Chocolate Surprise Cookies

I know that I recently posted my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, which happens to be a slightly adapted version of the Toll House recipe, so it might surprise you to know I used a different recipe for these surprise cookies. I was intrigued by the use of melted butter, but also just wanted to expand my horizons because there are plenty of other chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. I’m sure you know someone, or are that someone, who claims his is the best, so how can I be sure without trying them all? (Yes, that is an invitation to all of you to please send me your favorite recipes!)

I got this idea from Sing for your Supper’s “Chocolate Ganache Stuffed Cookies,” and while I followed her directions, I used the chocolate chip cookie recipe from The Blissful Baker. See? Spreading the love in the blogosphere. (You ladies inspire me!) They were super easy to make by hand – no mixer necessary!

Don’t worry, you can use your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough for this recipe too – just don’t add the chips.

You’ll want to start off by making the ganache filling, because it will need time to chill before you use it.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE STUFFING

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup (6 oz, half a bag) semisweet chocolate chips

Heat the heavy cream in a small pan until boiling. Pour over chocolate chips. Let it sit and melt for a few seconds before stirring to combine. Chill in fridge for at least an hour. Easy Peasy Pudding and Pie as my sister says. (If you’re doing this earlier in the day you will have to take the ganache out of the fridge before use so it can warm up a bit, just fyi.)

(Please accept my apologies for the blurry pix!)

CHEWY COOKIE DOUGH – Made about 3 dozen cookies

• 2 cups + 2Tbsp AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together your dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the sugars and butter in a large bowl until completely blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Then add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Since you’re not adding in chips, which means no extra stirring, you can make sure all the flour is incorporated.

Then, chill the dough in the fridge until easier to handle – it gets pretty mushy – probably an hour as well. When it’s ready, preheat your oven to 350ºF and line some cookie sheets.

To make these delightful cookies, start by scooping out about a Tablespoon of dough and flatten it with your palm like so:

Then, take some of the ganache and place it in the middle of the dough like this:

Make another disc of dough the same way, and place it over the top of the ganache and press gently to make a seal:

Take the lopsided flying saucer and roll it gently into a ball. I couldn’t get rid of the seam in mine, so power to you if you can manage it. Top with some Sea Salt. I assure you the cookies need it. I made a test batch without the salt and they were just not right.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are light golden brown. I accidentally over-baked one sheet of these and they tasted fine, but the ones that I pulled too soon (overcompensating for the previous batch) just weren’t right. Really go by color on this one.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a bit, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. I did have a couple of these fresh from the oven and they were delicious, but they were just as good the next day at room temperature. No matter when you eat them, please enjoy!

Personally, I’d say these are pretty evil, at least a 3.5. They’re the only cookie I’ve made, in recent memory, where I polished off about a dozen on my own. Probably shouldn’t be admitting that, they were sizable too… (stop judging me!)

Tags: baking, chewy, chocolate ganache, cookie dough, photos, recipe, sea salt, step by step, surprise