Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark chocolate chip cookies bring together crisp edges, soft centers, and rich chocolate flavor in every bite. A touch of brown sugar adds a hint of caramel, while a sprinkle of flaky salt balances the sweetness. They’re just as welcome with a glass of milk as they are served warm after dinner.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

This recipe uses dark chocolate for a deeper, less-sweet flavor than classic milk chocolate chip cookies. Chilling the dough helps the cookies bake up thick and chewy, and a little vanilla rounds out the chocolate beautifully.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• Flaky salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.
2. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Make the dough. Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the dark chocolate.
5. Chill. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For a deeper flavor and thicker cookies, chill it for up to 24 hours.
6. Prepare to bake. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each, and place them about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
8. Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Tips for the Best Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Choose chocolate you enjoy eating. Dark chocolate labeled around 60% to 70% cacao gives the cookies a rich flavor without overwhelming the dough.
• Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, mix only until combined to help keep the cookies tender.
• Take them out while the centers look soft. The cookies will continue to set on the hot baking sheet as they cool.
• Save a few chocolate pieces for the tops. Pressing a few extra chips or chunks into each dough ball makes the baked cookies look especially inviting.

Storage and Make-Ahead Notes

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To make the dough ahead, cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze portioned dough balls in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Bake them from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time and checking for lightly golden edges.

A Chocolate-Lover’s Favorite

With their chewy centers, crisp edges, and generous pockets of dark chocolate, these cookies are a simple treat worth making any day of the week. Enjoy them fresh from the oven, or save a few for later—if they last that long.

 

8 Expert Tips for Perfectly Delicious Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Use chopped dark chocolate for melty pockets.
2. Choose chocolate with 60–70% cacao for balance.
3. Brown the butter for a nutty flavor.
4. Chill the dough for thicker cookies.
5. Use room-temperature eggs for even mixing.
6. Add flaky salt to boost the chocolate flavor.
7. Pull cookies out when the centers look slightly soft.
8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes.

Use chopped dark chocolate for melty pockets.

Use chopped dark chocolate instead of chips for extra-rich, melty pockets throughout your cookies. Chopped bars create a mix of small flecks and larger chunks, so every bite has a slightly different texture and plenty of deep chocolate flavor. For an inviting bakery-style look, press a few extra pieces into the tops of the dough balls just before baking.

Choose chocolate with 60–70% cacao for balance.

For dark chocolate chip cookies with a rich but balanced flavor, choose chocolate that contains 60–70% cacao. It brings a pleasantly deep, slightly bittersweet taste without overpowering the buttery cookie dough or making each bite too intense.

Brown the butter for a nutty flavor.

Brown butter gives dark chocolate chip cookies a rich, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the deep notes of dark chocolate. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it turns golden brown and smells toasted, with tiny brown flecks on the bottom. Remove it from the heat promptly so it doesn’t burn, then let it cool before mixing it into the dough. Because browned butter loses some moisture, chill the dough if it feels soft, and expect cookies with extra depth and a delightfully chewy texture.

Chill the dough for thicker cookies.

Chilling dark chocolate chip cookie dough before baking helps the cookies stay thick instead of spreading too quickly in the oven. The cold butter melts more slowly, giving the dough time to set while the cookies bake. For best results, cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes; chilling it longer can also deepen the flavor.

Use room-temperature eggs for even mixing.

Let your eggs come to room temperature before adding them to the cookie dough. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly with the butter and sugar, helping create an evenly mixed dough and cookies with a consistent texture. If you forgot to take them out ahead of time, place the eggs in a bowl of warm—not hot—water for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add flaky salt to boost the chocolate flavor.

A light sprinkle of flaky salt brings out the rich, bittersweet notes of dark chocolate and balances the cookie’s sweetness. For the best texture and flavor, scatter a few flakes over the cookies just as they come out of the oven, while the tops are still warm. Use a delicate hand so the salt enhances each bite without overpowering the chocolate.

Pull cookies out when the centers look slightly soft.

For soft, chewy dark chocolate chip cookies, pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to bake on the hot sheet as they cool, so taking them out at this point helps prevent overbaking and keeps the centers tender.

Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes.

Let the dark chocolate chip cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes after they come out of the oven. They’ll be delicate while hot, and this brief rest helps the centers set so the cookies are less likely to break when you move them. Once they’re firm enough to handle, transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling—or enjoy one warm and gooey.

Tags: bakery-style cookies, baking tips, brown sugar, chewy cookies, chilling dough, chocolate chunks, chopped dark chocolate, cookie dough, cookie storage, crisp edges, dark chocolate, dark chocolate chip cookies, flaky salt, make-ahead dough, vanilla extract