Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA EXPRESSIntroduction
Along with chocolate, there is much comfort to be gleaned from reading cookbooks. This recipe combines two loves by being chocolatey to the point of madness and having revealed itself to me after a cosy, snuggled-down read of Elinor Klivans' glorious Big Fat Cookies. What I do is make up the full batch of these (hard to divide it really, since it contains only 1 egg) and form all 12 cookies, but bake only half and freeze the other half. I freeze them on a little tray and, once they're hard, I bung them in a freezer bag, seal it and stash it back in the freeze, to bake them unthawed at a later date. That way, I've got 6 chocolate cookies to keep me and my family happy without any time or effort.
This is what I call an investment. And it's worth it — these are the chocolatiest cookies you will ever come across.
Along with chocolate, there is much comfort to be gleaned from reading cookbooks. This recipe combines two loves by being chocolatey to the point of madness and having revealed itself to me after a cosy, snuggled-down read of Elinor Klivans' glorious Big Fat Cookies. What I do is make up the full batch of these (hard to divide it really, since it contains only 1 egg) and form all 12 cookies, but bake only half and freeze the other half. I freeze them on a little tray and, once they're hard, I bung them in a freezer bag, seal it and stash it back in the freeze, to bake them unthawed at a later date. That way, I've got 6 chocolate cookies to keep me and my family happy without any time or effort.
This is what I call an investment. And it's worth it — these are the chocolatiest cookies you will ever come across.
Ingredients
Makes: 12 cookies
- 125 grams dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
- 150 grams plain flour
- 30 grams cocoa powder (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 125 grams soft unsalted butter
- 75 grams soft light brown sugar
- 50 grams white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (cold from the fridge)
- 350 grams dark chocolate chips (or semi sweet chocolate morsels)
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick soft unsalted butter
- ½ cup soft light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (cold from the fridge)
- 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or semi sweet chocolate morsels)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/325ºF. Melt the 125g / 4oz dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.
- Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.
- Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds — an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job — and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.
- Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
- Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/325ºF. Melt the 125g / 4oz bittersweet chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.
- Put the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.
- Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds — an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job — and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.
- Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
- Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cookie dough can be shaped and put on the baking sheets and refrigerated overnight, loosely covered with food wrap. The baking time is the same if baked from chilled. The cookies can also be baked and frozen or the shaped cookie dough can be frozen and baked from frozen, for freshly-baked cookies at very short notice. Freeze the shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (parchment paper) and freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen unbaked cookies to freezer bags or resealable boxes and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, heat the oven as directed in the recipe and put the frozen cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, then bake for 1-2 minutes longer than stated in the recipe. Test as described in the recipe and bake for an extra minute or two, if needed.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cookie dough can be shaped and put on the baking sheets and refrigerated overnight, loosely covered with food wrap. The baking time is the same if baked from chilled. The cookies can also be baked and frozen or the shaped cookie dough can be frozen and baked from frozen, for freshly-baked cookies at very short notice. Freeze the shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (parchment paper) and freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen unbaked cookies to freezer bags or resealable boxes and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, heat the oven as directed in the recipe and put the frozen cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, then bake for 1-2 minutes longer than stated in the recipe. Test as described in the recipe and bake for an extra minute or two, if needed.
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Show more commentsI made these for a work meeting and all went down a treat!
AMAZING! I add a cup of whole hazelnuts which takes it up a notch.
These are amazing and my new go to cookie. So easy and so versatile. I made them as per the recipe once, loved them and then I 'scienced' other flavors. I've done a Irish Cream cookie with Irish creme chips and a splash of the drink,and a mint version with mint chocolate chunks and a drop of peppermint extract. These make the house smell great as they come out of the oven. Highly recommend these!!
I have made these lovelies before. But this year, I added cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips and a dash of mint extract. It took about 17 minutes to cook to perfection. Like Nigella said, I stashed some in the freezer as an 'investment' but they're so yummy, I'm eating them directly from the freezer.
Just made this recipe and I made 30 cookies instead of 12. They are intensely chocolatey and probably don't need as many chocolate chips. My children loved them.
I made them many many times, for christmas, as presents and just casually to complement a nice cup of coffee. They always turn out great, beautiful rich taste.
I have been making these cookies since 2012 and still get asked for the recipe! I adapted it and instead of 350 grams of chocolate chips, I use 175g of chopped almonds and 175g of broken pieces of dark chocolate. Amazing!!
What can I say about this receipe. It's just too too good. Just go exact to the measurement and you'll never mess up. Just fab!
Fabulous recipe! I made them smaller and got 35 cookies from a batch. Only baked them for 15 mins though. Absolutely melt in the mouth deliciousness!
You are a genius, these are to die for. My kids are amazed - I’m the best
Delicious. The ultimate cookie recipe. I would recommend to literally anyone. I used xylitol instead of sugar and they still tasted just as great! Perfect when you’re trying to limit your sugar intake.
Truly the best receipe I have of cookies that I have baked. Just follow the receipe to the point and there will be no failure at all. ♥