When the going gets tough, the tough turn to chocolate, isn’t that right? I’ve been working on this recipe for some weeks now, and just had to make it several times to be sure. No, really, I had to. Testing combinations of shortening and butter, different types of chips took several batches. Plus, I wanted to make a recipe that didn’t make a lot of cookies. With just two of us at home, and no one to give them to, I don’t need dozens sitting around, although I did find that these freeze well.
So the fifth recipe turned out to be the winner with just the right proportions. The recipe makes 18 cookies, a good number for just us two. If you want more, just double the recipe.
So, gather all the ingredients. One thing that is critical, you need Dutch process cocoa for that dark chocolate taste. I use Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa this time, but Ghiradelli makes a superb Dutch Process Cocoa. The difference between Dutch process and regular is in the way it is processed. The Dutch way uses an alkaline process that neutralizes the natural acidity of cocoa, making it easier to mix in recipes and resulting in a darker chocolate flavor.
Sift flour, soda, salt and cocoa in a bowl and set aside. Don’t skip the sifting step as it will ensure all the lumps are broken up before mixing. This will reduce gluten formation and keep the cookies nice and tender.
I didn’t do this on the first batch and it was difficult to get the lumps out of the batter. The second and third batches were much better.
Cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, and beat on medium speed until mixed well. Add 1/2 the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
Add the rest of the flour and stir by hand until incorporated.
Add the chips folding until well distributed. Now, while we are on the subject of the chips, I recently found these Artisan Chips from Nestle. Oh, my, these are fabulous!! There are the Extra Semi-Sweet 48% Cacao, and then the Extra Dark 61 % Cacao. Both are dark, rich chocolate that bake beautifully.
Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop 12 cookies onto an insulated baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the edges and puffed.
Remove from oven and allow to cool five minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack to finish cooling. Looks like a mouse got part of one.
The cookies are both delicately crisp on the outside and moist chewy inside, with dark chocolate flavor.
Want to punch it up to a gourmet level? Sprinkle the cookies with just a bit of sea salt. Yum!!!
Double Chocolate Delight Cookies
1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark cocoa
5 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
Sift flour, soda, salt and cocoa in a bowl and set aside. Don’t skip this step as it will ensue all the lumps are broken up before mixing. Cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, and beat on medium speed until mixed well. Add 1/2 the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Don’t over-mix. Add the rest of the flour and stir by hand until incorporated. Add the chips folding until well distributed.
Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop 12 cookies onto an insulated baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned and puffed. Remove from oven and allow to cool five minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack to finish cooling. Allow the baking sheet to cool a bit before scooping the next batch of cookies onto it.
Yield about 18 cookies.
Download the pdf for your recipe file – Double Chocolate Delight Cookies
Cookies always look great on a Christmas plate don’t they? It is still Christmas in July on our Pattern Parade and Blog Hop post.
As a side note, I made a good effort with this recipe to reduce gluten formation in the recipe instructions. It seems like it would adapt nicely to gluten-free flour. If you are a gluten-free baker, let me know if you try this with gluten free flour and how it comes out.
Enjoy!! Are you baking something good this week?
From My Carolina Home 
YUM!!
18 cookies is a perfect batch size as chocolate chip cookies are always best freshly baked. Although around here there are never any leftovers!
I think I could tweak the sugars down another 1/4 cup on each. This is a great recipe, we don’t eat sugar except on special occasions. This is great for us! Thank You so much!
Looks yummy. I made a lemon cake on Friday that was just ok. My mom makes it and everyone loves it. Mine was just nothing special. I need to let my mom own that one and try something else.
Yes!!! I adore the small recipe. 18 cookies are enough for us, and the neighbors.
I am going to try this recipe, I do need to find the chocolate.
I made a somewhat lower fat cheese cake (an old recipe that I have actually made 4 times now during this pandemic) last Friday. It freezes well, and the girls appreciate a few squares to savor and not share heehee
Have you had enough rain???? July was dry as a desert and this month is just buckets of rain every day, and so humid. goodie
Those cookies look so good. I need to try them. Thanks for the recipe.
