Thick and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies

It’s no surprise that any type of cookie named “Thick and Chewy” would be amazing.  Take these thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies – most definitely my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  So when I came across this recipe in my newest favorite cookbook, I simply couldn’t pass over the recipe.  Oftentimes I find that double chocolate cookie dough tastes considerably better than the baked cookies and I was beyond thrilled to find out that the actual cookies are every bit as great as I expected they would be.  Deep and rich in chocolate flavor (the recipe does call for 16oz of semisweet chocolate, after all), they are swoon-worthy cookies.  They mimic the original thick and chewys with slightly crispy edges and soft and chewy centers…and they are impossible to resist.  In terms of the size of these cookies, I found that a heaping 2 tbsp (1 3/4 inch) scoop of dough yielded a much better looking cookie than a leveled off scoop of the same size but really, the size of these cookies makes no difference.  As long as you’ve got a glass of ice cold milk to go with these delights, you can’t go wrong.

Thick and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies
source: The New Best Recipe

2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 1/2 cups packed (10 1/2 oz) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk together; set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until completely melted and smooth; remove from the heat.  (Alternatively, microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, mixing thoroughly in between, until melted and smooth.)  In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla.  Sprinkle the instant espresso powder over the egg mixture and set aside to allow the granules to dissolve.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds.  Mix in the sugars until well combined, about 45 seconds – the mixture will look granular.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds.  Add the chocolate to the bowl in a steady stream and continue beating until combined, about 40 seconds.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, being careful not to overbeat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is scoopable and fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a 1 ¾-inch cookie dough scoop, spacing the dough balls about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just began to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking.  Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes then transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool completely.  Cool the baking sheets before baking more batches with the remaining dough.