Chocolate cookies with white and semisweet chocolate chunks

I can hardly believe it's been a couple of weeks now since my last post.  It's even harder to believe it's nearly time to bid farewell to summer.  We've had a good break and a nice summer but I'm definitely not ready to end our summer vacation.  

So let's console ourselves with some cookies?  I was inspired to bake these chocolate cookies, studded with white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chunks, after coming home from our recent vacation.  We went on a cruise - our very first!  My son has been asking and asking to go on one (since hearing so much about it from my sister, who is a seasoned cruiser) and we finally set sail recently for a few days to Bermuda. We had a nice, relaxing time and it was a fun change - the most appealing of which was the luxury and convenience of not having to fly!

While we were on our cruise, the fellas often stopped for a little snack in the form of a few cookies.  They ate a ton of chocolate ones - soft and slightly chewy, studded with white and dark chocolate chips.  I thought I'd make something similar now that we're home so I whipped up a batch of Ina Garten's chocolate white chocolate chunk cookies.  I opted to use both (mostly) semisweet chocolate and white chocolate.  I'm personally not a big fan of white chocolate but it adds a nice contrast.

Technically, the cookies from the cruise were labeled "mudslide" cookies; I think of chocolate mudslide cookies as having melted chocolate in the cookie dough (similar to this recipe).  These are simply flavored with cocoa powder, which make it even easier to turn out a batch.  And quite frankly, their sturdy, firm texture really mimic the cookies we had on board the ship.  These are soft, slightly chewy, with plenty of chocolate chunks waiting in every bite.  I am happy I was inspired to make these.

On the home front, I've been fairly busy.  We've polished off most of the goodies and things tucked away in the freezer so I've been motivated to begin anew. Among other things, I made a batch of vanilla ice cream with grated chocolate, and with these cookies on hand, I had to make a few ice cream sandwiches!

As you can tell, I have a tendency to overstuff my ice cream sandwiches - how about you?


These cookies have a pretty generous amount of chocolate chunks in them.  I made half the original recipe (18 cookies) and used about 1 1/2 cups (or 9 oz.) of chocolate chunks in total.  I went with roughly 3 oz. of white chocolate (it happened to be the amount I had on hand), with chopped semisweet for the rest.  Just FYI, Ina's recipe would call for an even more generous 2 cups of white chocolate chunks; while I think this cookie could handle it, I was a bit more reserved.

Mix the proportion of chocolates or add some nuts to customize the cookies to your own liking.  The original recipe calls for "exactly" 15 minutes of bake time but I suggest keeping an eye out on them and baking until they are just set (no longer look wet) but still moist.  I pulled mine out around the 12 minute mark.

You'll be rewarded with cookies ready for snacking, or ready to be filled with ice cream for ice cream sandwiches.  Either way, you've got a great treat.

And now, here we go into Labor Day weekend!  I hope you and your family have a great one!!

* Update (November 2019): Recipe below has been adjusted to include 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, something I noticed was added to the written recipe after my initial post.  I also like to use this base recipe to make chocolate peppermint chunk cookies; in that case, I simply go with about an equal mix of peppermint chunks and semisweet chocolate chunks.  I also add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, along with 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, to the cookie dough.  

Recipe:

Chocolate Cookies with White and Semisweet Chocolate Chunks
Adapted from Ina Garten

- Makes approximately 18 cookies - 

1 stick (4oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-process), sifted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) white and semisweet chocolate chunks (I went with 3 oz. of white chocolate and 6 oz. of semisweet but use a combination you prefer)

Cream butter and sugars together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg, mixing until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.  Add cocoa powder and mix until just incorporated.  

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.  With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter, until just combined.  Fold in the chocolate chunks using a rubber spatula.  Cover cookie dough and chill for at least an hour, or overnight (this is not absolutely necessary but I find it easier to work with a firmer dough).  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.  Drop cookie dough onto the baking sheet using a 1 1/2 tablespoon ice cream scoop, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Dampen your fingers and flatten the cookie mounds slightly.  Bake until cookies are just set but still moist (no longer look wet but it's okay if they seem slightly underdone), about 12-15 minutes. Remove pans from the oven, let cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy the cookies warm, at room temperature, or filled with ice cream for ice cream sandwiches!