When I tell you these cookies are chocolatey, that may be an understatement. Move over double chocolate cookies and triple chocolate cookies, these Death by Chocolate Cookies have four types of chocolate in them to give them their next level chocolate cookie goodness.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
“Sometimes you just need that chocolate fix. This meets the need! Fabulous!” – Luci
This family recipe has been a yearly staple in my house at the holidays since I was a kid. But decadent chocolate chocolate chip cookies are a good option year round! Great warm from the oven, cooled and dunked in milk, or on their own.
I’ve developed nearly 70 dessert recipes for this website, with over 20 of them being easy cookie recipes, and this is the one I hand people when they say they want something really chocolatey. Making them for as long as I have has taught me where the recipe can flex and where it can’t. The four chocolates each do a different job, which is why swapping one out changes the cookie more than you’d expect (there’s a whole section on which swaps work below). Chilling the dough is non-negotiable, because a dough this rich will spread into one giant cookie without it. And because the dough is so dark, you can’t go by color to tell when they’re done, so I’ve included how I actually check.
If you love these ultra chocolatey cookies, be sure to try our double chocolate crinkle cookies and our double chocolate orange cookies too! You’d probably also love our ultra fudgy homemade brownies too… just sayin’!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Four kinds of chocolate, and they all earn their spot. Unsweetened baking chocolate, cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips each bring something different. The three dark chocolates build depth and intensity, while the white chocolate cuts through with sweetness and keeps every bite balanced instead of bitter.
Easy to make. No fussy techniques or special equipment. If you can cream butter and sugar, you can make these.
Makes a big batch. One recipe yields about 66 cookies, which makes this a solid choice for cookie trays, bake sales, and holiday gatherings.
Freezes beautifully. These are one of my go-to recipes for our freezer stash. Freeze the dough balls and bake straight from frozen whenever the craving hits. Full instructions are down in the storage section.
A year round cookie. This one started as a holiday recipe in my family, but there’s nothing seasonal about it. These are just as good in July.
Ingredients for Death by Chocolate Cookies
- Salted Butter. Butter is used in two places: a few tablespoons helps melt the baking chocolate, and the rest gets creamed with the sugars. I use salted butter because the salt keeps all that chocolate from tasting flat.
- 100% Unsweetened Baking Chocolate. Chocolate number one. Melting a single ounce into the butter gives the dough a deep, intense chocolate base that cocoa powder alone can’t deliver. Since it’s unsweetened, all the sweetness in these cookies comes from the sugars and the chips.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. Chocolate number two, and what turns the dough that deep dark color. It also brings a slightly bitter edge that keeps the cookies from being cloying.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar. Using both gives you the best of each. Granulated sugar helps with structure and crisp edges, while brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor that plays well with all that chocolate.
- Large Eggs. Bind everything together and add structure. Room temperature eggs work best here (more on that below).
- Vanilla Extract. Rounds out and deepens the chocolate flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour. The structure of your cookies. Measure carefully, since too much flour will give you a dry cookie rather than a rich, fudgy one.
- Baking Soda. Our leavening agent, helping the cookies rise and spread as they bake.
- Salt. A small amount goes a long way in a chocolate cookie. It sharpens all the chocolate flavors rather than making the cookies taste salty.
- Dark Chocolate Chips. Chocolate number three. These give you pockets of melty dark chocolate throughout. Chunks work well here too if that’s what you have.
- White Chocolate Chips. Chocolate number four, and the one I’d recommend keeping even if you swap the others. The sweetness balances all that dark chocolate and keeps the cookies from tipping into bitter territory.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Ingredient Tip – Use Room Temperature Eggs
Using room temperature eggs is often suggested for baking because the eggs will incorporate into the softened butter easier. This results in a smooth, uniform batter. If you’re setting your eggs out on the counter to bring them up to room temperature, the standard rule of thumb is to set them out for at least 30 minutes prior to using them.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
You can play around with the different types of chocolate in this recipe. If you don’t have the exact types of chocolate(s) listed in this recipe on hand, you can swap them out and end up with a lovely chocolate chocolate chip cookie. Suitable chocolate substitutions include:
- 100% unsweetened baking chocolate can be swapped out for semi-sweet or bittersweet baking chocolate.
