We tested 3 popular recipes in an attempt to find the ultimate chocolate cookie. The hardest part was choosing a favorite!
Cookies, can’t live with them; can’t live without them. Right? If you love chocolate (and I know you do), you don’t want to waste time on any subpar chocolate cookie. Only the best for you because you are worth it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Okay, pep talk over. On to the cookie tasting…
The Tasting Panel
Jasmine
Chocolate Codex co-founder, Ecole Chocolat graduate, food blogger/ photographer on TheBlenderist.
Shiho
Shiho is currently working on a book, which explores her love of Paris, pastries and chocolate using watercolour illustrations.
Gabor
Gabor has had a lifelong love for cooking, baking, confections and, especially, chocolate. He specializes in small-batch, hand-crafted chocolates.
Cookie Criteria
For this taste test, we selected 3 tried-and-true chocolate cookie recipes developed by titans of the baking and chocolate industry. We baked them using the same high-quality ingredients including 71% chocolate couverture from The Grenada Chocolate Company.
We recommend sourcing the best quality chocolate you can find. Skip the baking squares you find at the grocery store and buy something special. Your tastebuds will thank you.
Without further ado, here are the contenders for Ultimate Chocolate Cookie…
Bittersweet Decadence Cookies
Recipe by Alice Medrich available here.
These rustic looking cookies are loaded with chocolate and nuts giving them a satisfying chew and crunch.
Tasters Notes:
Gabor – I love the nutty texture, this is an adult cookie.Kids would like them, but they wouldn’t appreciate them.
Chris – Two of these would be enough, lots of great texture.
Jasmine – They have a low flour content and that creates a rich cookie. Very satisfying.
Shiho – Too sweet for me!
Chocolate Sparkle Cookies
Recipe by Thomas Haas available here. Also available pre-made frozen here.
If a cookie and a truffle had a baby, this is what that baby would look like.
Tasters Notes:
Gabor – The sparkling sugar makes them very elegant.
Shiho -So good!
Chris – I feel the chocolate matters the most in these.
Jasmine – These are truffle-like, nice crunch from sugar. I agree, no cutting corners on chocolate with this one. They are naturally gluten-free because they use almond flour.
World Peace Cookies
Recipe by Pierre Hermé via Dorie Greenspan available here.
This sablé style cookie is slightly salty and loaded with chocolate chunks.
Tasters Notes:
Jasmine – I used natural cocoa (Marou) so they look a bit red instead of dark brown. I’ve made them before and they tasted more like Oreos with dutch process cacao. I like them both ways, but the darker ones were more nostalgic.
Chris – I like the contrast of the chocolate chunks and reddish brown. They are visually appealing.
Shiho – I think these are very special. They are melty in an unexpected way, buttery!
Gabor – These would be really nice with vanilla ice cream, but they are bit too salty for me.
Ranking the Cookies
Each taster was asked to rank them in order of preference.
Shiho
- Chocolate Sparkle Cookie
- World Peace Cookie
- Bittersweet Decadence Cookie
Chris
- Bittersweet Decadence
- Chocolate Sparkle Cookie
- World Peace Cookie
Jasmine
- Chocolate Sparkle Cookie
- World Peace Cookie
- Bittersweet Decadence Cookie
Gabor
- Chocolate Sparkle Cookie
- Bittersweet Decadence Cookie
- World Peace Cookie
Overall Ranking
- Chocolate Sparkle Cookie
- Bittersweet Decadence Cookie
- World Peace Cookie
Although picking a winner was difficult, we all agreed that the Chocolate Sparkle Cookies did the best job of showcasing the chocolate. They are also elegant looking, relatively easy to make and transport easily for gift giving purposes.
At the end of the day, there were no duds…not a single one. They are all excellent cookies. You should bake them all immediately.
Find the recipes here: