These dark chocolate chunk cookies are made from a single bar of high-quality dark chocolate and everyday pantry ingredients. Tied with my double chocolate chip cookie recipe for quick, homemade chocolate cookies, this version delivers crisp edges and chewy centers after a short chill in the fridge. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a cold glass of milk for an irresistible treat.
“Bake time was quick, and [these cookies] were ready to go after a few minutes out of the oven. The sprinkle of salt. The pools of chocolate. Cookie heaven!!!” -Hakima
Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
The star of these cookies is the dark chocolate—use the best bar you can find for the richest flavor. The remaining ingredients are simple staples you likely already have on hand.
- 6 oz (170 g) good quality dark chocolate (chopped)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) salted or unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (95 g) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Quick Tips for Prepping Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Using a dark chocolate bar keeps these cookies from becoming overly sweet and highlights deep chocolate flavor. A brief chill helps the cookies keep their shape and develops more flavor in the dough, resulting in a crisp edge and a slightly gooey center.
How to Chop a Bar of Chocolate
Chop the chocolate into irregular chunks for a rustic texture. Break the bar into squares, then use a sharp chef’s knife to cut 1/4″ slices in one direction, rotate the board, and cut again. The pieces will vary in size—this creates pockets of melting chocolate throughout the cookie. Trim any oversized pieces if needed.
How to Cream Butter and Sugars
Cream the butter and both sugars for about three minutes until pale and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or two until light. This aerates the dough, creating small pockets that help the cookies rise and stay tender.
If your kitchen is warm, slightly chilled eggs can help keep the butter from getting too soft while mixing. For uniform cookies, pack a medium cookie scoop and level the top so each portion is the same size. Using a medium scoop yields roughly 14 cookies from this recipe; smaller or larger scoops will change the yield and bake time.
Substitutions and Finishing Touches
You can substitute dark chocolate chips if you prefer not to chop a bar, though chopped chocolate gives a more varied texture and those satisfying pools of melted chocolate. Topping the warm cookies with a pinch of flaky sea salt enhances the chocolate and balances sweetness—highly recommended but optional.
Dish Cleanup: Not Too Bad
I rate cleanup on a scale from 1 to 5; this recipe lands at a 2. Chopping the chocolate adds a knife and cutting board, but otherwise the dishes are minimal—especially if you skip extra prep bowls. Lining baking sheets with parchment keeps the pans clean and speeds cleanup.
Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe
Thanks for stopping by! If you make these cookies, please leave a review below to let others know how they turned out.
Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) good quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup (95 g) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into rough chunks, about the size of large blueberries at most.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, then beat another 2 minutes until the mixture is even lighter. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture and mix just until mostly combined—about 1 minute. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks with a spatula until evenly distributed. Cover the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 72 hours. Chilling firms the butter and concentrates flavor.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop chilled dough with a medium cookie scoop, spacing cookies about 3 inches apart (six per half-sheet pan).
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes, until edges are light golden brown. Optional: gently tap the hot pan on the counter to create cracks and valleys, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Let cookies cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring.
Notes
*If you don’t have a scoop, roll dough into balls using about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Recommended Supplies
- Sharp chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping chocolate
- Medium cookie scoop
- Parchment-lined baking sheets
Nutrition
If you make these, I’d love to see your results—take a photo and tag @floralapronblog or use the hashtag #floralapronbakes.