The ULTIMATE Triple Chocolate Cookies

The ULTIMATE triple chocolate cookies. Deep rich and chewy chocolate cookies cram-packed full of oodles of white, milk, and dark chocolate chunks. Pure, unadulterated, indulgent chocolate heaven.

The cookie obsession continues

I love a good cookie! Whether stuffed or chunky, I really am not sure a lot in life can quite beat a decent cookie. However, given my love of all things chocolate (check out the links to my incredible fudge cake or my to-die-for chocolate doughnuts if you doubt me!), I was amazed to discover I had not shared a chocolate cookie recipe with you.

So, today I am correcting this gross oversight of mine. If you want a whole-hearted, take-your-breath-away, leave-you-entirely-speechless intensely chocolatey cookie recipe, you have just found it! My ultimate triple chocolate cookies!

In fact, I might even suggest these are a QUADRUPLE chocolate cookie recipe. These cookies contain cocoa powder in the cookie itself, and then they are stuffed to the brim with white, milk, and dark chocolate chunks. That is definitely four by my count, right??

What is the difference between cookies and biscuits?

Cookies are generally made from a dough that is much softer than biscuit dough. It means you cannot roll or stamp it out in the same way you can with biscuits. When baked, cookies tend to be softer and chunkier than biscuits, often with a bit of chewiness too. The result is that you can almost “bend” your cookies. Biscuits on the other hand will bake much firmer and will have a more fragile texture to them meaning they can snap or be broken and do not bend. Biscuits tend to be used more often when a filling is required, or if decorating with icing art. However, cookies can be “stuffed” resulting in the filling being baked within the cookie itself.

Having said all this, I am well aware the word “biscuits” are used in parts of the world to also mean a tender baked dough not dissimilar to what we in the UK call “scones”. They are both made in a very similar way, but served differently.

Ah the joys of the English language!

What ingredients do I need to make these triple chocolate cookies?

• Unsalted butter: I like to use unsalted butter so I can control how much salt is in the bake. For best results, use butter at room temperature.
• Brown sugar: for sweetness, but also chewiness, in the cookies.
• Caster sugar: for sweetness, and a little crisp, in the cookies.
• Vanilla: for delicious flavour!
• Flour: I use plain (all purpose) flour in my cookies. Other flours will result in different textures, so it is really important to stick with plain flour.
• Cocoa powder: because chocolate cookies!
• Cornflour/cornstarch: gives the cookies that beautiful softness in texture we all love!
• Baking powder/bicarbonate of soda: the leavening agents in this bake, to give the cookies enough lightness so they bake into chewy delights!
• Salt: enhances the flavours in the bake. You will not taste it, I promise!
• Chocolate: this recipe uses dark, milk and white chocolate: I have not called it the ULTIMATE chocolate cookie for nothing! I have switched to using chopped chocolate rather than chocolate chips to give a more melty chocolate experience, but you can easily use chocolate chips instead if you prefer.
• Egg: helps with the binding and structure of the cookies.

What equipment do I need to make cookies?

• Baking tray*: to chill and then bake the cookies on. I would recommend at least couple of baking trays so you can have one for chilling the cookie dough and one for baking.
• Digital kitchen scales*: I always recommend using digital kitchen scales to weigh ingredients out over using a volume based measuring system, as cups. Weighing out the ingredients is much more accurate than measuring by volume, and will ensure better results in the cookies, so I would definitely take the plunge if you have not already. 
• Measuring spoons*: for measuring smaller quantities such as tablespoons (tbsp) and teaspoons (tsp), a set of dedicated measuring spoons is a must! These are far more accurate than everyday eating spoons, and are really easy to get hold of too.
• Mixing bowl*: to mix all the ingredients together to make the cookies
• Stand mixer*/Handheld electric mixer*: investing in a good electric mixer, whether stand mixer or hand held electric mixer, is a brilliant help with all your baking, and will make baking these cookies a total breeze!
• Sieve*: to remove lumps from your dry ingredients, ensuring everything gets mixed together evenly.
• Spatula*: to help with mixing ingredients and scraping your mixing bowl down.
• Cooling rack*: place the baking tray on when it comes out of the oven, allowing the cookies to continue baking and firm up before you dig in!

