Quick & Chewy Chocolate Drops

These chocolate cookies lean hard into fudgy territory. Eight ounces of melted semi-sweet chocolate goes directly into the batter alongside softened butter, sugar, and a single egg. With only half a cup of flour and a pinch of baking powder, there’s barely enough structure to call these cookies. They’re closer to a brownie you can pick up.

Melting the chocolate in the microwave is the fastest route. Break it into pieces so it melts evenly, and stir after 90 seconds. The chocolate should be smooth and glossy, not seized or grainy. Let it cool slightly before adding it to the butter mixture or it will melt the butter completely and change the texture of the finished cookie.

Pull them from the oven when they look almost set, not fully done. They’ll firm up as they cool on the sheet. Overbaking these by even a minute takes them from chewy to dry and cakey.

Chef Tips

• Use good chocolate here. With this much chocolate in the batter, cheap baking chocolate will taste flat and waxy.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls and leave space between them. They spread as they bake.
• Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Moving them too soon and they’ll fall apart.

Variations

• Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch that contrasts the fudgy center.
• Stir in a handful of white chocolate chips before dropping for a two-tone chocolate cookie.
• Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each drop right before baking.