The best recipe for double chocolate chip cookies must obviously include extra doses of chocolate. These soft-baked thick and chunky cookies are as indulgent as they look: rich and fudge-like with chewy centers, slightly crisp edges, and oodles of melty chocolate chips in each glorious bite.
It’s the chocolate dough recipe I’ve been making for years and even included it in my cookbook stuffed with peanut butter cups. There’s no reason to stray from this basic chocolate dough!
Included in my cookbooks and used all over my website, this cookie dough is my go-to base for chocolate cookies. There’s a reason I work with this dough often: it’s because it WORKS and it’s pointless to stray from a tested, dependable recipe. (That’s also delicious!)
Why You’ll Love These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy to make with a basic dough
- Soft-baked and chewy with fudge chocolate centers
- Recipe is easily doubled
- Cookie dough balls freeze well
- You can use the cookies to make chocolate cookie ice cream sandwiches
- Versatile dough! Turn them into s’more chocolate crinkle cookies in the summer, peppermint mocha cookies, Andes mint chocolate cookies, or peppermint frosted cookies in the winter, chocolate crinkle cookies or salted caramel dark chocolate cookies any time of year, or switch to white chips for inside out chocolate chip cookies
My team and I receive many questions about turning this base chocolate dough into regular double chocolate chip cookies, so I figured having a separate spot for that particular cookie recipe would be ideal for chocolate cookie lovers everywhere. And I’m guessing that’s you. 😉
Grab These Ingredients
All of the ingredients required for this cookie recipe are kitchen staples. You need:
- Wet ingredients: Butter, white & brown sugars, egg, vanilla extract, and milk
- Dry ingredients: Flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt
You also need chocolate chips and I recommend semi-sweet. Mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or other flavors such as peanut butter chips or butterscotch morsels work too. You could even keep them plain and roll in chopped pecans to make chocolate turtle cookies.
Success Tip: Use Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Because the double chocolate chip cookies use baking soda, it’s important to use natural cocoa powder since it’s acidic. You could get away with dutch-process here (since brown sugar is also acidic), but the cookies may lose shape and taste dense. To avoid issues, I recommend natural. For further information, you can read about the differences between natural and dutch process cocoa powder.
Did you know? Cocoa powder is a very light, yet drying ingredient. To keep the cookies tender and moist, the dough needs liquid like milk. That’s why chocolate cake calls for so much liquid.
Overview: How to Make Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Cream the butter and both sugars together before adding the egg and vanilla extract. Separately, whisk the dry ingredients together and don’t be concerned about how little flour this recipe requires. (Remember that cocoa powder is another dry ingredient to bulk up the dough.) Combine wet and dry ingredients, then beat in the milk and then the chocolate chips.
Ensure you use proper room temperature butter, which should still be cool to the touch at about 65°F (18°C). If it’s too cold, it cannot cream and if it’s melty in the slightest, your cookies will be a mess.
Success Tip: Chill the Dough
The dough definitely comes together easily, but it’s sticky and tacky as a result of the cocoa powder mixing with liquid. It’s even stickier than the chocolate layer of pinwheel cookies. Therefore, the dough requires chilling before you can shape and bake. I recommend at least 3 hours in the refrigerator, but you can also refrigerate it overnight. Need cookies right NOW? Try giant chocolate chip cookies, Nutella chocolate chip cookies, or even one giant chocolate cookie.
Expect a sticky, tacky dough:
How to Shape The Cookie Dough
This cookie dough is still a bit sticky even if you’ve chilled it, but it’s much more compact since it’s cold. Use a cookie scoop to help you portion the sticky dough. The medium size is perfect because each dough ball should be around 1.5 Tablespoons. After scooping the dough, shape it as best you can into tall column-like balls. I know that sounds odd, but it’s the trick I teach when making regular chocolate chip cookies. Taller balls of chilled dough = thicker baked cookies.
The cookie dough will undoubtedly stick to your hands during the shaping step, so have a kitchen towel or paper towel nearby. I usually wipe my hands clean after every few cookie dough balls because clean hands make rolling easier. (Same tip I recommend for peanut butter filled brownie cookies.)
If you’re looking for cookie cutter style cookies, here are my chocolate sugar cookies.
Get your cookies to spread: The cookies take at least 11 minutes to bake, however if they aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes.
How Do You Know When Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Are Done?
It’s hard to see when the cookies are done because they’re so dark. Instead, give a cookie a light tap on the edge and if it feels slightly set, they’re done. Be careful with this because they’re hot! The centers will still look very soft and that’s ok. They usually take about 11-12 minutes.
Can I Freeze the Cookie Dough Balls?
Yes, once portioned and before baking, the chocolate cookie dough balls freeze beautifully. If the dough balls are a bit sticky, chill them in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes first. Place the balls in a single layer in a zipped-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can take a few dough balls out of the freezer at a time, and bake (no need to thaw) whenever that chocolate craving hits. Simply add another minute to the bake time. Read my full tutorial on how to freeze cookie dough here.