How to make my homemade triple chocolate cookies

Cookies are one of my favourite bakes, mainly because they actually come together so quickly and easily! The hardest part is the waiting: for them to chill before baking, and then for them to set after baking. Once you get the hang of my method, cookie making will be effortless!

Step 1: Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth and slightly paler in colour. Add in the vanilla and mix through. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and salt into the mixing bowl. Beat it all together until the mixture is evenly combined and resembles coarse wet chocolatey sand. Add in all three different chocolates, reserving a few of each to stud the cookies later, then stir through. Finally, tip in the beaten egg and mix it all together until just combined and starting to form large clumps of cookie dough.

Step 3: Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts, or if you prefer to weigh it, each part should weigh around 100-105g. Gently squeeze each part of the mixture together into cookie balls, then place them on the prepared baking tray. Place the baking tray in the freezer for at least 30 minutes for the dough to firm up.

Step 4: About 10 minutes before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a couple of fresh baking trays. Place the cold cookie balls on the lined baking sheets, allowing enough room for them to spread (I get four cookies to a tray). Bake the cookies in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until the cookies have slightly puffed up, have little cracks on top all the way to the middle and are lightly crisp at the edges. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Gently push the reserved chocolate into the tops of the cookies before leaving to cool completely. Enjoy!

Cookies FAQ

There are several factors that can affect these cookies and how they turn out. Whilst I will try to answer as many questions as I can, I am bound to miss some, so please ask away in the comments below!

Why should I use cornflour (cornstarch) in my cookies?

Cornflour, or cornstarch, gives the cookies a soft and tender consistency that just flour alone does not achieve. It also helps keep the cookies thick when baked. You can swap it out for the same amount of flour if you wish, but you will love the result of it in the cookies so I would highly recommend using it!

How do I make chewy chocolate cookies?

I have found I prefer a mix of white and brown sugar in my cookies. The white sugar adds to the crispy outside of the cookies. However, it is the brown sugar that is key for a wonderfully chewy cookie. The reason for this is molasses in brown sugar. Molasses helps retain more moisture in the cookies, making them thicker, softer and deliciously chewier!

Can I use oil instead of butter in my cookies?

Oil and butter are unfortunately not interchangeable particularly in my cookie recipes. This is because oil has a lower melting temperature to butter. The result is they will spread more when baking, even after chilling, so you will not get the same final results.

What if my cookie dough is too soft?

If the cookie dough feels too soft, chill the dough for 10-15 minutes before separating into balls. Please keep in mind if you did not use block butter in making the cookies, they will remain soft and not firm up. I always use block butter, not oil or the kind that is spreadable from a tub, in my cookies. Using butter should result in the cookies really firming up in the fridge/freezer no problem, and holding their shape beautifully when baked.

How do I know if my cookies are done?

You know the triple chocolate cookies are done if the edges are slightly darker and the little cracks on top have found their way to the middle of the cookie. Remove them from the oven, but keep them on the baking tray! They will continue to bake in the residual heat from within the cookie and the baking tray. Leaving them on the tray to cool and firm up is exceptionally important for beautiful chewy cookies.

Why did my cookies come out flat?

In my recipes, I chill my cookie dough before I bake my cookies. This allows the butter in the dough to firm up, which helps the cookie hold its chunky shape when baked instead of spreading. A good guide is this: the warmer the cookie dough is when put in the oven, the thinner and flatter they will be once baked.

Why are my cookies cakey?

There are several reasons why the cookies might have turned out cakey. The most likely is that there was too much leavening agent or egg in the cookie mixture. Egg can act as a leavening agent and give cookies more rise than desired, making them cakey.

Why are my cookies crumbly?

Again, there are many reasons the cookies turned out crumbly, but two highly likely culprits. It could be that they were baked too long, and so have dried out. Or alternatively, it might be that too much flour was used when making the cookie dough, hence leading to drier cookies.

How long will these cookies keep? And how should I store them?

