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Crisp edges, thick, soft and chewy centers, and plenty of melty, gooey chocolate chips make these the best double chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever taste! The rich, fudgy homemade treats are perfect alongside a cold glass of milk. File this one away, because they’re sure to become a family favorite!
Chocolate lovers unite! While classic chocolate chip cookies will always be at the top of our list, these decadent, soft, and chewy double chocolate chip cookies are a dream come true for fellow chocoholics! The rich, buttery, chocolate dough is studded with loads of chocolate chips for a flavor explosion in every bite. They’re absolutely perfect for every occasion — from packed lunchboxes to after-school snacks, easy bake sale treats, or afternoon activities with the kids.
Why These Are the Best Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Homemade double chocolate chip cookies are quick, easy, and a perfect combination of buttery dough with rich, gooey chocolate. This is the best recipe because the cookies are:
- Crisp on the edges, but soft in the center;
- Ultra-thick and puffy (thanks to chilled dough);
- Chewy (thanks to the brown sugar and butter);
- Loaded with chocolate;
- Buttery, salty and sweet!
Serve a few cookies with a cold glass of milk and watch your kids, grandchildren, friends and loved ones smile!
Ingredients for Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a batch of easy double chocolate chip cookies. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: I use salted butter for added flavor.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: to sweeten the dough. Using a little bit of brown sugar gives the cookies a softer, chewier texture than just using granulated sugar alone.
- Eggs: for structure.
- Vanilla extract and salt: to enhance the flavors in the cookies.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the dough.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: gives the dough its rich chocolate flavor. I use Hershey’s brand, but any similar variety will work.
- Baking soda: the leavening agent that helps the cookies rise.
- Chocolate chips: pick your favorite variety! My boys love milk chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips are a more traditional choice.
What happens when you add an extra egg to chocolate chip cookies?
Adding an extra egg (or just an extra egg yolk) with its high fat content will increase the richness, tenderness and flavor of the dough. In general, an extra egg or egg yolk will yield a chewier cookie. I find that two eggs is the perfect balance in this recipe.
What makes cookies cakey or chewy?
More moisture yields a softer, chewier cookie. That’s why plenty of butter, some brown sugar, and a couple of eggs all contribute to the soft and chewy texture in these cookies. Cakey cookies are often the result of too much flour. Always measure flour by spooning the flour into your measuring cup and leveling off with a knife. Otherwise, scooping the flour directly with the measuring cup can compress the flour in your cup, resulting in a dry, crumbly dough.
How to Make Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is adapted from a recipe that my friend Jackie shared with me earlier this year. She brought a batch of Hershey’s double chocolate chip cookies to my boys, which they promptly devoured. I have since adapted Jackie’s recipe slightly to create even thicker, softer, and chewier perfect double chocolate chip cookies that you can easily whip up in your own kitchen! They’re the best treat for your friends and family…
- Mix together the chocolate cookie dough.
- Add the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Drop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake in a 350° F oven for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges are set.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
How to Keep Cookies Soft
The key to maintaining those decadent, soft, gooey centers in your double chocolate chip cookies is not overbaking. Remove the cookies from the oven just as the edges are starting to brown. The centers will still look soft and under-baked, but the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
Why do some homemade double chocolate chip cookies come out flat?
The warmer your cookie dough is when it enters the oven, the thinner and flatter your cookies will be. Here are my best tips to prevent your cookies from spreading in the oven so that they come out thick, soft, chewy and puffy every single time:
- Chill the dough. Some cookie recipes do not call for chilling the dough; however, I find that at least 1-2 hours in the refrigerator before scooping yields the best thick, chewy texture. As I mentioned above, the warmer your dough, the more it will spread when baked.
- Don’t Overmix. Whipping the wet ingredients too much or overmixing can add excessive air to the dough, causing the cookies to collapse and spread in the oven.
- Line the Baking Sheets. Spraying the baking sheets with cooking spray or greasing with butter or lard creates a slippery surface that causes cookies to spread. Instead, line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for “grip.”
