THE BEST Triple Chocolate Cookies

What's better than a chocolate cookie? Triple Chocolate Cookies! I can never resist more chocolate and these are for purists for sure. The rich chocolate cookie dough is made with Dutch process cocoa powder and dark brown sugar for a deep dark colour and rich sweetness. I use bittersweet chocolate chunks and pure white chocolate chunks - they are soft and chewy and totally dreamy!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make - this cookie recipe is easy to make because you don't need an electric mixer. You can simply make them with a spatula in a large mixing bowl.

• Chewy chocolate cookies - these chocolate cookies have a wonderful chewy texture.

• Triple chocolate - chocolate comes in three ways: cocoa powder in the cookie dough, bittersweet chocolate chunks and white chocolate chunks.

• Chocolate chunk cookies - I like the look, taste and texture of chunks instead of chips. Bittersweet chocolate chunks from a bar will melt nicely into the cookie dough so you get layers of chocolate.

INGREDIENTS FOR TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• Unsalted butter - soft butter adds incredible flavour and helps build some structure during the creaming step for crisp edges. Pull it out at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.

• Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a toffee-like flavour.

• Granulated sugar - this recipe uses both brown sugar and white granulated sugar. The white sugar will help them crisp up for crunchy edges.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate the deep chocolate flavour and it is really important in this recipe. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best cookies with a chewy texture.

• Cocoa powder - It's worth it to have good cocoa powder for these cookies! It's the main flavour and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe.

• Espresso powder - it adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these cookies which enhances the chocolate taste. It is optional and you can leave it out. See the FAQ section below to find out how this will affect the cookies.

• Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the chocolate taste and balances the sweetness.

• Dark chocolate chunks - I use 70% chocolate for a rich chocolate taste to balance the sweetness of the white chocolate. You can chop it up from a bar of chocolate or use these 63% dark chocolate chips

• Pure white chocolate - use high quality white chocolate from discs or bars and chop it up into chunks. Chocolate chips will be fine too, but they tend to have a higher sugar content and can burn easily.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda into a medium bowl to remove any lumps. Add espresso powder and salt and whisk to blend evenly.

• STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Beat together the soft butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and a bit fluffy. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture. You can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until slightly fluffy and lightened in colour by a shade, or you can also use an electric hand mixer. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.

• STEP 3). Mix in egg. Add the egg mix until well combined. Mix in vanilla.

• STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until it just begins to incorporate.

• STEP 5). Add chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chunks until they are evenly distributed.

• STEP 6). Chill the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

• STEP 7). Bake. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into smooth balls. Place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart. Place a few extra chocolate chunks on top of each dough ball if desired. Flatten just slightly and bake for 9-11 minutes until puffed and the tops are cracked but they are still soft in the middle. Transfer to a rack and let cookies cool on trays for 3 minutes before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling.

TIPS FOR MAKING TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• Use salted butter! It really makes a different when working with a chocolate dough. It adds a richness that makes these taste ultra chocolatey

• Get chocolate chunks instead of chips - if you like the melty "puddle" effect of the dark chocolate, then get you favourite dark chocolate bar or block and chop it up into rough chunks

• Chill the dough - giving this dough time to sit in the fridge will help the cocoa settle into the butter and will give time to let the flour hydrate. This produces chewier cookies with a richer flavour.

• Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will makes them dry and crumbly, and too little will cause them to spread excessively.

• Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion these cookies for even baking and roll the dough portions into smooth balls for a uniform shape.

• Let the baked cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them. They are delicate while still warm from the molten toffee so they need a few minutes to set up.

RECIPE FAQ

What is Dutch process cocoa powder?

Dutch process cocoa powder is alkalized cocoa which means that it has been treated with a basic (alkaline agent) such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. This neutralizes the acidity of the cocoa and brings the pH up from around 5 or 6 to above 7.

How does Dutch process affect cocoa flavour?

Alkalizing reduces the acidic or sour taste of cocoa and makes it more smooth or mellow. I find that as the pH gets higher (more heavily Dutched cocoa, like black cocoa) the taste can get slightly smoky. It also tends to have less complexity. Natural cocoa has a more pronounced fruity character.

What type of cocoa is best for triple chocolate cookies?

You can use either Dutch process or natural cocoa powder in this Triple Chocolate Cookies recipe. I prefer Dutch cocoa in this application for it's deep colour and more smoky taste to complement the sweet white chocolate. This is my favourite Dutch cocoa. I would just not recommend Black cocoa which almost has a smokey salty taste due to its high alkalinity.

Can I leave out the espresso powder?

Espresso powder adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these cookies which offsets the sweet creamy white chocolate and complements the bittersweet chocolate. If you don't have espresso powder, you can grind up instant coffee grounds. Or, just omit it from the recipe all together - it will still work fine. The cookies may be slightly thicker since the acidity from the coffee reacts more quickly with baking soda to promote spreading.

Do I need to chill the dough?

I highly recommend chilling this cookie dough since it will help with the texture and it controls the spreading. It also improves the flavour since cocoa powder needs time to hydrate to really shine.

How do I store triple chocolate cookies?

These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

If you love cookies, check out these recipes!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Rich sweet and salty chocolate cookie dough with bittersweet chocolate chunks and pure white chocolate. They're soft and chewy and delicious!

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr

Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp 160g all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup 28g cocoa powder (I prefer this one)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup 113g salted butter, softened
• ½ cup 110g packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup 65g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¾ cup 113g dark chocolate chunks plus extra for topping
• ½ cup 70g white chocolate chunks plus extra for topping

Instructions

 

• Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda into a medium bowl to remove any lumps. Add espresso powder and salt and whisk to blend evenly.
• Combine butter with both sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until slightly fluffy and lightened in colour by a shade. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing. You can also use an electric hand mixer.
• Beat in egg until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until it just begins to incorporate then fold in the chocolate chunks until they are evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into smooth balls. Place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart. Place a few extra chocolate chunks on top of each dough ball if desired. Flatten just slightly and bake for 9-11 minutes until puffed and the tops are cracked but they are still soft in the middle. Transfer to a rack and let cookies cool on trays for 3 minutes before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling.