These dark chocolate cookies have the texture of a rich brownie and a creamy caramel center that oozes seductively as you take a bite. The cookie dough is packed with chocolate morsels and walnuts, which add flavor and crunch while balancing the sweetness of the caramel center. Rolos are the candy of choice for this cookie, as they are enrobed in chocolate, which keeps the caramel from spreading too much, or oozing out from the bottom of the cookie.
Makes about 14 large cookies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate (62-70%), chopped
- 2 ounces (57 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate morsels
- 14 Rolo candies, unwrapped
Instructions
- Place the 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter chunks in a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool while you beat the eggs and sugar.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow and thickened. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and using a rubber spatula, mix in the cooled chocolate mixture.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, walnuts and the chocolate morsels. Fold this mixture into the chocolate batter just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter until it is firm enough to scoop, about 30 minutes.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚ Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll about 2 rounded tablespoons of the batter into ball (this is a messy process, but if you wet your hands first, it will prevent the dough from sticking to them). Press a Rolo candy into the center, pushing down to partially embed it in the dough. Top with another tablespoon of dough to cover the caramel, then roll the dough into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to form more cookies, spacing them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet (you should have 6 on each baking sheet). Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies have spread and the tops are cracked in spots. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely (if you can wait that long). Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
