(this post has been updated on may 22, 2011)
This recipe is the all-time most viewed on divine baking. That is great because the cookies are awesome. But unfortunately, I've gotten a lot of comments (as you can see below) and emails from readers that have tried the recipe without success. This made me feel really bad because this blog is all about tested recipes that turned out great. Obviously, if so many people have flat cookies, something must be wrong! I decided to make the cookies again and see what is going on.
When my batter was ready I experimented with one cookie. I baked it for 11 minutes, and indeed the cookie was not as chubby as I would have liked it to be. It wasn't flat, but I knew it could be better. So I refrigerated the batter for about 4 hours - until it was very firm.
Again I baked one cookie as a tester... REFRIGERATING DID IT. Chubby and gooey just like I like them!
Right now as I'm writing this post, a cookie is being eaten. This is not my first cookie, and I will not tell how many I've eaten (not including the batter!), but WOW. The cookies are what dreams are made of. So intense, so gooey and soft. All my dear, frustrated bakers, refrigerating is the solution and I believe the longer the better (overnight). So please give the cookies another chance!
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (no more than 62% cacao), finely chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups superfine sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups (5 ½ ounces) coarsely chopped pecans (I left them out)
1 ¼ cups (4 ½ ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts (I left them out)
9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (no more than 62% cacao), finely chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups superfine sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups (5 ½ ounces) coarsely chopped pecans (I left them out)
1 ¼ cups (4 ½ ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts (I left them out)
Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put the butter in a wide, heatproof bowl, and melt the butter over the hot water in the saucepan.
Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate, stirring often, until melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled slightly but still warm, about 5 minutes.
Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate, stirring often, until melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled slightly but still warm, about 5 minutes.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Whip the eggs in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the eggs are foamy and lightly thickened, about 30 seconds.
Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, then the vanilla.
Whip until the eggs are very thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the tepid chocolate, making sure it is completely incorporated.
Change to the paddle attachment and reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips, pecans, and walnuts, making sure the chunky ingredients are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bowl.The dough will be somewhat soft.
Refrigerate the batter for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a ice-cream scoop, portion the batter onto the prepared pans, placing the cookies about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake for 10 - 12 mintues until cookies are puffed but still soft.
Let cool and the baking sheet for 5 minutes and move to a cooling rack.
Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, then the vanilla.
Whip until the eggs are very thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the tepid chocolate, making sure it is completely incorporated.
Change to the paddle attachment and reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips, pecans, and walnuts, making sure the chunky ingredients are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bowl.The dough will be somewhat soft.
Refrigerate the batter for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a ice-cream scoop, portion the batter onto the prepared pans, placing the cookies about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake for 10 - 12 mintues until cookies are puffed but still soft.
Let cool and the baking sheet for 5 minutes and move to a cooling rack.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Posts
Hello! I just found your blog while randomly searching through recipes..can't even remember how I got here, but ANYWAY! I saw these and also some similar cookies you posted called "chocolate fudge cookies" And I wondered... how do they compare?! They seem pretty similar, so I wondered that if I'm wanting a fudgy-brownie type cookie, which do you suggest?! The chocolate chubbies or the chocolate fudge cookies? Thanks!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou had me sold the moment I saw that photo! I have already clipped this recipe and it is on the top of MY list! Thanks. Can't wait to try this one!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - Glad you found the blog! and to answer your question, I would go with the chocolate chubbies. The recipes are similar, but the chubbies rose nicer and had a lighter texture (probably due to the superfine sugar). To tell you the truth I don't think you would be disappointed with either recipe.
ReplyDeleteRivki - please tell me what you think after you've try them!
Is is okay if I put 2 cups of milk chocolate instead of semisweet or will it be too sweet? Thanks. Love the Chubbies photo!
ReplyDeleteim drooling just looking at the gooey centre!! i will need to put this on top of my to-make list :)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - You can reduce the sugar to about 1 cup, if that is a big concern. It might actually be a nice touch to use milk chocolate chips!
ReplyDeleteVivienne - The gooey center is too die for! After the cookie has settled and cooled, I warmed it in the microwave for about 15 seconds. It gets the chocolate chips all melted again :)
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog through Key Ingredient. I love these chocolate chubbies! I will be making them for sure for my kids! You have a lovely blog here. I will be visiting more often. :-)
Rosabela - Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by super fine sugar... not just the average sugar you buy at the store??
ReplyDeleteIf you look in the store you should have regular granulated sugar and also superfine sugar. The actual sugar grains are a lot smaller and lighter. Here it says on the package "extra fine white sugar".
ReplyDeleteThese were totally delicious, thank you!
ReplyDeleteAre these difficult to scoop into rounds onto the baking sheet? I have made chocolate crinkle cookies which look similar to these and those were a nightmare to put onto the sheet--very goopy and took way too much time/effort. Thanks1
ReplyDeleteI don't remember having trouble with the batter. But I think these cookies are worth the effort - they were so good! Sorry if I'm not so helpful, this post was a couple of months back and I've gone through many recipes since :)
ReplyDeleteHi I am wondering if you didn't forget to write 1 more cup of flour, as opposed to 1/2 cup? My first batch was just awful, flat, ugly and burned after only 10 minutes, and I followed all the steps very closely! Then I decided to add 1 more cup of flour and a bit of Maizena for added chewiness, and they came out perfect and to die for, just like in your pictures!!
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe with the modifications, if my boyfriend didn't already think I was a goddess before this, he certainly worships me as one now!! Thanks!
Nat - Sorry to hear that, but I'm glad you found a solution that worked for you! as you can see here: http://www.amazon.com/Sarabeths-Bakery-My-Hands-Yours/dp/0847834085?ie=UTF8&tag=divine01-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969 the original recipe has only 1/2 cup of flour, and that is what I used as well. thanks for commenting :)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThe moment I saw these, I was like— I have to try them. And that's what I did. They taste so divine. Just 1 problem I faced— mine were not as thick in the width. They were flat :-(
Bring on the chocolate! These look so good!
ReplyDeleteI made these three times without refrigeration before you updated the post, and they turned out great. I loved that they were shiny! The batter was difficult to put into balls, but I bought a cookie dough scooper for the second time I made them and that helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've made the recipe with and without nuts, and I think the nuts make them even more delicious.
hi. I wanted to ask if you still have the recipe before you updated? I wanted that one. I was wondering if you can send it to me if you have it? my e-mail is lindaruan247@yahoo.com Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJust made these... Was very skeptical about the 1/2 cup flour but went for it anyway. Refrigerated over night and voila - amazed to get super puffy little cookies that taste soooooooo chocolatey and good. I didn't pay attention and put in regular granulated sugar instead of the fine sugar and it still turned out just fine!
ReplyDeleteomg, so I just made these and they turned out FABULOUS! I also, just used bittersweet choc, not unsweetened b/c I couldn't find any but it turned out great! And yes, REFRIGERATE the cookie dough for at least 2 hours, my cookies were very puffy, came out just like the pictures, and were absolutely amazing! They were crispy/crunchy on the outside but gooey and soft on the inside, just amaze-balls!
ReplyDelete