Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Crisp Edges, Soft & Chewy Centers

Chocolate chip cookies are simple, but I am particular about the texture I want. I like them lightly crisp around the outside, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of melted chocolate throughout.

Instead of chocolate chips, I prefer to chop chocolate bars into irregular pieces. Some pieces melt into the dough while larger chunks remain soft inside the cookie.

For my favorite version, I combine 55%, 70%, and 85% dark chocolate. The 55% chocolate brings sweetness, while the darker chocolates add a deeper cocoa flavor and slight bitterness that balances the sweetness of the cookie.

If you don't enjoy very dark chocolate, simply use 300g of 55% semi-sweet chocolate instead.

Supplies:

• Mixing bowl medium size or stand mixer

• Spatula

• Scale

• Silicone matt or parchment paper

• Ice cream scoop

• Baking trays

• Baking racks

Yield:

12 cookies, 3 oz each/85g each

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

My preferred blend:

• 100g 55% chocolate

• 100g 70% dark chocolate

• 100g 85% dark chocolate

OR

• 300g 55% semi-sweet chocolate

Cookie Dough

• 340g all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 228g unsalted butter, softened

• 250g dark brown sugar

• 50g granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 300g chopped chocolate

Steps:

Prepare the Chocolate

Break or chop the chocolate bars into small, irregular chunks.

Don't worry about making every piece exactly the same size. The mixture of smaller pieces and larger chunks gives the cookies pockets of melted chocolate throughout.

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine:

• Flour

• Baking soda

• Salt

Set aside.

Cream the Butter & Sugar

1. Place the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

2. Mix on low speed at first, then increase to medium speed and cream until well combined and creamy.

3. Add the eggs and continue mixing until the mixture becomes smooth, fluffy, and creamy.

4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl 2–3 times during mixing so everything combines evenly.

5. Add the vanilla.

6. Reduce the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients.

7. Mix only until the flour is almost incorporated.

8. Add the chopped chocolate and mix briefly until evenly distributed.

Do not overmix once the flour has been added.

Portion & Chill

Use an ice cream scoop to portion the cookie dough evenly.

For large cookies, I use approximately 3 ounces (85g) of dough per cookie.

You can either:

• Portion the cookies first and refrigerate the tray, or

• Chill the entire batch of dough and portion it later.

Chill the dough before baking.Enjoy best freshly bake chocolate cookies ever!

Bake

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Arrange the chilled cookie dough portions on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving enough space between them to spread.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

The edges should be lightly golden and set, while the centers should still look soft.

Allow the cookies to sit on the hot baking tray for a few minutes after removing them from the oven. They will continue setting as they cool.

Transfer to a cooling rack when firm enough to move.

Baking with Confidence

Use a scale for the flour.

I prefer weighing flour rather than measuring it by volume. Flour can become packed into a measuring cup, resulting in more flour than intended. Too much flour can make cookies thicker, drier, and less tender.

Dark brown sugar matters. Your large proportion of dark brown sugar contributes moisture, chewiness, and deeper caramel flavor.

Chop chocolate bars instead of using chips. Chocolate chips are designed to retain their shape. Chopped chocolate gives you different-sized pieces and more irregular pools of melted chocolate.

Chill before baking. Cold dough spreads more gradually in the oven and gives you better control over the shape and texture.

Don't wait for the center to look completely baked. For the soft center you're after, remove the cookies when the edges are set but the centers remain soft. The residual heat of the tray continues baking them.

Why I Mix Three Chocolates

My favorite combination is equal amounts of 55%, 70%, and 85% dark chocolate. Each chocolate brings something different. The 55% provides sweetness, while the 70% and 85% chocolates give the cookies a stronger cocoa flavor and slight bitterness. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, use 55% chocolate for the entire 300g.