Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies
Looking for a new, outrageously delicious, and unique cookie? These Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies are a gourmet treat you can make at home!
These unique gourmet Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies are formed with 3 layers of buttery cookie dough filled with bittersweet chocolate shards. Cut into rounds and baked, they taste as incredible as they look!
Why You Must Make
- They’re big, thick, and chewy!
- Bittersweet shards of chocolate are interspersed throughout the cookies.
- They look like they came from a bakery, but instead, you can easily make them at home!
Well, this twist may not be SO new, just new to me! This recipe for layered chocolate chip cookies was featured on the Martha Stewart website as Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies in 2012. Nothing earth-shattering, but definitely not the Nestle Tollhouse cookie recipe that I memorized decades ago! These Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies are worth a look, too!!!
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Butter, Sugar, All-Purpose Flour, Salt
- Dark Brown Sugar – This has more molasses added than regular brown sugar so it will have more caramel undertones.
- Vanilla Extract – Make sure it’s real vanilla extract. If the bottle says “imitation,” it will be lacking in quality and taste artificial.
- Bittersweet Chocolate Bars – I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate bars that are readily available at most supermarkets.
Expert Tips
But just a few days ago I spied these very cookies on Butter and Brioche, a blog by a young, extremely talented baker, Thalia. As you may know, chocolate chip cookies are always a hit around here—unless I get sneaky and add toasted pecans or ground oatmeal. Then the batch is for me alone. Here is what makes these cookies a bit different:
- They’re made with dark brown sugar for more caramel undertones. And if you don’t have dark brown sugar, just add a tablespoon of molasses to a cup of light brown sugar (you’ll only need 3/4 cup for this recipe). The extra molasses makes for softer cookies.
- 4 egg yolks are used instead of the traditional 2 whole eggs. This makes for a richer cookie.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the chocolate shards. It provides less resistance than a straight-edge knife so makes chopping easier.
- Bittersweet chocolate is used instead of semi-sweet. Even the picky daughter didn’t complain (her palate typically prefers a less intense chocolate flavor), but feel free to substitute semi-sweet if that is your preference.
- The chocolate is cut into shards versus chunks or classic chips. PRO-Tip: Make sure to make your shards thin enough so you can cut through them with your cookie or biscuit cutter.
- The dough is divided and rolled into 3 rectangles with the shards layered in between the dough.
- The cookies are cut out with a round biscuit or cookie cutter. I used a two-inch cutter, but expect them to spread a bit when baked.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar for sparkle or fleur de sel for that sweet-salty combo to each cookie before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
They use dark brown sugar which provides extra moisture and caramel undertones.
All egg yolks provide more fat which helps make for soft, chewy cookies.
The bittersweet chocolate gives a more intense chocolate flavor than semisweet.
The shards instead of chips and layers of dough contribute to the uniqueness of these cookies.
Yes, bittersweet and semisweet chocolate are interchangeable in most recipes.
Fleur de Sel is a rare and expensive form of sea salt that’s collected in France and more recently, other locales. The French phrase translates to “flower of salt” due to the appearance of the sea salt after the evaporation process.
Sea salt is used as a finishing salt, which is usually a fine salt that’s sprinkled over a finished dish.
You May Also Like:
- Hot Chocolate Cookies from Love from the Oven
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Killer Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Plus, if you don’t want to be tempted by a whole batch of cookies, try this Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar for One!
- More Chocolate Recipes
- More Cookie Recipes
Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Multiple layers of bittersweet chocolate shards, dark brown sugar and four egg yolks make for thick, out of this world chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup dark-brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ salt
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into thin shards with a serrated knife
- Coarse sugar of fleur de sel for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix till just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed
- Divide the dough into three equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and flatten slightly. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375º.
- Unwrap one portion of chilled dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. ]Roll into a rectangle less than an inch thick.
- Sprinkle with half the chocolate.
- Roll out the second portion of dough to a similar size and use it to top the chocolate-coated layer. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and top with the last portion of dough, rolled out to a similar size as the former portions.
- Lightly dust the cookie dough with flour and gently roll out the dough to a rectangle, about 1½ inches thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds of dough.
- Place on prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Pat any scraps together gently and cut more rounds of dough.
- Bake until cookies are set, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 5g
54 Comments on “Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Anybody have trouble getting the layers off the surface and onto the chocolate. Mine absolutely would not come off. I tried parchment paper, plastic wrap. Dough was nice and chilled but would not release from the surface to be able to layer these cookies. Extremely disappointed. I’m usually a pretty resourceful baker but had no luck with these
I’m so sorry to hear you had difficulty with sticking, Molly. I haven’t had this problem when making these cookies. Did the dough seem sticky? It should have been the consistency of regular chocolate chip cookie dough. Did you flour the surface? I just lightly flour, like stated in the recipe, but you may have needed a little heavier dusting??? Maybe someone else will have another idea.
