Description
Decadent Chocolate Lava Cookies featuring a rich, molten ganache center encased in a soft, fudgy cocoa cookie. These cookies combine the indulgence of chocolate lava cake with the convenience of handheld cookies, perfect for chocolate lovers craving a gooey surprise in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Ganache
- 4 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (high quality baking chocolate or chocolate chips)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour (270 g)
- ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder (67 g)
- ½ – 1 tsp espresso powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup salted butter (227 g), room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar (200 g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (110 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
- Make the ganache: Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a small bowl. Warm the heavy cream in the microwave in 20-second increments until hot but not boiling, approximately 40-50 seconds.
- Melt the chocolate: Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Stir until smooth and fully melted. If needed, microwave for an additional 5 seconds and stir again.
- Chill the ganache: Refrigerate the ganache for 20-30 minutes until firm enough to scoop.
- Prepare ganache dollops: Spoon about 24 small dollops (about 1 tsp each) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes until well set. Optionally, roll into balls once firm for easier handling.
- Preheat oven & combine dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, cocoa powder, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a separate bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter with white and brown sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture in thirds, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Shape cookies: Scoop approximately 2 Tbsp of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Press your thumb into the center of each ball to create a cavity. Insert a frozen ganache dollop and cover completely with dough. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 8-11 minutes until edges are set and tops are puffed but not wet.
- Shape and cool: Optional but recommended: use a biscuit or cookie cutter to gently shape cookies into neat circles while warm. Cool on the tray for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar: Once cooled, sift powdered sugar over the cookies for a molten lava cake appearance.
Notes
- Use high-quality chocolate for best ganache flavor and texture.
- Ensure eggs and butter are at room temperature for proper creaming.
- Freezing the ganache dollops before inserting helps prevent melting and leaking during baking.
- Do not overbake; the gooey center depends on slightly underbaking the cookies.
- This recipe yields 24 cookies but can be doubled for larger batches.
- Pressing the cookie dough after baking to form even circles is optional but enhances presentation.
