Small Batch Chocolate Cookies is a recipe I adapted from LA Times Culinary SOS, a section that devotes itself to helping readers track down recipes from restaurants. In this case, a reader named Meaghan wrote SOS asking them to obtain the recipe for chocolate cookies made by Milk (not Milk Bar, but Milk). SOS told her to get her napkin ready because they’d obtained the recipe from Bret Thompson at Milk.
The full recipe is here, and after making a small batch for myself, I plan to make a full batch to serve at a teacher appreciation meeting. The cookies are excellent!
What Make's Milk's Cookies Better
I make a lot of chocolate cookies. My favorite recipe is probably Maida’s Whoppers, which are are rather heavy, dense and fudgy. What’s different about this recipe is that the cookies are extremely chocolaty, but lighter and almost truffle-like.…..at least if you beat the egg quite a bit, which is what I did. The original recipe says to mix just until blended and I plan to try that next, but the fluffed up egg version was slightly cakier (though not dry) and light. You can make it whichever way you want.
Here’s the small batch version. Also, chilling the batter makes it easy to shape. However, if you just let the batter stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes and then do your best to make six little piles of batter (it will still be loose), the cookies will bake up glossy and shiny.
Small Batch Chocolate Cookies
1 ⅓ ounces unsweetened chocolate (37 grams), chopped
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon unsalted butter (20 grams)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons flour (21 grams)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder (4 grams)
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
⅓ pound bittersweet chocolate (150 grams)
In a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Meanwhile, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Combine the egg, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and mix with a fork. For puffier cookies, beat egg mixture with an electric mixer on high for 1 ½ minutes (until fluffy).
Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate. Chill batter for one hour.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 6 portions and shape the portions into balls. They should be about 1 ¼ inches each. Place the balls on cookie sheet and space about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes (I baked mine about 13) and rotate the pan halfway. Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 6
Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (37 grams)
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon unsalted butter (20 grams)
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons flour (21 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder (4 grams)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
- ⅓ pound bittersweet chocolate (150 grams)
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a small microwave-safe bowl Just heat on high for 30 second and stir or use a lower power setting (like 50%) and microwave at 30 second intervals. Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the egg, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and mix with a fork. For puffier cookies, beat egg mixture with an electric mixer on high for 1 ½ minutes (until fluffy).
- Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate. Let the batter stand for about 20 minutes or until it is thick enough to scoop OR chill it for an hour.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 portions and shape the portions into balls. They should be about 1 ¼ inches each. Place the balls on cookie sheet and space about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes (I baked mine about 13) and rotate the pan halfway.
- Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Note: You can stick a few chocolate wafers on the outside of the cookies while they are still hot and let them solidify as the cookies cool.
Jane says
I can't believe I've been sitting on this recipe for three weeks! I finally made them this weekend. I used Ghirardelli chocolate, and followed the recipe exactly except I used 4 oz white chocolate chunks (which was PLENTY!) instead of 1 pound of bittersweet chunks. The dough was a sticky mess but so worth the mess and the trouble! These are the most fantastic chocolate cookies ever.
Louise says
Today on Anna's recommendation, I made a double batch of the full recipe to take to my dance class. I used up two pounds Scharffen Berger bittersweet chunks and a half pound unsweetened chocolate that I had left over from Christmas baking. These were really a hit with both the women and men. I didn't beat the eggs like Anna did, but just combined them as called for in the original recipe. The insides look very similar to Anna's photos. These are a keeper for when you need a chocolate fix.
johnna knows good food says
These look like they just melt in your mouth!
Jenn's Baking Chamber says
Those look great, I love fluffy, chewy, and especially chocolatey cookies. I have a great recipe for sour cream chocolate cookies that look very similar and have an almost brownie like texture. thanks for the recipe, ill have to try them.
thebrunettebaker says
Thanks for helping me to get over to the LA Times site...I not only got this recipe (making it this week for the chocolate fix I need every month 🙂 but also found a bunch more. Can't wait to try them all!
bakingblonde says
OOOH those look and sound great! I too love the Chocolate Shock Cookies! They are my fave chocolate cookie right now but i love the look of the texture of these too!
You find the greatest recipes!!
Sue says
Those look excellent! Thanks for trying them and sharing your results!
Karen says
I'm so glad you tried those, I was hoping you would! I will probably make them over the weekend since you liked them so well.
Luisa over at wednesday chef blogged about them today as well.
Lisa Ernst says
These look really, really good! My kind of cookie. Must bookmark this one.
snooky doodle says
I'm drooling here! these look so chocolatey 🙂
Therese B. says
Got Milk? Cookies?....that would make a great advertising campaign in Wisconsin.
Katrina says
Those DO look good. My husband would probably like those, too, since he LOVED the pecan chewies so much.
dawn says
Oh those do look good. I would like to try these and add some of those Peanut butter Whoppers in here.
VeggieGirl says
Mmm!!