After publishing 200+ tested cookie recipes and 3 cookbooks, I know what works and what doesn’t, so check out my top cookie baking success tips if you’re ever having trouble. Additionally, my entire team and I put together our recommended 10 best cookie baking tools if you need top-rated suggestions. Happy baking!
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Favorite Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 20-22 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft-baked thick and chunky double chocolate chip cookies are rich and fudge-like with chewy centers, slightly crisp edges, and oodles of melty chocolate chips in each glorious bite. The dough needs to chill for at least 3 hours, but you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (any kind, dairy or non)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a few more for optional topping*
Instructions
- Preliminary note: This cookie dough requires at least 3 hours of chilling, but I prefer to chill the dough overnight. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour into the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the milk, then the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be sticky and tacky. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this sticky cookie dough.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the chilled cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Scoop and roll dough, a heaping 1.5 Tablespoons (about 35-40g; I like to use this medium cookie scoop) in size, into balls. To ensure a thicker cookie, make the balls taller than they are wide (almost like a cylinder or column). Arrange 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheets. The cookie dough is certainly sticky, so wipe your hands clean after every few balls of dough you shape.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Tip: If they aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven to continue baking.
- Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. During this time, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies. (This is optional and only for looks.) Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (step 3). Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Check out my tips + tricks for how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Stand Mixer or Handheld) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats | Cooling Rack
- Larger Batch: The recipe is easy to double in 1 mixing bowl without overwhelming your mixer. Simply double all of the cookie dough ingredients. Dough chill time remains the same.
- Natural Cocoa Powder: Do you know the difference between natural cocoa powder and dutch-process cocoa powder? Use natural in this dough.
- Other Add-Ins: Instead of chocolate chips in the dough, you can use the same amount of peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, M&Ms, chopped nuts, or butterscotch chips.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
I just made these today. They are delicious but the dough is very sticky. I saw someone say they roll into saran wrap logs and then slice. I will try that next time. Will definitely make again!
Made this recipe, but Browned butter and doubled it, and used white choc chips as well as milk, the dough was incredible, and they were delicious!
Can I substitute Almond or soy milk and dairy free butter?
Hi Trish, you can certainly give it a try, although were unsure how the results may change with those swaps. Let us know if you do give it a try.
I tried the recipe with dairy free butter ( earth balance sticks) and almond milk and they came out absolutely amazing!
We’ve made these before and absolutely loved them – it’s the favorite cookie recipe for my whole family. Any tips on making it into a cookie cake instead?
Hi Danielle, you can use this dough and follow the baking time and instructions for our chocolate chip cookie cake. Enjoy!
Fabulous!!
I and everyone who tried them, love this cookie recipe. They were perfect. I am even waiting for my next batch to finish chilling as I write this haha thank you so much
Frustrated and confused. I Followed the ingredients and instructions to the tee, but the batter came out lumpy and like dry brownies. Since I’ve never made this before I thought maybe that’s how it was supposed to be so I went ahead and chilled, but after the 3 hour it was still that consistency. Tried baking anyways and they just came out like really dry, very crumbly brownies. I will not be making this again. I threw away my whole double batch of “dough”.
Can this recipe be doubled or do I need to make 2 separate batches?
Hi Nettie, you can double this recipe! Dough chill time remains the same.
Would I be able to ship these cookies to my military family, spread around the U.S.
Hi Linda, yes, these cookies would ship well. Here are all our best tips for how to ship cookies!
I have a question about the double chocolate chip cookies, in the regular chocolate chip cookies, you use melted butter & an extra egg yolk. In the double chocolate chip cookies recipe, you use 1 egg & room temp butter? Is there a difference chemistry in using natural cocoa powder? I thought I could use the chocolate chip recipe and just add cocoa powder to the dough?
Hi Mark! The recipes are different and these chocolate cookies are adapted for cocoa powder. It’s not as easy as swapping cocoa powder for some flour, unfortunately. Let us know if you try these double chocolate chip cookies!
I’m confused with this. The regular recipe is really good, I was just going to add the coca powder. What happens if I just add it to the original chocolate chip recipe?
Hi Rocky, cocoa powder is a very drying ingredient, so adding it to the recipe will make the cookies dry. These double chocolate chip recipes have specifically been formulated to accommodate the cocoa powder, and they still have the same great chewy texture as the original chocolate chip cookies. Hope you’ll give them a try!
I tried this recipe to the T and wow it was the most yummy fudgy soft double chocolate !! I’m so glad I gave it a try! Sally you have the best cookie recipes!! Thank you!
Can you use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder or is it the same thing?
Hi Laura, you can absolutely use cacao powder if that’s all you have, however natural unsweetened cocoa powder is ideal here.
Hi! Can I add some cornstarch (like 1 Tablespoon, 10 grams) for chewiness? Or the cocoa powder already act a bit as cornstarch itself?
In case I add it, can I just add it in or should I remove some of the flour/cocoa?
