Chocolate Chip Cookies Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Rich chocolate cookie dough, fudgy and dense but still tender. Cocoa powder swapped for Dutch-processed for deeper flavor. Cornstarch replaced with tapioca starch for chew. Slightly less sugar, swapped heavy cream for half-and-half to lighten. Chill crucial for controlling spread. Watch dough texture not too dry or greasy. Bake until edges firm, centers still puffed, sprinkle extra chips hot off tray for that melty hit. Moist, soft crumb inside, crackly crust outside. Learned timing by finger tests, not clock. Egg whites beaten separately for air, folded in gently. Vintage mixer hums, butter soft but not melted, sugar granular yet blended. The smell? Brown sugar caramel, legit warmth in kitchen. Cookies for dunking, not just snacking. Sodium bicarb and baking powder combo balances rise without bitter note. Real talk: avoid overmixing gluten forming toughness.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
10 min
Total:
Servings:
20 servings
#cookies
#baking
#chocolate chip
#Dutch cocoa
#tapioca starch
Got these cookies dialed in after many tries ’cause nothing’s worse than flat or rock-hard chocolate chip cookies. Switched standard cocoa for Dutch-processed to cut bitterness, adds richness. Tapioca starch instead of corn starch for more chew and resilience. Heavy cream swapped with half-and-half — less fat means less greasy mouthfeel but still tender crumb. I beat egg white separately, fold it in lightly — learned from souffle tricks — gives that airy softness you want. Chilling dough is non-negotiable here. Not just flavor, but dough handling gets easier and spread controlled. Baking by sight, not stopwatch — edges firm, middles still cloud-like but stable. Chocolate chips on top right when cookies come from oven? Gamechanger. Melty, fresh, tempting. You’ll smell sugar caramelizing, that’s your green light. Bounce between chewy and crunchy, all in one cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but cool
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large whole egg
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup half-and-half cream
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips, divided
About the ingredients
Dutch-processed cocoa powder swaps for standard cocoa for deeper, more balanced chocolate bitter notes. Tapioca starch works better than cornstarch here - avoids chalkiness, boosts chew. Half-and-half for cream adds moisture but trims heaviness. Butter must be softened but cool, or dough turns greasy and spreads unevenly in oven. Sugars: mix light brown sugar with granulated to maintain moisture while enhancing caramel flavor. Egg white beaten separately creates air pockets, softens crumb, keeps dough tender. Vanilla extract: pure, adds aroma and rounds flavors out. Chocolate chips: dark or bittersweet prefered, but semi-sweet works great too. If no half-and-half, use whole milk plus a little more butter for richness or regular cream but expect denser crumb. Storing dough overnight? Wrap very well to prevent drying out or odors.
Method
- Whisk dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, tapioca starch till even color, lumps gone. Set aside.
- Cream butter and both sugars using paddle attachment or by hand. Should turn pale, airy - about 2 1/2 minutes at medium speed or slightly longer mixing by hand. Scrape sides well.
- Add vanilla, whole egg; beat to incorporate fully. Fold in beaten egg white gently to keep air bubbles intact - this yields softer texture. Avoid overbeating now.
- Lower mixer speed. Add half the dry mix gradually. Add half half-and-half. Mix just till combined, no more.
- Repeat the dry mix and cream addition. Stop mixing as soon as dough holds together. Overworking scrambles butter and tightens gluten - tough cookies.
- Stir chocolate chips in by hand. No mixer for this step; aim is even distribution without crushing chips.
- Wrap dough airtight. Chill minimum 1 hour, up to 3 hours if possible. Chilling slows butter, reduces spread and intensifies flavors. Rest time vital.
- Preheat oven 350°F (175° C). Line sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Avoid greasing, cookies hold better that way.
- Portion dough with mid-sized scoop or heaping tablespoon. Roll between palms for smooth balls – helps even baking spread.
- Place 2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes. Watch edges. When firm but center still a bit soft, pull out. Cookies firm up off heat but keep moist interior.
- While hot, press a few chips on top for show and melty contrast. Let sit on sheet few minutes then transfer to rack for full cooling. Avoid stacking warm cookies.
- Use visual cues not just timer. Smell deep chocolate and sugar caramelizing. Texture touches warm dough corners for perfect finish.
