An ooey-gooey chocolate cookie is just about the best thing when you are craving something sweet! These ones, in particular, are similar to brownies. They are rich, dense, super chocolatey, and extra delicious with the addition of aromatic Indian caraway seeds and Maldon salt flakes!
Baking up the perfect brownie-like chocolate cookie was undoubtedly a challenge. We experimented with baking powder vs. baking soda, one to three eggs and egg yolks, variations of cocoa powder and baker’s chocolate, and various time durations for refrigerating the dough.
After all was said and done, we found the sweet spot for the perfect chocolate cookie. Although cookies themselves may originate in the Americas, we adapt these classic chocolate cookies with caraway seeds and Maldon salt flakes, giving these babies an Indian flair.
This combination of flavors is ridiculously addicting, and I’ve been gobbling these things up all week throughout the day. Bake ’em today and figure out what all the fuss is about.
Need-to-Know
Essential Ingredients for Chocolate Cookies
- Eggs
- Melted Butter
- Sugar (we swap the cane sugar for coconut sugar!)
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baker’s Chocolate
- Salt
Not all Vanilla Extracts are Created Equal
We recommend buying a high-quality vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla extract is derived from wood pulp products, ugh. This characteristic gives the extract a harsh and bitter flavor. Alternatively, the higher quality brands are soft and palatable, though perhaps a bit pricier.
The vanilla extract should be “pure” or “100% vanilla” harvested from vanilla bean pods. Check the labels and the ingredients to ensure you are getting the real deal. I advocate for extracts from Madagascar as I find the flavor is pronounced and round, but there are many equally reputable options from Mexico and Tahiti.
Form the Dough into Small Balls
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough and place the balls of dough evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Ensure the dough balls are 4 inches (10 cm) apart from one another and 2 inches (5 cm) away from the edges of the baking sheet so the cookies can spread evenly.
If you do not have a cookie scoop, form the dough balls with your hands. This recipe should yield approximately 12-14 cookies.
Cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, before baking.
Cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, after baking.
The Reason for Refrigerating the Dough
The consistency of the dough is gooey and sticky once it is mixed. Accordingly, refrigerate the dough to make it manageable, malleable, and easy to form into dough balls.
Pouring sifted dry ingredients into wet ingredients to make cookie dough.
Pouring melted bakers chocolate into wet, and dry ingredients to make cookie dough.
Cookie dough and bakers chocolate, before mixing.
Cookie dough and bakers chocolate, after mixing.
Quickly Bake and Cool For 20 Minutes
The key to making these cookies soft, chewy, and utterly chocolatey is the baking and cooling processes. Quickly bake the cookies for exactly 10 minutes. Then, allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. These steps will allow the soft, chewy cookies to become solid and prevent them from crumbling.
How to Speed Up the Cooling Process
We understand that waiting 20 minutes for a cookie to cool without scarfing it down takes some serious willpower. Instead, you may pop the cookies into the refrigerator for a few minutes after they have cooled for 5 minutes to ensure they solidify.
How to Garnish the Cookies
Once the dough balls are placed onto the baking sheet, use your fingers and press down the top of each cookie to flatten it slightly. This step will allow the caraway seeds to stick more effectively to the top of each cookie.
After the cookies are done, remove them from the oven. While they are still hot, sprinkle the Maldon salt flakes onto each cookie. This method will allow the salt to stick more effectively to the cookie without sliding off.
Storage
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume them for up to 2 months.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 egg medium egg
- 1 egg yolk medium egg
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 5 oz. semi-sweet baker's chocolate
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- Maldon salt flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Combine Wet Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stovetop at low heat or in the microwave.
- Add melted butter, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk together using a whisk or an electric mixer.
- Add coconut sugar to the wet ingredients. Mix ingredients well.
2. Sift Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, use a fine-mesh sieve to sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds. Mix dry ingredients well.
3. Melt the Chocolate
- Place a saucepan on the stovetop at low heat.
- Add the semi-sweet baker’s chocolate and allow it to melt.
4. Combine Wet and Dry ingredients
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients.
- Stir together ingredients using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer.
- Stir in melted chocolate using a wooden spoon.
5. Refrigerate the Dough for 2 Hours
- Cover the mixing bowl of dough with a lid or plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
6. Form the Cookies on the Baking Sheet
- Brush butter or oil onto a baking sheet.
- Use a small cookie scoop to measure the amount of dough for each cookie. Then, form each scoop into a round ball, and place it onto a baking sheet allowing 4 inches (10 cm) of space between the cookies and 2 inches (5 cm) of space from the edges of the pan so that the cookies can spread evenly. The amount of dough should yield approximately 12-14 cookies.
- Use your fingers to flatten each cookie slightly.
- Sprinkle remaining caraway seeds onto each cookie.
7. Bake the Cookies
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. Sprinkle Maldon salt flakes onto each cookie.
- Place the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 20 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
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