Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the perfect soft and chewy cookie, using chopped dark chocolate and a secret ingredient – cornstarch! Three teaspoons of cornstarch was the magic number for this recipe, after several rounds of testing. Cookies anyone? 🙂

Side shot of a wire cooling rack with a bunch of dark chocolate chunk cookies.

This isn’t just any old chocolate chip recipe. It is the BEST recipe. I’ve been playing around with it for the last couple of weeks, sending cookies to friends and neighbors at every turn.

Goals for epic cookies:

  • I wanted the cookie to LOOK a certain way – round, slightly puffy, sturdy, and golden. Check.
  • I also wanted it to TASTE buttery, creamy, and slightly salty. Check.
  • Lastly, I wanted the PICTURES to be perfect. This actually took two shoots because I rushed the first time and didn’t get them right. So finally…Check.

After trying store-brand chocolate chunks, I decided to step it up to this premium quality Ghirardelli brand. It actually makes me think of our San Francisco trip and the little Ghirardelli shop INSIDE our hotel. (Trouble with a capital T!)

This dark chocolate is the bomb. So decadent, and chopping your own makes the cookies look more unique. I used two 4 ounce bars for my recipe.

A measuring cup of chopped baking chocolate.

Have you ever made cookies that got flatter than a pancake and literally baked into each other?¿ ME!! My hand is UP!

Tips for battling this flat-pancake-messy-cookie-baking scenario.

  1. ALWAYS refrigerate your dough for at least two hours before baking. I usually make the dough the day before I bake  – so I refrigerate overnight.
  2. Bake the first cookie ALL BY ITSELF, so you can adjust the flour accordingly. My momma taught me this and you can see some of her recipes here.
  3. Use cornstarch (<— SECRET ingredient) in your cookies to give them a little extra poof. Mike’s grandmother (Grandma Helen) used cornstarch in her cookies, and they were always perfectly round and thick.
A round cake white plate full of dark chocolate chunk cookies.

Testing this recipe involved four batches. That’s a lot of cookies for a family of four (and Josh left for college during testing). But I made a huge mistake between batch three and four. I gave most of #3 away and realized that I had only photographed the cookies in a stack (not even pictured here). I’ve gotten pretty fussy with my photography, so I whipped up batch #4 and took the additional pictures I needed.

Needless to say, Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies have been flying out of here by the plateful. I’m glad I have self-restraint…but enough is enough. Pass the veggies please! 🙂

A wire cooling rack with some dark chocolate chunk cookies.

Bake these cookies next: Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

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Side shot of a wire cooling rack with a bunch of dark chocolate chunk cookies.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the perfect soft and chewy cookie, using chopped dark chocolate and a secret ingredient – cornstarch! 
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories: 255kcal
Author: Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter – softened to room temp
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk only
  • 1 Tablespoon Watkins vanilla
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 8 oz. Ghirardelli Bittersweet baking bar – chopped

Instructions

  • Cream butter and sugars together in large standing mixer (or can use a hand mixer).
  • Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla, and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Mix and gradually add to wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
  • Chop the baking bars into chunks, and gently fold into dough. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
  • After refrigerating dough, preheat oven and prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Measure out 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange on cookie sheet (eight at a time). 
  • Bake on 350 degrees for 12 – 14 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.
  • Remove to cooling racks.

Notes

The dough can be refrigerated for 24 hours before baking.
You can freeze cookie dough balls up to three months.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2.1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Suebeehomemaker or tag #suebeehomemaker!

4 Comments

  1. These came out beautiful and delicious!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      I’m so glad, Jess! Thanks for trying them!!

  2. These cookies are awesome and now I know why. Very smart to use tips from two incredible ladies! Well done! ????.

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Yes, two VERY incredible ladies! 🙂

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