Jump to recipe ↓ · Print recipe
Double chocolate chip cookies are chocolate cookies made with cocoa powder in the dough and chocolate chips folded in, so they taste like a brownie in cookie form. This recipe makes about 30 soft, chewy cookies with crisp edges: cream butter and sugars, add eggs and vanilla, mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, fold in chips, chill 30 minutes and bake at 350°F for 10 to 11 minutes.
The cocoa is what makes them “double,” and it also changes how the dough behaves. Here is the recipe, how to keep the cookies thick and chewy, and how to tell when a dark cookie is done.
Ingredients (about 30 cookies)
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (55 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- Flaky salt, optional
How do you make double chocolate chip cookies?
- Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Sift the cocoa if it is lumpy.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. Sprinkle with flaky salt, cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack.
Dark dough hides browning, so do not wait for color. Pull the cookies when the edges look dry and the tops have just lost their shine; they keep cooking on the hot sheet.
Why did my cookies spread flat or turn cakey?
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Spread flat | Butter too soft or dough not chilled | Chill 30 minutes; use butter that is soft but still cool |
| Cakey and puffy | Too much flour (scooped, not spooned) | Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level |
| Dry and crumbly | Overbaked | Take them out while centers look underdone |
| Bitter edge | Burnt bottoms on a dark pan | Use a light-colored sheet and parchment |
| Flat chocolate flavor | Weak cocoa or no salt | Use a full-flavored cocoa and keep the salt |
Natural or Dutch-process cocoa?
This recipe uses baking soda as its only leavener, and baking soda needs acid to work. Natural (non-alkalized) cocoa supplies that acid, so it is the right choice here and gives a taller, chewier cookie. If you only have Dutch-process cocoa, swap the baking soda for 2 teaspoons of baking powder, since Dutch cocoa has no acid left to react with the soda. Our cocoa powder baking guide explains the rule in detail.
How can you change them?
- Mint: add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract and use mint chips.
- Peanut butter: swap half the chips for peanut butter chips.
- White chocolate: use white chips for contrast.
- Holiday: roll in crushed candy canes, or see our chocolate crinkle cookies and the full chocolate Christmas cookies list.
- Spooky: the dough also works for our Halloween cookies.
Grevista is a natural, non-alkalized cocoa from Vietnamese Trinitario cacao, so it works with the baking soda in this recipe as written. See sizes on the Grevista cocoa powder page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes. Freeze scooped balls on a sheet, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
How long do double chocolate cookies stay fresh?
About 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft.
Can I make them without chocolate chips?
Yes, but they become plain chocolate cookies. Chopped chocolate bars or nuts are good substitutes.
Why chill the dough?
Chilling firms the butter so the cookies spread less, and it lets the flour hydrate for a chewier texture.
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated November 1, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.