Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If like us, you’re absolutely embracing the chance to bake at home and enjoy the spoils of your labour; then these gorgeous Chocolate Chunk Cookies are an absolute winner.

I made these with the girls a couple of weeks back, using up some of the leftover Easter chocolate and they devoured them. They are a little thicker in texture than say the Mini Egg Cookies, but this makes them a great choice for desserts too; ice cream sandwich, or just served with some ice cream, or crumbled into a sundae dish, topped with ice cream and some chocolate sauce.

The below makes about 18-20 cookies so they should last a few days if kept in an airtight container. 

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Here’s how:

• 220g butter
• 300g brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 320g self-raising flour
• 75g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 100g white chocolate
• 100g dark or plain chocolate

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line 2-3 baking trays or oven dishes and set aside.

In a mixing bowl first add the butter, if this isn’t already at room temperature, blast in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften down.

Add the sugar and cream together with a spoon until all combined. Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl with the vanilla extract and mix well.

Now sift in the cocoa powder, baking powder and self-raising flour, a little at a time. It might help to first measure out into a separate bowl.

Keep mixing until you have added all of the dry ingredients and you should have a fairly thick cake batter. At this point, add the milk to loosen and thin out a little and mix well.

If using chocolate chips, add these to the cake batter. I prefer to use bars of block chocolate to get the real chunks, that are so delicious in these types of cookies. Break up all the pieces and chop into 3-4 pieces per square then add to the cake batter.

Once combined and the chocolate is well spread out amongst the batter, use a tablespoon to spoon out a mound of batter and pop straight onto the baking sheet. You should leave plenty of space around each mound of batter, as this will flatten a little and spread during baking. Repeat until you have no more than x5-6 on each baking sheet.

Now place into the oven and bake for 13 minutes exactly. Then remove from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking trays. They will, at this point be quite soft still, but they will harden up a little.

Now use a fish slice to carefully remove the cookies and place onto a wooden board, or a wire rack to cool down. 

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Then repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough.

These cookies can also be frozen, they will take a couple of hours to defrost and are great for taking on picnics or family outings once we are out of lockdown. Enjoy!

If you love biscuits with your families here are four other biscuit recipes you may enjoy:

Monte Carlo Biscuits

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Chocolate Hobnobs

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

Chocolate Hobnobs

If like me, this lock down has got you baking a whole lot more, especially with the kids, then give these gorgeous homemade Chocolate Hobnobs a try. They are without a doubt my favourite biscuit for tea-dunking and the children really enjoyed making them, especially dipping them in chocolate. 

You could use milk or dark chocolate, we used milk as we had a ton of Easter eggs leftover, but use what you prefer or have at home. We also used Golden Syrup, but if you don't have any in stock, you could try using maple syrup or honey instead. 

The below makes 15 delicious biscuits - be warned, they won't last long.

Chocolate Hobnobs

Here's how:

• 120g porridge oats
• 120g plain flour
• 120g caster sugar
• 120g butter
• 1.5 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp baking powder mixed in with 1 tbsp boiled water
• 130g milk chocolate (or dark if you prefer)

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line two baking trays with grease-proof paper.

Pop the flour, porridge oats and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and roughly combine with a wooden spoon. Make a bit of a hole in the middle, or a well, as you would when making dough.

In a small saucepan, place the 120g butter with the golden syrup on a low heat to gently melt and then remove from the heat and stir in the boiled water and baking powder mixture.

Now pour the butter and syrup mixture into the dry ingredients into the hole, a little at a time, and gently combine, repeating the process until you have a sticky batter-like substance. At this point, it should have a really tempting aroma too.

Once all combined, place 1 tbsp of the mixture onto the baking sheet, with room to spread out. And repeat until you have x5 on each baking sheet. They should be like a little ball, as they will spread out as with cookies when you bake them.

Place into the hot oven for 9 minutes exactly, and then remove, allow to cool on the tray for five minutes, during which time they will harden a little and become less delicate. Then use a fish slice to carefully remove them and place onto a wire rack or board to cool further.

Repeat the process until all biscuits have been baked, and are cooling on a wire rack or wooden board.

Now to melt the chocolate, break up into small pieces and heat over a small pan of boiling water, or in microwave if you prefer for 2-3 minutes, but opening and stirring every 30 seconds so the chocolate doesn't become one big sticky mess.

Once melted, remove the bowl and place onto the kitchen side. Now take each biscuit and gently dip into the chocolate, until half (or if you prefer all) of the biscuit is coated in chocolate and then once again, place onto a board or wire rack to allow the chocolate to set. Repeat the process until all of the biscuits have a delicious chocolate coating.

Be warned, these are ridiculously moreish! Enjoy!

If you are looking for some easy baking recipes with the children during lockdown here are some of our favourites:

Chocolate Cornflake and Marshmallow Cakes

Triple Chocolate Cookie Brownies

Lemon Curd & Blueberry Muffins

Banana & Berry Breakfast Muffins

Mini Egg Brownies

Lemon, Honey and Yoghurt Cake with Blueberries 

Banana and Chocolate Chunk Bread