Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 225 g semisweet chocolate
- 85 g unsweetened chocolate
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 3 egg, room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 6 g kosher salt
- 5 g baking powder
- 30 g all-purpose flour
Add-ins
- 175 g chocolate chips
- 120 g pecans, coarsely chopped
Optional Topping
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 81 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 66 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 13 mg
- Potassium
- 58 mg
- Calcium
- 9 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 30 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 3 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 3 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a double boiler. Melt until smooth, then remove from heat to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they become frothy.
Gradually add the sugar to the eggs. Continue whisking at high speed until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls in ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
Stir the vanilla extract into the egg and sugar mixture.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the kosher salt, baking powder, and flour.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet chocolate mixture until just combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 5cm (2 inches) of space between each cookie.
Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly set. If using sea salt, sprinkle it on top during the final 2 minutes of baking.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- For an even fudgier texture, use a combination of high-quality semisweet and unsweetened chocolates. Ensure they are melted gently to avoid scorching.
- Don't overmix the dry ingredients into the wet. Folding until just combined will keep the cookies tender and prevent them from becoming tough.
- Allowing the dough to chill for at least 30 minutes before baking can help prevent excessive spreading and deepen the flavors.
- The flaky sea salt is a game-changer. It balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate and nutty flavors beautifully. Apply it in the last few minutes of baking so it doesn't dissolve completely.
Storage
Refrigerator: 7 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in a single layer before bagging.
Reheating: Microwave for 10 seconds to soften chocolate if desired.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much and are very thin
Cause: The melted chocolate mixture was too hot when added to the eggs, or the eggs were over-whisked.
Fix: Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking the next batch.
Prevention: Allow melted chocolate to cool to just above room temperature before mixing.
Cookies are dry and crumbly
Cause: Overbaking or using too much flour.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Remove cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft.
Cultural Context
Chocolate chip cookies, a quintessential American treat, evolved from earlier chocolate cakes and cookies. The addition of pecans and a richer chocolate base enhances this classic, making it a popular choice for holidays and everyday indulgence across the United States.