- Cool Baking Sheets. Never place cookie dough on warm baking sheets.
- Shape into Round Balls or Use a Cookie Dough Scoop. Placing a rounded ball of dough onto the baking sheet yields a taller, thicker cookie.
Storage Tips
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last on the counter for about 3 days. To extend the life of your cookies, wrap them tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead
You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in your refrigerator until ready to bake.
How to Freeze the Dough
You can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. This dough freezes best if you portion it into dough balls first. Arrange the dough balls on baking sheets, freeze, and then wrap tightly in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. The dough will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, just pull a couple of frozen dough balls from the oven and bake in a 350° F oven. You’ll need to add about 1-2 more minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with frozen dough.
Recipe Variations
- For an ultra-chewy texture, add an extra egg yolk to the dough. You can also swap out half of the all-purpose flour for bread flour, which has a higher protein content and therefore creates a chewier bite.
- If you prefer a crispy double chocolate chip cookie, replace the brown sugar with extra granulated sugar and bake the cookies for a few more minutes.
- If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe to 1 teaspoon.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the classic addition to chocolate chip cookies; however, you can substitute with any chocolate chips that you like. My kids prefer milk chocolate chips, while dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or coarsely-chopped chocolate bars are all great options as well.
- Add nuts to the dough. Chopped walnuts or pecans are both delicious in these cookies!
Tips for the Best Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- For big chunks of chocolate in every bite, my friend Jackie uses Hershey’s Mini Kisses instead of regular chocolate chips.
- Make sure that the butter and egg are at room temperature so that they mix together smoothly.
- Chill the dough before baking to avoid spreading and to keep the cookies thick, soft and chewy.
- Reserve some of the chocolate chips for topping your cookies before baking. This adds a nice touch when you can see some chocolate chips on top!
- The key to maintaining those decadent, soft, centers in your double chocolate chip cookies is not overbaking. Remove the cookies from the oven just as the edges are starting to brown. The centers will still look soft and under-baked, but the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
More Easy Cookie Recipes to Try
- Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Classic Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Soft Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- â…” cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 11.5 ounce package chocolate chips (about 1 Âľ cups)
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Beat until well blended, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary to make sure that everything is evenly incorporated.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- If the dough is too firm to scoop after chilling, allow the bowl to sit on the counter at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so that it softens slightly. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons two-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges are set. The centers will still be soft.
- Cool on the baking sheets for about 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- For big chunks of chocolate in every bite, my friend Jackie uses Hershey’s Mini Kisses instead of regular chocolate chips.
- Make sure that the butter and egg are at room temperature so that they mix together smoothly.
- Chill the dough before baking to avoid spreading and to keep the cookies thick, soft and chewy.
- Reserve some of the chocolate chips for topping your cookies before baking. This adds a nice touch when you can see some chocolate chips on top!
- The key to maintaining those decadent, soft, centers in your double chocolate chip cookies is not overbaking. Remove the cookies from the oven just as the edges are starting to brown. The centers will still look soft and under-baked, but the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- For an ultra-chewy texture, add an extra egg yolk to the dough. You can also swap out half of the all-purpose flour for bread flour, which has a higher protein content and therefore creates a chewier bite.
- If you prefer a crispy double chocolate chip cookie, replace the brown sugar with extra granulated sugar and bake the cookies for a few more minutes.
- If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe to 1 teaspoon.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the classic addition to chocolate chip cookies; however, you can substitute with any chocolate chips that you like. My kids prefer milk chocolate chips, while dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or coarsely-chopped chocolate bars are all great options as well.
- Add nuts to the dough. Chopped walnuts or pecans are both delicious in these cookies!
I would like to recommend one change in your notes. The average stick of salted butter contains an 1/8th of a teaspoon of sodium, so adding 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt (for a total of 3/4 of a teaspoon) should be enough, if using unsalted butter.