Description
These Wrinkly Chocolate Chip Cookies are delectably soft and gooey in the center with beautifully wrinkled edges achieved by a unique baking and pan-banging technique. Made with bittersweet chocolate chunks and a subtle sprinkle of flaky salt, these cookies offer a perfect balance of rich chocolate and buttery sweetness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks, 227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (160 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cup (256 grams) all-purpose flour
- 8 ounce (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (some chunks, some shards)
Topping
- Flaky salt, to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pans: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and line two sheet pans with aluminum foil (dull side up), parchment paper, or silicone mats to ensure even baking and easy cleanup.
- Make the Dough: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down the sides. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and kosher salt, then beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and water by mixing on low speed until combined. Add baking soda and mix briefly. Gradually add flour and mix until nearly combined. Fold in chopped bittersweet chocolate pieces until evenly distributed. The dough can be refrigerated for several hours or overnight for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Preheat Oven and Shape Cookies: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough into 100-gram balls (approximately a heaping 1/3 cup each). Sprinkle each ball with flaky salt if desired. Place dough balls on a plate and freeze for 15 minutes to help maintain shape during baking.
- Arrange and Bake: Space 4 cookie dough balls evenly on one prepared sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes until the cookies puff slightly in the center. Remove the sheet pan and sharply lift it before dropping it against the oven rack to help set edges and create wrinkled texture in the centers. After 3 minutes, when cookies puff again, repeat the lift-and-drop pan-banging one or two more times. Continue baking for a total of 16 to 18 minutes until cookies are spread out, edges are golden brown, and centers remain gooey.
- Cool and Finish: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes to firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking process with the remaining dough.
Notes
- Freezing the dough balls before baking helps cookies maintain their shape and promotes an even bake.
- The unique pan-banging technique creates the characteristic wrinkled top by allowing the centers to deflate and puff repeatedly.
- Using bittersweet chocolate adds a rich depth of flavor; you can adjust the chocolate type based on your preference.
- Sprinkling flaky salt enhances the chocolate flavor and balances sweetness but is optional.
- Refrigeration of dough before baking is recommended but not mandatory.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure dough portions accurately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximately 100 grams)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
