Double chocolate chip cookies

Makes:21 cookies
Time:3 hr 30 min
Oven:350°F
Cook mode

Ingredients:

  • ½ cupunsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cupgranulated sugar
  • ½ cuppacked light or dark brown sugar
  • 1large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsppure vanilla extract
  • 1 cupall-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ⅔ cupnatural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
  • 1 tspbaking soda
  • ⅛ tspsalt
  • 1 tbspmilk, any kind
  • 1¼ cupssemi-sweet chocolate chips
  • a few extra chocolate chips, for the tops (optional)

Steps:

  1. Beat the , and on medium-high for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the and , scraping the bowl as needed.

  2. Whisk the , , and in another bowl. Add to the wet ingredients on low and mix until combined. The dough will be thick.

  3. On high, beat in the , then the . The dough will be sticky.

  4. Cover tightly and chill at least 3 hours, up to 3 days. Overnight is best, and colder dough makes thicker cookies.

  5. Let the dough sit out 10 minutes (about 20 if chilled longer than 3 hours) so it's easier to scoop.

  6. Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

  7. Scoop heaping 1½ tablespoon (35 to 40 g) balls and roll them taller than they are wide. Space them 2 to 3 inches apart.

  8. Bake 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look soft. If they haven't spread by minute 9, bang the pan on the counter 2 or 3 times and keep baking.

  9. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet. Press a few into the warm tops if you like, then move to a rack. They flatten a little as they cool.

Tips:

Makes 20 to 22 cookies, depending on scoop size.

Use natural cocoa, not Dutch-process. The baking soda needs its acid, and Dutch cocoa can make the cookies dense or lose shape.

The spoonful of milk keeps the cocoa from drying the cookies out.

Butter should be cool to the touch, around 65°F. Too cold won't cream; too soft makes messy cookies.

Shape the balls tall, like little columns, to keep the cookies thick.

Done when the edge feels slightly set if you tap it. Soft-looking centers are normal.

Swap the chips for the same amount of peanut butter chips, white chocolate, M&Ms, nuts or butterscotch.

Doubles easily in one bowl. Dough balls freeze up to 3 months; bake from frozen and add about a minute.