These look delicious! I have used a Martha Stewart choc ginger cookie recipe for years and yes, the Dutch process cocoa is brilliant and I add hand chopped 70% dark chocolate in place of chips. The ginger is wonderful with the chocolate. I will try your recipe though as it looks great! Thankyou for posting this. I also agree, the dough freezes very well!
I have barely baked in recent months because we eat it all right away – the way to go is like you did keep trying smaller batches – putting them in the freezer doesn’t really work all that great because a mouse keeps sneaking in there and taking some out! The recipe looks good. More recipes need to be made keeping in mind that a lot of us are a family of one or two.
I’m the chocolate lover, my husband not so much, but maybe that means I’d have the whole batch all to myself? I’ve never heard of an insulated cookie sheet. What is the advantage over using parchment paper on a regular baking sheet? My only baking endeavor in months was a loaf of banana zucchini bread that was much too dense, even though I squeezed the zucchini well. Most days it’s too hot in the kitchen to turn on the oven.
Oh yum, Carole! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I love that you figured it out for a small batch.
Those look pretty tasty, Carole! I will try them for my next cookie bake, with semi-sweet chips. After years of milk chocolate chips only, I’ve finally converted DH to semi-sweet!
looks delish I only use the real dark chocolate too I haven’t seen this artisian one here but we are pretty rural. sharing your recipe
Those cookies look rich and delicious! They would barely last beyond the cooling stage around here! My daughter brought us a half bushel of fresh Georgia peaches 🍑 this past week. So far we’ve had fresh sliced peaches with a sprinkle of sugar, a peach crisp, and yesterday I made a small batch of peach preserves for our morning biscuit or English muffin. I think homemade peach ice cream is next on the menu. Happy cooking!
Oh yum. They look tasty! Double chocolate – what’s not to love!?
Thank you for the pdf. Not much cooking going on around her but this being on the short side,only 18 cookies, I just might try it. They do look good enough to eat.
They look so wonderful. My husband was told he should have dark choc INSTEAD of milk choc – but he heard he MUST have dark choc everyday! These will be the perfect treat. We are having the Sunday Special “Thai Shrimp Soup” made with coconut milk. Minimal cook time and natural sweet. Finishing up quilts for the Fall Auction for Dog Rescue, a couple more for the Children’s hospital, and even found a couple placemats I made and never used! Staying cool.
Thank you so much. 18 cookies is a great number and this looks so good. So happy tomorrow is grocery day.
Thanks for sharing your recipe and the experiments it took to tweak the recipe. I had often wondered whether the great chewy texture found in some bakery double chocolate cookies was the fat component. I guess that is why all of my moms/grandmas recipes that used crisco (yuck!) had such a different texture. I am thinking by shortening you mean crisco or something similar. I will try with butter only and expect that the cookies will be less chewy, but still yumm-erific. Thanks again.
These look delish!
Go to ‘dessert for two.com’ . She has lots of recipes for 6-12 cookies and 6” cakes and pies. I purchased one of her books but there are many recipes on her website. I love the coffee cake muffins with the cranberries. Yum!
Always nice to have cookies in the tin to enjoy with a cuppa.
I always use at least 85% dark chocolate for baking which I chop up because I don’t like cookies too sweet. Would like to be able to find some like your Artisan pieces. I only use butter in my cookie making so would like to know what shortening is please? Also could you please tell me about your insulated baking sheet?
I’m sorry, all these questions.
Your small batch cookies sound lovely – just enough :))
Carole, the cookies look delicious. I must try your recipe because I am a chocoholic!
Yep, when the going gets tough, the tough get chocolate! For sure. My condolences for having to test so many batches. LOL Chocolate is my very favorite cake, cookie, candy…..except pie, then I like…..well, never mind. These look delicious and a recipe I will make. How about white chocolate chips in those chocolate cookies? I like the salt addition also. Thanks, Carole! m
Chocolate is one of my weaknesses. I will have to try your recipe, Carole. Thank you for sharing.