- Dark chocolate chips can be substituted with dark chocolate chunks, or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks. If you’re a big fan of milk chocolate, you can also try using a milk chocolate chip or chunk in these Death by Chocolate cookies too.
- I would recommend keeping white chocolate as a part of these chocolate chocolate chip cookies. If you don’t have white chocolate chips, you can use white chocolate chunks, or a chopped up white chocolate baking bar.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Add softened butter and both sugars to your mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugars together until well combined. The mixture should look pale yellow and fluffy. It will also be a little grainy because of the granulated sugar.
Then add the remaining liquid ingredients (the melted chocolate/butter mixture, the egg, and the vanilla extract). Stir to combine.
Slowly add the dry ingredients (the salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and flour) and mix until a dough forms.
Gently stir in the white chocolate and dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Cover bowl with plastic-wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 1 tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly browned and just set.
Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Chocolate Cookies Expert Tips
Midwest chilling tip: embrace and use the cold winter weather! If you live in a place that is cold when you make this soft chocolate cookie recipe, you can chill your dough outside! Find a flat surface, ensure your dough is covered well, and let mother nature chill your dough for you.
Use a cookie scoop to get all of your cookies to be the same size. While not a necessity, a cookie scoop is a super helpful tool that I use a lot in my kitchen. This small cookie scoop is just the right size for these Death by Chocolate cookies. For larger cookie lovers, a medium cookie scoop or large cookie scoop may be preferred. If you can’t decide which size to get, they do have a 3-pack of cookie scoops so you can try them all!
Storage
Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (if they last that long!).
How to Freeze Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Death by Chocolate cookies can also be frozen before or after baking!
To freeze before baking: Make the dough per the recipe and scoop it into dough balls onto a wax paper lined a baking sheet (you can place them close together, but avoid touching). Place the tray of dough balls into the freezer for 1 hour to “flash freeze” them. Once the dough balls are cold and solid, transfer them to a large, labeled freezer bag (noting the recipe name, date, and the baking time and temp). Add 2-3 minutes to the baking time noted in the recipe card to bake from frozen!
When you’re ready to enjoy, simply transfer the number of frozen cookie dough balls you’d like to make to a baking sheet and bake from frozen.
These Death by Chocolate cookies are one of my go-tos for our “freezer stash” of cookies (rotating with our chocolate chunk cookies and our m&m chocolate chip cookies).
To freeze baked cookies: Ensure your cookies are cooled completely before storing. Place the cookies into a labeled freezer bag or air-tight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, transfer the amount of cookies you’d like to the fridge to thaw overnight. You can also pull them straight from the freezer (I’ve been known to do this…) but they will be harder.
Quadruple Chocolate Cookies Recipe FAQs
Because the chocolate dough is dark, it can be tough to see when death by chocolate cookies are done. To confirm your cookies are done baking, lightly tap the edge of a cookie (be careful, they’ll be hot). If it feels slightly set, they’re done. The centers may still look very soft and a little shiny, that’s ok. They will continue to set up as you cool them on your pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
📖 Death by Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 C salted butter divided
- 1 oz 100% unsweetened baking chocolate
- ¾ C granulated sugar
- ¾ C brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 + ¼ C all-purpose flour
- 10-12 oz dark chocolate chips*
- 10-12 oz white chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Place approximately 2 tablespoons of butter and the baking chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted.
- While the baking chocolate is being melted, cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer).
- Once blended, add in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir until combined.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and eggs.
- Slowly stir in the salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and flour until a dough is formed.
- Gently stir in the white chocolate and dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Cover bowl with plastic-wrap and place into the refrigerator to chill.
- Chill the chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. The dough can also be chilled overnight if that is best for your schedule.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 1 tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly browned and just set.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
- Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container.
Luci says
Sometimes you just need that chocolate fix. This meets the need! Fabulous!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
Totally agree! So glad you enjoyed these too.
M. says
I love, love, love this chocolate cookie recipe!!!!!!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
🙌🙌🙌 I’m so glad you love them too! Thank you for making my recipe.