Thank you!!!
Hi Chiara! These cookies are nice and chewy as-is. Let us know if you try them!
usually sally’s baking recipes’ cookies are a lil too sweet for me, so i doubled the salt and they were SO good. a little crunchy on the outside with a crust that tasted like salted dark chocolate and perfectly soft, sweet & fudgy on the inside, and after a day, it turns into this perfectly cake-y cookie. me and my pride are pleased with this dope cookie recipe & i’m most definitely making more to freeze for later use.
I loved this so much! thank you fans
I make these cookies regularly and they are just delicious. Chewy and chocolaty. Just delicious
Sally can we talk? The whole refrigerating cookie dough and scooping a brick or hanging out waiting for the dough to thaw just right???? I say people get over it, press your dough into a square pan, run a knife through it so you have 5 rows by 5 rows, refrigerate and pry those suckers loose and round the edges!!!!!
This is my favourite cookie recipe! Instead of scooping the chilled dough from the bowl ,
I form it into 2 logs and wrap in plastic, then when it’s chilled , just slice into cookies.
I just tried this recipe (my last batch is baking as I write this) and it is amazing! So simple to make and your tips make it even easier. Will definitely make again! <3
Always love your recipes so much! Any tips if I’d like to make a mini version of these cookies? Thanks!
Hi Gini, you can certainly scoop smaller balls of dough for smaller cookies. Bake time will be less, so keep a close eye on the cookies. Hope you enjoy them!
Good recipe very delicious even with being chilled on like 15 mins I used healthier sugar alternative but what is the serving size / cal per cookie? I also used Dutch coco powder and they were fine so I’m confused on what that’s about
Hi Cat, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I love this recipe so much! I’ve tried it with various ingredient substitutions and every single time these cookies turn out great! My favorite way is using coconut milk and peanut butter chips!
I just made the cookie dough, both didn’t read to make sure to use natural cocoa powder & I used Dutch processed. Is there something I can do to save this dough now or do I need to toss it because they will turn out flat since I used baking soda?
Hi Karen, unfortunately there is nothing you can do to save the dough at this point, but you can certainly bake them. They may be a bit flat and the taste will be a bit off.
Even though I messed up & used Dutch process cocoa, these cookies turned out really good, not flat.
My husband doesn’t like chocolate, but he said they were really good.
Next time I will use natural cocoa powder like the recipe calls for.
I shipped the cookies off to my cousin for his birthday. He looks forward to them every year.
I will make these agai!
These were fabulous! I mixed some peanut butter chips and chocolate chips inside and smooshed peanut butter on top. For cocoa – Dutch processed. I doubled the recipe for 4.5 dozen and the dough was thick enough I did not need to refrigerate. They came out perfect!
I made this recipe before reading the whole thing…
I used dutch processed, didn’t chill and did 1/2 gf flour with 1/2 almond flour
they turned out perfectly.
Hi Sally. I’ve tried many of your recipes and I’ve always been very happy with the results! I want to make these to take to a friend’s tomorrow, but I only have the Hershey’s special dark cocoa at home. Can I use that? Many thanks!
Hi Homa, we’d recommend these death by chocolate peanut butter cookies instead, as you can use Dutch process cocoa there. Feel free to use all chocolate chips, too, instead of the peanut butter chips called for in the recipe. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for your quick reply, Lexi!
Lexi, those cookies were scrumptious!! Oh my goodness! I made them with caramel morsels (didn’t have peanut butter chips) and they were absolutely delicious! I will write this same comment directly under that recipe, as well. A fabulous recipe and definitely a keeper! Thank you!!!
These turned out great! I will definitely make them again!
Mine came out flat. Same for your drop sugar cookie recipe, do you know why that is? I chill them overnight or even longer? Also could we cut down the cocoa or in cream sugar?
Here’s our best tips for preventing cookies from spreading!
Made the dough yesterday, baked this morning. I love them! Could eat the whole batch.
Hi guys! I’m posting this question here even though its about Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies – that page doesn’t seem to have the option for leaving comments currently.
Do you know if adding the Biscoff spread to the melted butter version of your chocolate chip cookies (Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies) would work?
*Btw I couldn’t leave a comment on the Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies page either.
Hi Jessica, thank you for letting us know! We will look into it. The Biscoff spread isn’t quite a 1:1 swap with the melted butter, so it would take some tweaking to properly incorporate it in that exact recipe. For best results, we recommend following the Biscoff chocolate chip cookies recipe—they’re still wonderfully soft and chewy!
Hi – to clarify, I’m trying to make Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies. Maybe a better question is can that recipe be made with melted butter rather than room temperature butter.
Hi Jessica, so sorry for the confusion! While you can certainly try it, the cookies will spread quite a bit more. It’s best to stick with room temperature butter in that recipe.
At Christmas this year, I made this recipe for my dad who is a diehard chocolate chip cookie fan. He love them! I wish they were a little softer and not so crunchy. Any suggestions?