Gooey Molten Chocolate Chip Cookies Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, make sure the butter and eggs are cold from the refrigerator. Cube the butter into small pieces so it creams evenly. Measure all ingredients and have them ready. Line a tray or plate with parchment paper for freezing the dough balls.

If you have a kitchen scale, set it to grams or ounces for accurate portioning. The dough will need at least 2 hours in the freezer, so plan accordingly. For the best results, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but a hand mixer will work as well.

Instructions

Cream and mix

1. 1Cream the cold butter and sugars
   Place the cold cubed butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes until the butter is broken up and slightly creamy. Add the dark brown sugar and white sugar, then beat on high for another 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the cold egg, cold egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
   Look for The butter-sugar mixture should be pale and fluffy, with no visible butter chunks.
   Tip Keep the butter and eggs cold; this helps the cookies hold their shape and stay thick.
2. 2Add the dry ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Fold in the milk chocolate chunks with a spatula until evenly distributed. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
   Look for The dough should come together into a cohesive mass, with chocolate chunks visible throughout.
   Tip Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cookies tough; stop as soon as the flour disappears.

After this phase, the butter-sugar mixture should be pale, fluffy, and glossy. The dough should be thick, slightly sticky, and studded with chocolate chunks.

It should hold together when pressed but not be overly wet. If the dough is too soft to scoop, refrigerate for 15 minutes before continuing. The dough should smell richly of butter and vanilla.

Scoop and freeze

3. 3Scoop into four-ounce balls
   Use a large cookie scoop or a kitchen scale to portion the dough into 4-ounce balls. Each ball should be about the size of a generous golf ball. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined tray or plate, spacing them slightly apart. If the dough is too soft to hold its shape, refrigerate for 15 minutes before scooping.
   Look for Each dough ball should be tall and rounded, not flat.
   Tip Weighing the dough ensures even baking and consistent size.
4. 4Freeze the dough balls
   Place the tray of dough balls in the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is firm to the touch. Freezing solid is essential for achieving the thick, gooey center and craggy edges. The dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container.
   Look for The dough balls should be completely firm and hold their shape when pressed.
   Tip Do not skip the freeze; it prevents spreading and keeps the center underbaked.

The dough balls should be tall, rounded, and uniform in size. After freezing, they should be completely firm and hold their shape when pressed. They should not flatten or spread when placed on the baking sheet. The chocolate chunks should be visible on the surface. The dough balls should be cold and solid, ready for the oven.

Bake and serve

5. 5Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheet
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the frozen dough balls on the prepared sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart to allow for spreading.
   Look for The oven should be fully preheated before baking.
   Tip Bake only as many cookies as fit comfortably; do not overcrowd.
6. 6Bake until the edges are golden and the center is set
   Bake the cookies for 17 minutes, or until the edges are golden amber and the tops are set but still slightly soft in the center. The cookies will look puffed and the centers may appear slightly underdone, but they will continue to set as they cool. For a more molten center, bake for 15-16 minutes; for a firmer center, bake for 18-19 minutes.
   Look for The edges should be deep golden brown, and the centers should look slightly moist and glossy.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Do not overbake; the residual heat will finish cooking the centers.
7. 7Cool and serve warm
   Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. The centers will continue to set during this time. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and serve warm, while the chocolate is still molten. To reheat leftover cookies, place them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
   Look for The cookies should be firm enough to lift without breaking, but still soft in the middle.
   Tip Use a thin spatula to lift the cookies gently.

The cookies should have golden brown, craggy edges and puffed, slightly soft centers. The tops should be set but not cracked, and the chocolate should look melty. When you break one open, the center should be moist and tender, with molten chocolate pooling out. The cookies should be firm enough to lift but still warm and gooey inside.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is overmixing the dough after adding the flour, which develops gluten and makes the cookies tough. Another is skipping the freeze, which causes the cookies to spread too much and lose their thick, gooey center.

Using warm butter or eggs can also lead to flat cookies. Do not overbake: the centers should look slightly underdone when you pull them out. Finally, avoid using a dark baking sheet, which can cause the bottoms to brown too quickly.

How to tell it’s done

The cookies are done when the edges are deep golden brown and the tops are set but still slightly soft to the touch. The centers should look slightly underdone and glossy, not dry or cracked.

The internal temperature of the cookies should reach 160°F (71°C) to ensure the eggs are fully cooked. If you prefer a more molten center, bake for 15-16 minutes; for a firmer center, bake for 18-19 minutes. Remember that the cookies will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part