Chocolate Drop Cookies | Soft and Chewy with Big Chocolate Flavor

You want a chocolate drop cookie that’s full of chocolate, soft and gooey, and easy to make. Is that too much to ask? Absolutely not. In fact, that’s the beauty of a drop cookie — they’re simple. This recipe is guaranteed to deliver in every which way.

We’ll cover everything you need to know to make the all-time best chocolate cookies, step-by-step instructions, the secrets to making your drop cookies soft and fluffy, storage tips, and more!

Whether you’ve been baking for a lifetime or a novice in the kitchen, this is a cookie recipe you can easily conquer. I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember, starting at my mother’s side and ultimately selling thousands of cookies every Christmas as an at-home baker for years, and of all the cookies I’ve made, these chocolate drop cookies are by far my new favorite.

And guess what? They’re amongst the easiest as well. Bonus.

These cookies possess a deep chocolate flavor, similar to a brownie, and bake soft and tender, with melty chocolate chunks practically spilling out of every bite. If that sounds like a cookie-win to you, I can only imagine these will be your new favorite as well.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES

1. Whisk the dry ingredients.
2. Melt butter and chocolate.
3. Cream eggs and sugar.
4. Combine all of the ingredients.
5. Add chocolate chunks, chips, or both.
6. Bake the cookies.

1. START WITH THE DRY INGREDIENTS

It’s always wise to have your dry ingredients ready to go before you start working with your wet ingredients. The dry ingredients for chocolate drop cookies are all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. You’ll whisk it all together in a mixing bowl and set them aside to begin on your wet ingredients.

2. MELT THE BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE

These cookies are extra melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey thanks to the addition of both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. You can use either a chopped chocolate baking bar (found on the baking aisle in your grocery store) or dark chocolate chips.

The chocolate and butter are melted together in the microwave, taking a brief pause to be stirred at every 30-second increment. This whole process takes less than 2 minutes. Then, it’s on to the creaming.

3. CREAM THE EGGS AND SUGAR

Taking the time to cream the eggs and sugar is important for a high-rising, fluffy cookie. To do this, it’s best to start with room temperature eggs.

Beat the eggs and the sugar together for about 3 minutes on medium-high speed. You’ll know the eggs and sugar have been properly “creamed” by the color and volume. The butter will have lightened in color and the mixture almost doubled in volume.

WHY IS YOUR DROP COOKIE FLAT?

If you often end up with flat drop cookies, not creaming the eggs and sugar properly, or the butter and sugar in some recipes is very likely the culprit. As mentioned earlier, the process of creaming increases the volume. This happens because air is being incorporated into the mixture, therefore, giving your cookie height.

Overmixing the dough, using baking powder or baking soda improperly, or mismeasuring ingredients could also the problem.

4. BRING IT ALL TOGETHER

Once your eggs and sugar are ready to go, you’ll add the melted butter and chocolate to the bowl, followed by the dry ingredients. The dry ingredients should go in low and slow, meaning your mixer is on low. Real low.

HOW TO MAKE SOFT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

If you want a soft chocolate drop cookie, you’ll want to take care when adding the dry ingredients. Over-mixing the dough can cause a cookie to be tough. Mixing in your dry ingredients slowly will allow you to see the moment your dough comes together. Stop then and there.

Note, overbaking the cookies could also cause them to be tough.

5. BRING. ON. THE CHOCOLATE.

For the ultimate ooey-gooey chocolate drop cookie, I used a combination of both semi-sweet chocolate chunks and chocolate chips. You could use one or the other if you do not want to purchase both items.

Add the chocolate chunks and chips, mix briefly once more and then it’s time to scoop, roll, and bake.

6. LINE, SCOOP, BAKE.

Baking the cookies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat will ensure they do not stick. Which essentially means no broken cookies. Yes, please.

I use a cookie scoop to scoop and mold my cookie dough. They’re typically around $10 and well worth the investment if you bake even semi-often.

Before baking your cookies, it’s important to space them evenly apart on so that they do not meld and bake together. Bake at the indicated time and temperature, and — voila — perfect chocolate drop cookies, at your service.

STORING YOUR DROP COOKIES

Store your drop cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Your cookies will stay fresh tasting for 3-4 days. If you’d like to enjoy your cookies for any length of time beyond this, you should consider freezing them.

HOW TO FREEZE DROP COOKIES

Drop cookies freeze beautifully, and all you need to do to freeze them is allow them to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or a freezer-safe zip-top, gallon-sized bag.

If using a container, try to use one that houses the cookies snugly, but not such a tight fit that they are crammed to the point of breaking. If using a zip-top bag, be sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing.

This is a chocolate drop cookie that checks all the boxes: Soft, fluffy, full of chocolate, and easy to make. They’re perfect for baking at home with the kids, curing that sweet-tooth/chocoholic craving, or for storing up an arsenal of homemade and heartfelt gifts. Please, enjoy!

MORE CHOCOLATE DESSERT RECIPES

• It doesn’t get a whole lot more chocolatey or decadent than the Original Texas Sheet Cake. An easy cake that feeds a crowd, with a tender chocolate crumb, and a warm fudgy icing.
• Fudgy Brownies with Walnuts is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser and a win for both homemade Christmas gifts and potluck parties!
• Let’s not overlook the simplicity, nor the deliciousness, of a good ol’ fashioned Chocolate Brownie. An easy chocolate dessert everybody loves.
• Or click the link for Over 20 Chocolate Desserts to choose from.

5 from 8 votes

Print

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

A quick and easy recipe for soft and fluffy chocolate drop cookies.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Drop Cookies

Servings: 24

Calories: 243 kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate (or use dark chocolate chips instead)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° and have ready a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside until ready to use.

3. Add the butter and chopped chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30-second increments, stirring after each stint in the microwave until melted. Set aside.

4. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer. Mix on medium-high speed, until the mixture has lightened in color and almost doubled in volume. This should take least 3 minutes.  

5. Stream in the melted butter and chocolate and mix on low to combine.

6. Add the dry ingredients and with the mixer still on low, mix just until combined. Then add the chocolate chips and/or chunks and mix once more.

7. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough on to the cookie sheet, spacing them about 1 1/2-2" apart, and press down slightly to flatten. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can use either chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or both for this recipe. If using one or the other, use a total of 1 1/3 cup of desired ingredient.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 243 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 27mg9%

Sodium 152mg7%

Potassium 144mg4%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 180IU4%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 2.3mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.