I will be demonstrating these unique and very special chocolate chunk cookies in my Gifts class on Zoom this Sunday November 9, 2025, at 3:00 PM PST. It is very rare, if not unheard of, for me to print a recipe that I will be teaching in a class, but I’m making an exception for a couple of reasons. One, this recipe has so many tricks that it benefits from watching it being made and, 2, I don’t want you to miss this exceptional class.
The original recipe by Sarah Kieffer for these delicious cookies is for double the batter and it makes 10 very large cookies. I tested the recipe so many times that I preferred to use half the batter and make smaller cookies. Admittedly they are still quite large. The original recipe calls for 1 large egg. After many tests, I inadvertently used the entire egg, and the cookies came out great. If you choose to double the recipe, you can go back to 1 large egg. I have never tried her full recipe using 2 eggs.
The trick is to bang the baking sheet against the oven rack so the cookies flatten and the edges take on ridges. I am excited to show you how to do this in my Zoom class. The other trick is to take them out of the oven when the centrs are still very pale, so they remain soft. The beauty of this recipe lies in iits crisp edges and soft center.
Pan Banging Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 cup (142 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups (148 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (25 g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ½-inch or smaller pieces
1.Arrange oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2.To make the batter: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and water and mix on low to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the chocolate and mix on low until incorporated.
3.To shape the cookies: Form the dough into 2-ounce balls. It is best to weigh them, but it is about a heaping 1/4 cup each. Place 5 balls an equal distance apart on a prepared pan and transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. After you put the first baking sheet in the oven, put the second one in the freezer.
4.To bake: Place the chilled baking sheet in the oven and bake 7 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down. After the cookies puff up again in 2 minutes, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Bake 12 to 14 minutes total, until the cookies have spread out. The centers must be pale and undercooked, and the edges will be golden. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.
Makes 10 cookies.
