Thank you to everyone who left comments on my recent post about Lola Cupcakes. Your condolences, memories, and kind words moved our family and brought comfort during a sad time. I’m continually amazed by the supportive community I’ve found through blogging and I’m grateful to each of you. Now, let’s turn our attention back to baking, sharing recipes, and enjoying time in the kitchen.
I’m always on the hunt for an outstanding chocolate chip cookie recipe, hoping to discover “the one.” This chocolate chunk cookie recipe comes from The Essence of Chocolate, contributed by Joanne Chang. The book gathers recipes from talented chefs and chocolatiers, offering a wide variety of treats from silky panna cottas to savory main dishes. Flipping through the pages of that collection is bound to spark cravings and inspire a baking session.
These cookies are straightforward to prepare and rely on bread flour to build a pleasing texture. The exterior bakes to a light, slightly crisp finish while the centers stay chewy and tender. They aren’t necessarily the absolute best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made, but they’re excellent in their own right. My husband described them as sugar-cookie-like dough studded with generous chocolate chunks. His coworkers agreed and happily polished off a batch the same day.
The balance of dark bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate adds depth and a variety of chocolate notes in every bite. If you prefer a single type of chocolate, you can adjust the ratio or use your favorite quality chocolate; the key is chopping it into chunk-sized pieces so each cookie gets pockets of chocolate as it melts and cools.
If you’re chasing a particular chocolate chip cookie texture—chewy, crisp, thick, or thin—experimenting with different recipes is part of the fun. Some of my favorite variations include the famed New York Times version for its thin crisp edges and chewy center, and an extra-rich chocolate chip cookie for a deeper, more buttery flavor. Try different flours, chilling times, and chocolate combinations until you find the cookie profile you love most.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chip-sized chunks
2 1/2 ounces 42% milk chocolate, chopped into chip-sized chunks
Directions:
1. Position oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl again.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chunks so they are evenly distributed. The dough can be refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.
5. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each mound slightly with the back of a spoon or your hand. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden around the edges, rotating the pans halfway through baking for even color. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
6. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed container or bag.
Recipe adapted from The Essence of Chocolate
All images and text © for My Baking Addiction
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