Chocolate cookies and traditional lava cake combine to make these chocolate lava cake cookies. The soft chocolate cookie gives way to a gooey chocolate inside to create the perfect bite.
Chocolate molten lava cake is always a good idea. But sometimes making a whole mini cake can be a process. That is where these chocolate lava cake cookies come into play. They have everything you love about the lava cake, just in cookie form.
Chocolate Lava Cake Cookie Recipe
Don't think just because this is a cookie that you'll miss that flowing and gooey chocolate center. These chocolate lava cake cookies take a frozen disc of chocolate ganache and put them in the center of a thick chocolate cookie dough. While the cookies bake, the ganache turns into a molten center.
Let's talk texture for these chocolate lava cake cookies. The cookies are soft and buttery, almost fudgy like a brownie in texture. It's the perfect pairing with the creamy chocolate center.
These cookies are a chocolate overload in the best way possible. The cocoa powder gives the cookies a light chocolate flavor that leads the way to the dark chocolate ganache. It's a chocolate lover's dream come true and the perfect treat for Valentine's Day.
Looking for more Valentine's Day treats? Check out my Oreo truffles and red velvet cheesecake swirl brownies.
Why I Love These Chocolate Lava Cake Cookies
- Chocolate Goodness - These cookies are chocolate on chocolate. It's an overload in the best way possible.
- Cookies over cake - For when you don't want cake, these cookies will be the best thing.
- Valentine's Day Treat - The cookies are a big dessert and fulfill all the chocolate needs for Valentine's Day.
Ingreidents Needed For Chocolate Lava Cake Cookies
See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.
- Heavy whipping cream - One of the main ingredients for the chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate - Chopped or chocolate chips will work.
- Cocoa powder - Combined with the flour makes the chocolate dough.
- Eggs - The extra egg yolk adds a rich flavor.
- Vanilla - Balances out the flavor.
How To Make Chocolate Lava Cake Cookies
- Make the ganache. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Then, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is lightly simmering. You want it to be warm but not hot so you don't get that scorched flavor. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and mix until fully melted.
- Chill and form into balls. Let the chocolate ganache chill and then form the mixture into balls using a cookie dough scoop. When the balls are formed, place them in the freezer for an hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment and set to the side.
- Make the cookie dough. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Then, cream the butter with the sugar, adding the eggs in one at a time followed by the vanilla. Add in the dry mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Stuff the cookies. Scoop two cookie dough balls separately and then flatten them into discs. Use the two discs to surround the balls of the ganache. Make sure the balls of the ganache are fully covered with the dough. If any of it is peaking out, it will run out of the sides.
- Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies in the oven for 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies fully cool on the baking sheet when done.
Make-Ahead and Storage
These cookies can be made 1-3 days ahead of time. If you make them ahead of time, the center won't be as gooey. If you want them to be molten when you eat them, reheat them in the microwave for 9-10 seconds. Just a short time will make the center molten.
The cookies also stay well in the freezer. Keep the cookies frozen for 2-3 months in an airtight container.
Tips and Variations
- Fully Cover The Balls - Make sure the balls of the ganache are fully covered. It may seem like a lot of cookie dough but this will make sure it won't ooze out.
- Cook Time - The cookies might look underdone but it will result in the cookies having the perfect gooey center. Take the cookies out when the edges are firm.
- Ganache - The ganache can be made the night before and kept in the freezer. The more frozen they are the better they will set in the center.
FAQs
If you find the lava cake cookies are not setting, they ganache probably didn't set well before it was surrounded by the cookie dough. Make sure it is fully frozen before covering it with the cookie dough.
The cookies are best eaten right away because of the molten center. As they sit out, the center becomes firm.
If the lava cake cookie is not gooey, double check the oven temperature. When the oven is not hot enough, the ganache balls will not melt. If the oven is too high the cookies will burn.
Chocolate Lava Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Make the chocolate ganache. Chop the chocolate or pour the chocolate In a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream in a saucepan until barely simmering, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the warm heavy cream over the chocolate to melt. Stir the mixture until it is fully melted. Let the chocolate cool. It will thicken as it cools.
- When the ganache is cool, use a cookie dough scoop to scoop the ganache into round balls. Place the balls in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour or overnight if possible.
- While the ganache balls are chilling, make the cookie dough. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg and egg yolk, followed by the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix until fully combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350 and take the ganache balls out of the oven.
- Scoop the cookie dough the make the cookies. Scoop two cookie dough balls separately and then flatten them into discs. Use the two discs to surround the balls of the ganache. Make sure the balls of the ganache are fully covered with the dough. If any of it is peaking out, it will run out of the sides.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 9-11 minutes. The edges of the cookies will be firm when ready.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan and enjoy while still warm.
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