How to bake the Perfect Chocolate Puddle Cookie

After developing a not-regrettable addiction to the outrageously large cookies from San Francisco’s b. Patisserie, I found myself lying awake at night tweaking recipes in my head (does no one else do this?) to replicate their inimitable result — crispy edges, chewy centers, tempting pools of dark chocolate rippling on the surface and, to my complete befuddlement, a thin vein of chocolate going right through the middle.

After months of work, testing methods and tasting the results in my kitchen (tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it), I have finally nailed it. And now, I present to you: the perfect chocolate chip cookie which, in truth, has no chocolate chips, but rather enticing puddles of dark chocolate and that decadent vein of chocolate running through the middle, so that every single bite is sublime.

Is it a bit fussy for a chocolate chip cookie recipe? Yes. Is it worth it? Resounding yes. If you’re shooting for basic rather than exceptional, there’s always the go-to recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.

It is no surprise that good quality dark chocolate is an absolute requisite in this recipe. Rule of thumb: the better the chocolate, the better the cookie. For flatter, rippled cookies, bang the baking sheet against the oven rack a few times, about 10 minutes into baking, to deflate the cookies a bit.

Finally, these are best shortly after they’re baked for the chocolate puddles to have their full melty effect. Luckily, since you chill the dough balls anyway, you can pull one out of the refrigerator and bake it, any time you have a hankering for perfection.

The Perfect Chocolate Puddle Cookie

Makes 1 dozen large cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

180 grams (1 cup lightly packed) brown sugar

150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

275 grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon sea salt

5 ounces good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Sea salt flakes for finishing

DIRECTIONS

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a whisk), beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, the extra yolk and the vanilla and beat another 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and sea salt. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated, about ten seconds.

Using a large cookie scoop or metal spoon, scoop about ¼ cup mounds of dough and place on a parchment-lined tray. There should be about 12 dough balls. Chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours or overnight.

Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave on low power, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until melted, being careful not to scorch it. Remove the tray from the refrigerator and carefully slice each dough ball in half, creating a top and a bottom. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate over the bottom half of each dough ball, waiting until it hardens slightly against the chilled dough before replacing the tops. Spoon a few globs of melted chocolate over the top of each dough ball (it’s okay to be sloppy—they should not be uniform) and return the dough to the refrigerator to chill.

Once the chocolate has hardened, the dough balls can be baked immediately or placed in a resealable plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until ready to bake, or stored longer-term in the freezer.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange no more than six dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake on the center rack of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are golden brown and slightly crisp. Allow to cool on the baking sheet before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.