Chewy Chunky Chocolate Cookies

Readers, I have a confession to make.  I love cookies… almost as much as I love chocolate.  But they have to be big, chewy American style cookies, otherwise I’m not interested.  They are also incredibly quick and easy to make, plus there’s loads of flavour combinations you can put together.

After watching something on tv involving these big wheely chewy wonders the other week, I jumped into the kitchen to make my own.  My recipe makes 18 cookies, but you could easily reduce the quantities to make a smaller batch.

This week, I have kept it simple with a chewy chunky chocolate recipe.  Oh and if you like this one, I also have a Smarties Cookies recipe to try!

Claire’s Chewy, Chunky, Chocolate Cookies

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients

220g unsalted butter (softened)

340g soft brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

315g plain flour

1 level teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

150g milk chocolate (chopped)

Method

1. Cream butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Use an electric mixer if you have one.

Butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl 

2. Beat eggs together in a separate bowl and gradually add to sugar and butter mix using electric mixer until fluffy.
3. Add baking powder and salt to the flour and sift into the eggs, sugar and butter. Fold together using a metal spoon. You should create a dough once flour is folded in. 

4. Meanwhile, chop up 100g of chocolate and mix into the dough.  Then form a ball with the dough.
5. Transfer dough ball to a clean bowl and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 40 minutes, ideally an hour, until dough has firmed up.

6. Remove dough from fridge and using your hands roll 18 small balls of dough.   Chop up another 50g of chocolate. Place onto baking sheets, spaced well apart (no more than 6 cookies per baking sheet). Push a few pieces of the extra chocolate onto the top of each tray.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden on top (not brown!)

9. Remove from oven, allow to cook on tray for a few moments to ensure cookies retain their shape. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Chunky Chocolate Cookies! 

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Claire's Tips

1. Make sure cookie balls are even in size before baking otherwise you will have seriously oddly sized cookies!

2. Make sure to chill the dough, otherwise cookies wont keep their shape (cue one tray sized cookie).

3. You are aiming for a chewy consistency, so cookies should be soft when removed from oven.