American chocolate cookies with chocolate chunks (chocolate chip cookies) Recipe
Soft in the middle, slightly crispy on the edges, packed with big chunks of chocolate – just like the cookies you see in American movies next to a glass of milk. In the US they’re a classic of school lunchboxes and weekend home baking. The flavor is a mix of buttery dough, caramel notes from the sugar, and intense chocolate.
These cookies are the essence of American home baking – thicker, soft in the middle and slightly chewy, with a distinct caramel flavor from the brown sugar. The combination of dark and milk chocolate gives a deep, multi-layered taste that is completely different from ordinary cookies with a simple chocolate bar. This is the kind of cookie that in the US ends up in lunchboxes, next to a glass of milk during an evening movie, or in a box for neighborhood get-togethers.
Chef's tips
The key to the perfect texture is not overbaking – take the cookies out when the center still looks slightly underbaked, because they will firm up as they cool. Make sure the butter is really soft so it can be well aerated with the sugar and the cookies spread nicely instead of staying dense. Don’t mix the dough for too long after adding the flour, or the cookies will turn out tough – a short mix, just until combined, is enough.
How to serve
Serve them still slightly warm, with a glass of cold milk or a mug of milky coffee – this combo always disappears the fastest during my lazy Sunday breakfasts. For birthday parties you can stack them on a cake stand and add small bowls with fruit or vanilla ice cream so everyone can build their own dessert. They also make a great “gift from the kitchen” – I often pack them in paper, tie with string, and take them along when visiting friends.
Ingredients
- butter soft, at room temperature - 120 g
- sugar - 80 g
- brown sugar - 80 g
- egg at room temperature - 1 piece
- vanilla extract or vanilla sugar - 1 teaspoon
- wheat flour type 450–550 - 200 g
- baking powder - 0.5 teaspoons
- baking soda - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- dark chocolate chopped into fairly large chunks - 120 g
- milk chocolate chopped, optional - 60 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the white and brown sugar using a mixer or wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for about 1 more minute, until everything is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix briefly, just until combined – do not overmix.
- Add the chopped chocolate and stir with a spoon so it is evenly distributed in the dough.
- Using a spoon, scoop portions of dough about the size of a walnut and place them on the tray, leaving plenty of space between them (the cookies will spread). Do not flatten them – they will spread on their own while baking.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden and the centers are still soft and pale. The cookies will firm up as they cool, so do not bake them for too long.
- Remove the tray from the oven and leave the cookies on it for 5 minutes, then gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
Przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku w temperaturze pokojowej do tygodnia. Możesz też zamrozić upieczone ciastka lub kulki surowego ciasta i piec je bezpośrednio z zamrażarki, wydłużając czas pieczenia o 2–3 minuty.