Cooking tips
Whisking dry ingredients breaks up lumps and ensures even rising. Creaming butter-sugar aerates mixture, setting stage for tender crumb. Scrape bowl edges often during mixing to avoid uneven texture or pockets of unmixed ingredients. Egg white folded in last saves the mix from deflating, something many overlook; this step ensures airiness. Gradual addition of dry ingredients prevents flour clouds and tough spots. Dough texture should be sticky but firm — too dry means crumbly, too wet means flat cookies. Chilling dough is the secret weapon here — temperature controls butter consistency influencing cookie spread rate. Rolling dough balls against hand palms smooths surface allowing more even bake and attractive finish. Visual cues better than timer: Look for edges set, centers slightly puffed, smell of caramelizing sugar, slight crackle top. Adding chips on hot cookies melts them; no melted chip crunch game. Cooling on racks prevents sogginess on bottoms. Avoid stacking warm cookies or they stick and break.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry ingredients whisked well. No lumps. Cocoa, baking soda, powder, tapioca starch mixed for even rising and chew. Sets base. Scrape sides as you go. Use paddle attachment or hand, not wire whisk for butter-sugar mix. Pale and airy signals right texture before eggs. Avoid melted butter or greasy dough — soft but cool butter key. Egg white beaten separately folds in air. Save softness, prevent dense crumb. Add dry mix gradually. Stops flour clouds and spots of toughness. Dough sticky but must hold shape. Chill well. Slows butter, controls spread, flavors deepen. At least 1 hour, up to 3. Rolling balls smooths edges, prevents cracked tops and uneven bake. Dough temperature affects spread more than oven heat.
- 💡 Cream butter and sugars till pale and fluffy. Grainy sugar needs full break down but not melted. Scrape bowl edges often for even mix. Folding beaten egg white last keeps dough airy — skip this, texture changes. Mix dry and wet slowly — no rush. Overmixing scrambles fat, builds gluten, tough cookies. Handle dough gently after mixing, chill helps. Portion dough mid-sized scoop or heaping tablespoon. Roll between palms. Surface smooth, no cracks. Gives even edges on bake. Bake at 350°F (175°C). Watch closely but not clock. Edges firm but center still soft and puffed. Pull out then. Cookies firm up off heat. Must smell caramelizing sugar and see crackly surface for done. Press chips on warm cookies. Melts slightly, better bite. Cool on racks, avoid stacking warm cookies — soggy bottoms or breakage.
- 💡 Dutch-processed cocoa chosen for less bitterness, deeper chocolate notes. Tapioca starch replaces cornstarch — avoids chalkiness, adds chew and pliability in crumb. Half-and-half reduces fat load but keeps moisture. Butter must be softened but cool — no melted or greasy mix. Sugars: light brown for moistness and caramel aroma, granulated for structure. Vanilla pure extract, nothing artificial. Dark chocolate chips best but semi-sweet works. No half-and-half? Use milk with extra butter or cream but crumb denser. Dough fridge-wrapped tight prevents drying, traps flavors, stops fridge odors. Rest times matter — flavor starts building even after chilling 1 hour. Dough texture guides your baking more than timer. Experiment once.
- 💡 Watch dough texture closely while mixing. Sticky but firm. Too wet means flat cookies, too dry crumbs and breaks. Mix barely till combined on second dry-cream addition. Overmixing scrambles butter, tightens gluten. Rolling dough balls warm hands can make surface sticky, balls flatten. Chill if needed again before bake. Baking sheet liners better than greasing. Cookies hold shape better, bottoms crisp without extra fat. Oven temps vary — set rack middle, avoid hot spots. Smell is big signal — sugar caramelizing, brown butter aroma means edges crisp up. Texture touch on warm dough corners for finish line. Avoid stacked warm cookies — steam trapped makes bottoms soggy, cookies stick or break.
- 💡 Egg white folded in last saves air bubbles. Sets softer crumb. Miss this step, cookie loses lift. Chilling key for controlling spread not flavor alone. Longer chilled, firmer dough, more chew. Dough often too sticky or too dry after chilling? Adjust flour or starch next time, small tweaks. Butter temp crucial. Soft but not melted. Mix speeds — medium or hand mixing slower but better control. Chips added by hand, no mixer here to avoid crushing. Baking cookies, look, smell, feel — edges firm, centers puffed, sugar caramel smell. Press chips hot off tray — melts just enough for gooey contrast. Cooling rack prevents soggy base and cracking.
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