These cookies never last long when I make them! Having said that, they are at their best if devoured within 4-5 days from baking, and kept in an airtight container.

Can I freeze these triple chocolate cookies?

Yes! You can freeze them both unbaked and baked. Keep reading for how to freeze both unbaked and baked cookies.

For unbaked cookies, freeze the cookie dough in individual cookie balls for a couple of hours until really firm. Once frozen, transfer them into a lidded container suitable for the freezer. These dough balls will keep for two months in your freezer. 

For baked cookies, make sure they are fully cool, then wrap individually tightly in cling film and place in a lidded container before freezing.

How do I thaw my cookies?

If you froze the cookies as unbaked cookie dough, simply remove them from the freezer and place them on a lined baking tray. Remember to leave about 2 inches between each cookie for them to spread as they bake. Pop them in a preheated oven straight from frozen, and bake, adding a couple of minutes extra to the baking time.

If you baked the cookies before freezing, you can just defrost them fully at room temperature and enjoy! However, if you want to get the crunchy edges and soft middle, you might need to reheat them. Simply pop them on a cookie sheet (no need to spread out too much since you are just heating them up again) and reheat in the oven at 180C/350F for about 3-5 minutes, then leave on a cooling rack for a few minutes before enjoying.

Additional tips for making this triple chocolate chip cookies recipe

• Make sure you have prepared all tools and ingredients before you start mixing. Line the baking tray and get ingredients out ready to use. And remember to make space in the freezer too! It is easy to miss something once you start mixing!
• Take time to read through the recipe so you are familiar with what steps come next. Do not skip details, ingredients and instructions given as it could affect the results of your final bake.
• This quadruple chocolate cookie recipe can certainly be made by hand too, if you do not have an electric mixer. Just make sure the butter is nice and soft and cream it together with the sugars as best you can.
• I love using chopped chocolate in these cookies rather than chocolate chips. The chopped chocolate melts so easily and is silky and glossy, giving you glorious melty chocolate bits throughout the cookies.
• Adding your egg in the final step is the most important: do no beat it too much! You want to mix it in so it is combined but not beaten to add any additional air into the mixture nor to make the cookie tough.
• If you would rather have plain cookies rather than chocolate flavoured ones, just replace the cocoa powder with the same amount of plain (all purpose) flour. Simples!

Troubleshooting

If you have any other questions about this triple chocolate cookies recipe, please leave me a comment below, I will do my best to help you. And if you do make this recipe for chocolate chip cookies from scratch, please do leave me a rating and review below. I would so appreciate your feedback and it is incredibly helpful for others looking for a recipe too. Additionally, you could also post a picture on Instagram and tag me when you share it with the world. Please do, you know I would love to see it!

More chocolate recipes for you to enjoy

Please do check out these other unmissable chocolate recipes on my blog:

The ultimate chocolate fudge cake: Chocolate fudge cake is always ALWAYS a winner, right? Serve it simply as an understated slice of moist and decadent chocolate cake, with a beautiful fudgy chocolate icing. Or warmed up and gooey with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. My ultimate chocolate fudge cake is perfect for all times and all seasons.

Chocolate fudge doughnuts: My chocolate fudge doughnuts are a surely chocaholic’s dream come true! Moist, rich, soft and lighter than air, these chocolate cake doughnuts are topped with the most silky smooth incredible chocolate fudge glaze in the world. Pure chocolate heaven!

Chocolate orange loaf cake: This orange chocolate cake is moist, light and fluffy, with a deep chocolate flavour and is topped with a generous tangy marmalade glaze for extra orange joy. If you are a fan of chocolate orange, this is not one to miss!

Chocolate orange cookies: If you are a fan of Terry’s chocolate orange, then this chocolate orange cookies recipe is right up your street! Gooey and chewy, they are packed with deep chocolate and bright orange flavours. Absolutely irresistible!

Thanks for reading and joining me today my friends. As always, happy chocolate baking! x

Recommended equipment I used *

Baking tray	Digital kitchen scales
Measuring spoons	Mixing bowl
Stand mixer/Electric handheld mixer	Sieve
Spatula	Cooling rack