Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

There’s something almost magical about a cookie that delivers a double dose of chocolate, a treat that feels both decadent and wonderfully familiar.

This particular recipe has been my steadfast companion for years, a reliable dough that consistently bakes up into soft, fudge-like cookies with chewy centers and just the right amount of crispness at the edges.

Why This Recipe is a Keeper

When you find a recipe that just works, a formula that’s both versatile and utterly dependable, you stick with it.

This dough is that for me, a base I’ve used in countless ways, and it never, ever lets me down.

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

Gathering your ingredients is the first step to chocolate bliss, and you’ll be pleased to know these are all common kitchen staples.

Using the right components, and understanding their roles, is the secret to the perfect texture.

• Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and that classic cookie flavor, while allowing you to control the salt level.
• Granulated & Brown Sugar: White sugar encourages spreading and crispness, while brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Egg: Acts as a binder, giving the cookie structure and contributing to its soft, chewy texture.
• Vanilla Extract: The flavor enhancer that makes all the chocolate notes sing just a little louder.
• All-Purpose Flour: The main structural backbone of the cookie, giving it substance.
• Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the deep, classic chocolate flavor comes from, and using the natural variety is key here.
• Baking Soda: Our leavening agent, which helps the cookies rise and become beautifully puffy.
• Salt: A tiny amount to balance the sweetness and intensify the chocolate flavor.
• Milk: A little liquid is crucial to counteract the drying effect of cocoa powder, ensuring a tender, moist crumb.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: The second wave of chocolate, creating melty pockets in every single bite.

The Cocoa Powder Key

Not all cocoa powders are created equal, and this recipe specifically calls for natural unsweetened cocoa.

It’s acidic, which reacts perfectly with the baking soda to give you the ideal rise and texture, whereas Dutch-process might leave your cookies a bit flat and dense.

How to make Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe?

The process is straightforward, but a few key techniques will make all the difference between a good cookie and a great one.

Let’s walk through it, step by delicious step.

Step 1- Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both the granulated and brown sugars together on medium-high speed.

You’re not just mixing them; you’re creaming them, which means beating until the mixture becomes noticeably lighter in color and fluffy, which should take about 2-3 minutes.

Step 2- Add the Wet Ingredients

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the room-temperature egg and the vanilla extract.

Beat everything on high speed once more until it’s fully combined and looks smooth and creamy.

Step 3- Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, natural cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

This isn’t just busywork; it ensures the leavening and cocoa are evenly distributed throughout the flour for a uniform bake.

Step 4- Bring the Dough Together

With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.

The dough will be quite thick at this point, which is exactly what you want.

Step 5- Add the Final Touches

Now, beat in the milk on high speed, followed by all of those glorious semi-sweet chocolate chips.

The dough will be sticky and tacky, which is completely normal, and a sign you’re on the right track.

Step 6- The Essential Chill

This is non-negotiable, I’m afraid. Cover the bowl tightly and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, though overnight is even better.

This step firms up the butter, hydrates the flour, and prevents the cookies from spreading into sad, thin puddles in the oven.

Step 7- Preheat and Portion

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Take the dough out and let it sit for 10-20 minutes to become just scoopable, then portion it into 1.5-tablespoon balls.

Step 8- Shape for Thickness

Here’s a pro tip for a thick, soft cookie: roll the dough balls into tall, column-like shapes instead of perfect spheres.

The dough is sticky, so don’t be shy about wiping your hands clean with a towel every few dough balls.

Step 9- Bake to Perfection

Bake for 11-12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still appear very soft.

If they aren’t spreading by minute 9, give the baking sheet a gentle but firm tap on the counter a couple of times to encourage them.

Step 10- Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; they will continue to set up during this time.

For a bakery-style look, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mastering the Freeze

This dough is a fantastic candidate for your freezer, a secret weapon for future chocolate emergencies.

After portioning the dough into balls, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Tips

A few little nuggets of wisdom can transform your baking experience from stressful to supremely confident.

Keep these in mind for the best batch yet.

• Truly room-temperature butter should be cool to the touch but will leave a slight indentation when you press it, which is vital for proper creaming.
• Don’t be alarmed by how sticky the dough is after mixing; the chilling time will take care of that, making it much more manageable.
• Using a cookie scoop isn’t just for neatness, it ensures all your cookies are the same size and will bake evenly.
• Resist the urge to over-bake! The cookies will look soft in the middle when they come out, but they firm up perfectly as they cool on the sheet.

A World of Variations

The beauty of this base dough is its incredible versatility, a blank canvas for your chocolatey dreams.

Feel free to swap the semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even a mix of peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts for a turtle cookie effect.