Description
Rich, chewy chocolate cookies with a glossy chocolate ganache nestled in the centers — these are the kind of cookies that vanish from the platter first. They’re easy to make, fun to fill, and perfect for holiday trays or dessert tins.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour — spooned into the cup and leveled (see note).
- 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
For the ganache
- 1 cup (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- Optional: nonpareils or other sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Prep the pans. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats and set them aside.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder until they’re evenly combined. Put this bowl to the side.
Cream butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until the mixture lightens and feels soft.
Add yolks and vanilla. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until the batter looks pale and slightly fluffy.
Add the dry mix. Stir the flour-cocoa mixture into the butter mixture until the dough comes together — stop as soon as it’s combined.
Portion the dough. Use a scoop or a tablespoon to divide the dough into roughly 34 portions (each portion ≈ 1 tablespoon). Roll each portion into a smooth ball and place them onto the prepared baking sheets.
Make the indent. Use a 1/4 teaspoon (yes — a tiny spoon gives the nicest well) to press a shallow depression into the center of each dough ball.
Chill the shaped dough. Cover and refrigerate the trays for at least 1 hour. (You can chill all the balls on one sheet, then move them to separate sheets before baking if needed.)
Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Space the chilled dough about 1½ inches apart and bake for 9–11 minutes — I aim for 10. When they come out, if the wells softened, press them again gently with the 1/4 tsp. For perfectly round cookies, run a circular cutter around each warm cookie to coax it back into shape. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Make the ganache
-
Place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
-
Warm the cream until it just begins to steam (microwave or stovetop).
-
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit 1 minute.
-
Stir until smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool briefly so it thickens slightly but remains pourable.
Fill the cookies. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of ganache into each cookie well (use more if the indentation holds it). Sprinkle with nonpareils, if using.
Set. Chill the filled cookies 10–15 minutes in the fridge so the ganache firms up.
Store. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Measure flour properly. Don’t scoop flour with the measuring cup — that packs it and gives you heavy, dry cookies. Instead, spoon the flour into the cup and level or, even better, weigh it. 1 cup ≈ 125 g.
- Use a 1/4 tsp for the indent. It makes a neat, uniform well and looks way cleaner than a thumbprint.
- Chill the dough. Cold dough holds its shape and gives cleaner cookies.
- If your kitchen runs warm, pop the shaped balls back in the fridge before pressing wells or baking.
- Don’t overbake. Pull the cookies when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft — they firm up as they cool.