Holiday Double Chocolate Cookies

These chocolate cookies are built for holiday cookie platters. A rich cocoa-based dough loaded with candy-coated chocolate pieces bakes up soft, fudgy, and covered in festive color. The candy goes in twice: stirred into the batter for chocolate in every bite, and pressed onto the tops before baking for a colorful, eye-catching finish.

The “do not overbake” warning in the directions is the most important line in this recipe. Pull these at 7 to 9 minutes when they still look slightly underset in the center. They firm up as they cool on the sheet, and that carry-over cooking is what gives you a soft, chewy cookie instead of a dry, cakey one.

Pressing the candy pieces onto the dough before baking rather than after means they partially melt into the surface and stay locked in place. Dropped on after baking, they just fall off.

Pro Tips

• Use real butter, not margarine. Butter gives a richer flavor and better spread. Margarine can make the cookies puffier and cakier.
• Cream the butter and sugars thoroughly until light and fluffy. This step builds air into the dough for a tender texture.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls for uniform cookies that bake evenly. A cookie scoop makes this fast and consistent.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring. Moving them too soon when they’re still soft causes breakage.

Variations

• Use holiday M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, or any seasonal candy-coated chocolate for different color themes.
• Add a handful of white chocolate chips to the batter for a triple-chocolate version.
• Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking for a crinkle cookie look.