Baking Recipes,  Cookies

Cheering myself up with these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies

These Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies are loaded with three kinds of chocolate on a chocolate brownie-like cookie base. It’s four times the chocolatey fun!

Having creator’s block is not new to me. At this point, I already know more or less how to drag myself out of that dark hole. I can’t help but take note of how different it is this time though. I’ve started to understand that a big part of the exhaustion and lack of inspiration I keep feeling lately stems from a place that’s deeper than the physical. I’ve also started to accept that it’s probably normal and unsurprising to have days when I question if there is at all a point or meaning to the things that I am doing, considering all that’s happening around me.

It wasn’t in my nature to be a pessimist before, but the only conclusion I’ve arrived at after trying to come to terms with my reality is that this country has a way of beating a person down. What makes it frustrating is knowing I am too powerless to do anything but to keep taking the punches.

You’d think that after months and months of being in this quarantine situation, things would somehow look up. If anything though, things just seem to keep spiraling out of control, both in the aspects of mortality and morality. The line separating right and wrong keeps getting blurry over here, and it’s a terrifying thought. I don’t know if it’s proper to feel jealous of the people who have the ability to ignore all this, but sometimes I wish I just didn’t care. I wish I had the ability to turn a blind eye against all the toxic noise and ignore all the toxic people too.

I’m trying really hard to focus on working on my content instead of trying to keep up with all the noise. This space and everything connected to it is the only thing that makes sense to me at the moment. But I have to admit it has been a challenge. In my head I want to write, but I just end up sitting in front of the computer with my mind in another place. I’ve become too disillusioned to be ignorant at this point, but I don’t want to be controlled by the anxiety of things that are out of my hands either. What could I possibly gain from that aside from being inside a headspace where everything looks bleak and pointless?

The thing is, you ultimately can’t rely on anyone but yourself when it comes to the task of changing your mood and mindset. This kind of “rut” is something you have to force your way out of on your own. And so I sat myself in front of my computer and looked through my materials to tell myself that although one part of my world may look dark, the other part is filled with chocolates and sweets and yumminess. I even scrolled through my blog briefly to remind myself that I have the ability to reach out to that feeling of triumph and productivity brought only by creating something with my hands and a focused mind.

I went through my backlogs in an attempt to pick a recipe that I feel would cheer me up, and these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies were the perfect fit. I was honestly having trouble even picking what to share on the blog next, but when I recalled how good these were from that first time I made them, I had a feeling that these would legit make me feel better if I ate them at a moment of crisis like this. So I reckon these would also probably cheer up people going through their own personal struggles during this time. Good food may not heal everything, but it helps. Keeping busy by making this recipe will help keep the mind occupied too.

When I scrolled through the photos of these cookies, I started to feel that familiar enthusiasm attached to sharing and gushing over food I really enjoyed. I took out the notes I made about this recipe and saw the huge number of exclamation points at the end of every comment I wrote. It only served to encourage me that I was making the right choice with these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies, and things started to click I guess. I suddenly felt that I wanted to write about these cookies, and I wanted to do it right now. It’s a nice familiar feeling.

While I had a slightly difficult time expressing my exact feelings as I wrote this post, I’m happy with how it turned out. (After editing and rewriting for a long time lol. All part of the process though!) I got a load off my chest, but more than anything, I’m excited for you to try these cookies.

These Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies are loaded with three kinds of chocolate, plus they are chocolate-based themselves. That’s like endorphins in four forms, and I really need endorphins right now, as you all know. They are also delightfully chewy– reminiscent of a soft brownie actually. And despite having three kinds of chocolate, the sweetness is just the right amount, allowing the cookies to be dominantly chocolatey rather than sweet.

Simply put, it’s a good cookie recipe. And I can babble about it all day, but the only way you’ll know for sure is if you make it.

Recipe notes

Coming across this recipe for the first time on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog a while back, I immediately knew I had to make it. You see, my mom had been telling me to use the Marks & Spencer’s candy bars that someone had given them as gifts. Up until this point, I couldn’t find a recipe that I wanted to use them in. There isn’t essentially anything wrong with these chocolate bars, but milk chocolate is not exactly the first choice to snack with in our house. They remained untouched in the snacks drawer for a while, but I knew right away they would be a perfect fit for these cookies.

Although the recipe says to use chocolate chips/chunks, this recipe is actually a great way to use up the chocolate candy bars you might have lying around. Doesn’t matter if they have nuts or fruits or nougat in them, just chop them into chunks and throw them in. Make sure to leave some for topping as well. I know that sometimes we buy or receive stuff like this that we end up not wanting to eat for one reason or another. Just put them into these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies and you’ll gobble them up in no time. Problem solved!

So these cookies are really uncomplicated. You start with two bowls– one for the dry and one for the wet ingredients. Because this cookie is chocolate based, we’re using some cocoa powder mixed in with the flour and baking soda. Make sure to whisk together thoroughly so that the dry ingredients are well distributed once you add them into the wet.

In the other bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and smooth and creamy. And then just add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to incorporate the first egg well before adding the second. You want to make sure you mix in the eggs very very well.

Throw in the vanilla and mix to fully combine. Up until this point, you are allowed to mix vigorously and as much as you want to make sure all your wet ingredients are well incorporated. Once the dry ingredients go in, you want to avoid over-mixing as much as possible. 

We add in the dry mixture we’ve prepared, gradually, folding it into the wet mixture JUST until combined. That means you should stop mixing once almost all the flour is incorporated. You’ll probably still see some pockets or streaks of flour in your dough, and that’s okay, because we’ll mix the dough again after adding in the three kinds of chocolates.

In the photo above, I used the M&S Milk Chocolate bar with some Trader Joe’s semisweet baking chips. I tried it out of curiosity after seeing it at Trader Joe’s when I was in the States last year. It’s not very good lol. The only thing I really like about it is the fact that it comes in cute chunk shapes. In any case, it works in these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies, because these cookies are really solid on their own. I feel like anything you throw in there will probably work.

For the white chocolate component, I used Auro Chocolate 32% White Chocolate. No qualms there because I am a big fan of this brand and their chocolate is pretty legit. Their white chocolate is very creamy, and while sweet, it has a bit of a roasty milky nuance to it. (Does that even make sense?)

Because these cookies are loaded, I decided to use my smallest scooper to portion them. It’s equivalent to about 1 tablespoon. I managed to come up with 43 cookies in a size that’s a little bigger than Oreos. Make sure to scoop them in equal sizes so they bake evenly, then space them at least 2 inches apart to give them room to spread. They won’t spread to a flat disc so don’t worry about not refrigerating. (That’s also one thing I love about these. No refrigeration needed!)

I chopped up some extra chocolate pieces to top my dough mounds with to make them look prettier. You can do this step before you pop the cookies into the oven, or you can press on the chocolate right after you take out the baked cookies from the oven. You will have to work quickly though, while the cookies are soft. I don’t mind having my white chocolate topping slightly browned so I press them on before baking. I skipped the sea salt this time though.

Bake these Triple Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies for 10 to 12 minutes in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven. They come out so nicely for me at 10 minutes. I love how they have this nice crust that really reminds me of a brownie crust, but the inside is nice and chewy and just a comforting sort of chocolatey. The flavor gets highlighted by the three kinds of chocolate chunks added in, so feel free to play around.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies are loaded with three kinds of chocolate in a chocolate cookie base. It's four times the chocolatey fun!

Makes 43 cookies using a small 1 Tablespoon-equivalent scoop

Ingredients

  • 2⅓ cups 280 grams all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup 75 grams Dutch-process or unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon 7 grams baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon 4 grams sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 cup 227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 cup 200 grams packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup 130 grams milk chocolate chunks or chips, plus more for finishing
  • ¾ cup 130 grams bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips, plus more for finishing
  • ¾ cup 130 grams white chocolate chunks or chips, plus more for finishing
  • Sea salt, for optional topping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside.
  • In a larger bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the butter and both sugars. Beat until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes using the mixer). Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet, mixing until just combined. (Do this on low speed if using a machine, then switch to a spatula.) Fold in the three kinds of chocolates until distributed, but do not overmix.
  • Using a Tablespoon-sized scoop, portion the dough onto lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gently press extra chocolate chinks or chips on top to make them look prettier, then sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt if desired.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set but soft in the center. Allow cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with rest of the dough.

Notes

Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.
Adapted from Two Peas And Their Pod blog

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