Double Chocolate Cookies · Fudgy
Fudgy Double Chocolate Cookies
Deep cocoa dough, crackly tops and pockets of melted chocolate chips. They taste like a brownie in cookie form, and a pinch of flaky salt on top makes them taste even more chocolatey.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Serves
- about 30 cookies
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- Dry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (250 g)
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process (57 g)
Swaps for unsweetened cocoa powder
Instead of cocoa powder
- Natural and Dutch-process cocoa: The same amount. Swap freely when the recipe uses baking powder.
- Unsweetened chocolate: 1 oz melted unsweetened chocolate for each 3 tbsp cocoa; cut the butter or oil by 1 tbsp. Fudgier and richer.
- Carob powder: The same amount. Caffeine-free and naturally sweet, but it tastes like carob, not chocolate.
- 1 tsp baking soda
Swaps for baking soda
Instead of baking soda
- Baking powder: 3 tsp baking powder for each 1 tsp baking soda. It rises, but bakes come out paler and puffier, cookies spread less, and the extra powder can taste a little bitter.
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
Swaps for unsalted butter
Instead of butter
- Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed (160 g)
Swaps for brown sugar
Instead of brown sugar
- White sugar + molasses: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp (dark). The same as store-bought.
- White sugar: The same amount. Crisper, paler cookies with less caramel flavor.
- Light and dark brown sugar: The same amount, either way. Dark brown sugar tastes stronger and makes bakes a bit darker and moister.
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, 150 g
Swaps for granulated sugar
Instead of sugar
- Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
- Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
- Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Swaps for eggs
Instead of eggs
- Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
- Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
- Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Swaps for vanilla extract
Instead of vanilla extract
- Vanilla bean paste: The same amount. Stronger, with visible vanilla seeds.
- Vanilla bean: The seeds of 1 bean for each 1 tbsp extract. A deeper, floral flavor and visible seeds.
- Alcohol-free vanilla: The same amount. Made with glycerin; a slightly milder taste.
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, 255 g
Swaps for semisweet chocolate chips
Instead of chocolate and chocolate chips
- Semisweet and bittersweet: The same amount, either way. Bittersweet is less sweet and more intense; semisweet is milder and sweeter.
- Chopped bar chocolate for chips: The same weight (a 12 oz bag of chips is about 2 cups). Melty puddles and streaks instead of neat chips.
- Chips for bar chocolate when melting: The same weight. Chips melt thicker and less smoothly, so ganache and glazes are a bit stiffer.
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Weights from USDA FoodData Central cup weights. Counted things (eggs, cloves, cans) stay as counts, and salt stays in spoons: kosher and flaky salts weigh very differently by brand.
Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.
Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.
Steps
Kid helper. A child can do steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use heat. Cooking with kids
- Set a strainer over a medium bowl andKid stepthe flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into it to break up cocoa lumps.
sift (how to sift)
Sift Pass dry ingredients through a fine sieve to break up lumps and mix them evenly. 1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or a sheet of parchment.2. Spoon in the dry ingredients.3. Tap the side of the strainer or stir gently so they fall through.4. Press any lumps through with the back of a spoon. Done when: There are no lumps of powdered sugar, cocoa or baking soda left. How to sift flour and powdered sugar: mistakes to avoidto combine.Whisk (how to whisk)
Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid - In a large bowl,⏱ Cream butter: 3 minKid stepon medium speed until fluffy.
beat the butter and both sugars (how to cream butter and sugar)
Cream butter and sugar Beat soft butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, trapping air that helps cakes and cookies rise. 1. Let the butter soften to about 65°F: it dents when pressed but isn't greasy.2. Beat the butter alone for 30 seconds.3. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed.4. Scrape the bowl once or twice.5. Keep going for 2 to 4 minutes. Done when: The mixture is lighter in color, fluffy and has grown a little in the bowl. Safety: Don't taste raw cookie dough or batter; raw eggs and raw flour can carry germs.How to cream butter and sugar: mistakes to avoid - Kid stepin the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
Beat (how to beat)
Beat Mix hard and fast, by hand or with a mixer, to blend ingredients fully and add air. 1. Use a mixer on the speed the recipe gives, or a fork or whisk for a few eggs.2. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each disappears before the next.3. Stop and scrape the bowl and beaters now and then.4. Mix on low once flour goes in, just until combined. Done when: The mixture is smooth and even, with no streaks of yolk or white. Safety: Turn the mixer off before you scrape the bowl or reach in.How to beat eggs and batters: mistakes to avoid - Add the cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until no dry pockets remain.Kid step
- Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula.Kid step
- Cover and refrigerate the dough so the cookies spread less and bake up thick.⏱ Chill dough: 30 minGrown-up: heat
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).350°FGrown-up: heattwo sheet pans with parchment.
Line (how to line a pan)
Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid - Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto the pans, 2 inches apart.Kid step
- Bake until the tops crack and the edges look set but the centers still look soft. Dark dough hides browning, so trust the timer.350°F⏱ Bake: 11 minGrown-up: heat
- Sprinkle each hot cookie with a few flakes of salt, if using.Grown-up: heat
- Leave the cookies on the pans until they are firm enough to move, then transfer them to a rack.⏱ Cool on pan: 10 minGrown-up: heat
Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.
Tips
- These are fragile while hot. Give them the full 10 minutes on the pan before moving them.
- Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, smoother cookie; natural cocoa tastes a bit fruitier. Both work here.
- Swap the semisweet chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips for a change.
Storage
Airtight at room temperature up to 4 days.
Make ahead
Freeze scooped dough balls up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.
Quick answers
- Can I freeze it?
Freeze scooped dough balls up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- What can I swap?
- Instead of all-purpose flour: Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Instead of cocoa powder: Natural and Dutch-process cocoa, the same amount.
Swap the semisweet chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips for a change.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 710 kJ
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugars
- 15 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Saturated fat
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 80 mg
Whole recipe, 30 servings: about 5,250 calories.
Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.
How we estimate
We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 30 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.
Not counted: flaky sea salt (to taste or as needed).
Estimated cost
About $0.25 a serving
About $7.95 for the recipe as written (30 servings).
Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 7 of 10 ingredients, 99% by weight.
How we estimate
Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.
- semisweet chocolate chips $3.15 ERS
- unsalted butter $2.00 BLS
- unsweetened cocoa powder $1.25 ERS
- brown sugar $0.55 ERS
- eggs $0.40 BLS
- granulated sugar $0.35 BLS
- all-purpose flour $0.30 BLS
Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): baking soda, kosher salt, vanilla extract.
Not counted: flaky sea salt (optional, or to taste).
More dishes for less: cheap eats.
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- See price on Amazon: Hand mixer (opens Amazon)
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Cleanup score 2/5 (more cleanup): 5 things to wash, sheet pan, bowl 1, bowl 2, hand mixer beaters, strainer.
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