.
Ingredients
- Flour: the cookie’s base, gives structure so it holds all that chocolatey goodness.
- Cocoa powder: deep chocolate punch, makes them dark and slightly bitter, in a good way.
- Cornstarch: makes ’em tender and soft, like bakery cookies at home.
- Baking soda: helps spread and gives tiny lift, keeps edges from getting too cakey.
- Baking powder: adds a touch of lift, keeps texture balanced and light.
- Fine salt: brightens the chocolate, cuts sweetness, makes flavors pop.
- Butter: richness and chew, gives that satisfying melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Granulated sugar: sweet crunch and structure, helps edges caramelize nicely.
- Brown sugar: adds moisture and chew, gives a hint of caramel flavor.
- Eggs: bind everything together and add tenderness, they’re the glue.
- Vanilla extract: warmth and depth, it’s subtle but important.
- Dark chocolate chips: intense chocolate pockets, gooey bites you’ll chase.
- Extra granulated sugar (optional): rolls stick, gives a pretty crunchy shell.
- Milk or cream (optional): loosens stiff dough, makes scooping way easier.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz / 225 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- Optional: 1/2 cup extra granulated sugar for rolling
- Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream if dough seems too stiff
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape sides as needed.
4. Add 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; it might look slightly curdled at first but thats okay.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined; do not overmix.
6. Fold in 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz / 225 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed; if dough seems too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream and mix until scoopable.
7. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to prevent too much spread; you can skip chilling if you’re impatient but cookies will spread more.
8. Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons or small cookie scoops (about
1.5 Tbsp each), roll quickly in the optional 1/2 cup extra granulated sugar if using, and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
9. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft; they finish cooking on the sheet so dont overbake.
10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Equipment Needed
1. Rimmed baking sheets (2)
2. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl (for dry ingredients)
4. Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment (you can also whisk by hand if you’re feeling brave)
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
7. Cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon and a small spoon for rounding
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you got one, for more accurate results
10. Oven mitts or pot holders
You might not need everything depending on how you work, but these will make the cookies come out way easier.
FAQ
Soft And Chewy Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap with a 1 to 1 gluten free baking blend (look for one with xanthan gum). Cookies will be a bit more crumbly, chill the dough 30 minutes before baking to help hold shape.
- Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil (same weight) or vegan stick butter. Coconut oil gives a slightly coconutty flavor and crisp edges, vegan butter keeps richness closer to original.
- Granulated sugar: replace with equal weight of coconut sugar or muscovado for a deeper caramel note. Dough may be a bit darker and less glossy, but flavor is rich.
- Large eggs: use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, mixed and rested 5 minutes). Cookies will be slightly denser and chewier; add 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream if dough seems too stiff.
Pro Tips
1) Chill the dough longer if you want taller, chewier cookies. 30 minutes works, but an hour or even overnight will tighten the butter and let the flavors meld. Just let the dough sit at room temp 10 minutes before scooping if it’s rock hard.
2) Use a mix of chopped chocolate and chips for better texture. Bigger chunks melt into gooey pockets while chips keep some structure so the cookies dont turn into a chocolate puddle.
3) If you want shiny crackly tops roll the dough in granulated sugar right before baking. If you prefer matte, skip the sugar or dust with a tiny bit of cocoa instead.
4) Watch the bake time not the clock. Take them out when edges look set but centers still soft, they’ll finish on the hot sheet. Overbaked cookies are dry and flat, so err on the underdone side by 30 to 60 seconds if you’re unsure.
Soft And Chewy Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies Recipe
I just made the kind of Dark Chocolate Cookies that make you unreasonably defensive when anyone dares say one cookie is enough.
24
servings
229
kcal
Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheets (2)
2. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl (for dry ingredients)
4. Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment (you can also whisk by hand if you’re feeling brave)
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
7. Cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon and a small spoon for rounding
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you got one, for more accurate results
10. Oven mitts or pot holders
You might not need everything depending on how you work, but these will make the cookies come out way easier.
Ingredients
-
2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
-
1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
2 teaspoons cornstarch
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
-
2 large eggs, room temperature
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz / 225 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
-
Optional: 1/2 cup extra granulated sugar for rolling
-
Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream if dough seems too stiff
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl beat 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape sides as needed.
- Add 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; it might look slightly curdled at first but thats okay.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz / 225 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed; if dough seems too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream and mix until scoopable.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to prevent too much spread; you can skip chilling if you're impatient but cookies will spread more.
- Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons or small cookie scoops (about
- 5 Tbsp each), roll quickly in the optional 1/2 cup extra granulated sugar if using, and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft; they finish cooking on the sheet so dont overbake.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 42g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 229kcal
- Fat: 11.8g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.79g
- Monounsaturated: 3.1g
- Cholesterol: 41mg
- Sodium: 57mg
- Potassium: 55mg
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Sugar: 18.5g
- Protein: 2.8g
- Vitamin A: 236IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 8.8mg
- Iron: 0.79mg