Yes, please! I’ve wanted to bake chocolate chip cookies for a while and until now didn’t have a recipe that tempted me. Thank you, Liz!
These are my favorite cookies for dunking in milk!
Just made these and found myself in chocolate cookie heaven. The layering is a genius idea. This recipe is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.
I’m onboard with chocolate chip anything! This looks terrific — tons and tons of flavor. Thanks!
My kids finished a whole batch in minutes! It was so good!
This is one of the best ways to eat a chocolate chip cookie!
The layers of chocolate takes these cookies to the next level! Perfect!
These cookies sound out of this world fantastic! Layers of chocolate – yes please! I’ve never heard of these but now I want them for breakfast. Terrific!
Can I just say my mind is blown with this recipe? I can’t wait to give these a try!
So unique and delicious looking! What’s not to love about layers of cookie dough and chocolate shards?
So much chocolate these are absolutely amazing!
I really love the layered idea– what great cookies!
Ok, layered chocolate chip cookies? This seriously ups the game!
These are really amazing! Perfect for cookies exchange!
I love the chocolate layers!
You can’t beat a good chocolate chip cookie recipe!
These are DELICIOUS! My new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!
These are my favorite with a glass of milk in the night time. Thanks for the recipe.
These chocolate chip cookies are SO incredible!
Absolutely delightful!
I am always in awe on the perfect cuts and round cookies amazing you how talented you are!
Hi Liz
I am about to try a variation of your recipe using a jar of ginger curd instead of the chocolate. I’ve had it lurking on a pantry shelf for far too long while I tried to think of a way to use it and my plan is to add a blob between two layers of the dough. My man absolutely loves ginger biscuits so a cookie dough recipe you can roll out to encase a gooey centre is just what I was looking for. I’ll report back on my success – or otherwise.
I’ll be making up a batch of the chocolate ones too, of course. It would be rude not to!!!
What a fun idea! Please report back and let me know how it works! I’m a ginger fiend, too 🙂
Oh man, Liz! You’ve done it again. Another recipe I want to try.
You’ll love this one, Guyla! Hope you’re doing well!!! xo
These look like something I’d like to try. As I was reading I thought puff pastry made with chocolate to separate the layers not butter! I know they are cookies, but the idea of having layered chocolate sounds great. Thanks for making and posting these. Sammie.
With simple ingredients you have created (another) delicious treat! How do you do that dear Liz?:)
Excellent work (as always)! We both appreciate chocolate cookies but these are taking the whole chocolate-cookie issue to a whole new level!:)
Great work!
Panos and Mirella
xoxoxo
ooooh you can never have too many ccc recipes!!! This def looks like one worth trying!
Lizzy,
These cookies would disappear in my house. My hubby now asks me if my baked goods “are for eating”.
Annamaria
I didn’t think that I could love a chocolate cookie more.. but you have done it Liz! This looks amazing. 🙂
These cookies look perfect, Liz! I love how thick they are! So cute that Bill asked if you took pictures yet too 🙂
These cookies look delish, and bonus that Bill wanted them.
I love how the first thing Bill asks is if you took the photos yet?! These look incredible!
This is definitely a different kind of chocolate chip cookie, sounds delicious!
I am SO trying this recipe Liz!
These look delicious, could really eat one right now with a cup of tea!
I want a dozen!
OMG! These are gorgeous! Thalia is one of my favs…she has such a beautiful site! I am sooooo making these 😀 😀 😀
Toodles,
Tammy<3
What gorgeous cookies, Liz! This method is new to me but I can’t want to try it out… those shards of chocolate are so tempting!
These cookies are the perfect reason to crank up the oven now that it’s a little cooler. They look and sound delicious, Liz! Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing!! Definitely going to give these a try!
They look pretty amazing and I love the name “Thousand Layer Cookies”, so fun!
Delicious! I love chocolate chip cookies and can’t imagine how chewy and delightful these would be with the brown sugar/molasses combination! Mmmmm
Que crujientitoas.
Un saludito
These cookies are the perfect way to start the cold days of fall! I mean, layered chocolate in a cookie. So good.
I have not tried such cookies yet! 🙂 yummy looking cookies 🙂
Whatever you call these, they look amazing. Sounds like you get even more goodness in every bite.
I am saving this for the X’mas baking. They must be particularly melt-in-mouth since you just use yolks there. Thanks for sharing, Liz.
Oh yea, they’d be a big hit here too! Happy Fall Liz:@)
In this house everyone also knows to ask, ‘Have you taken the photos yet?’ And they also expect to be given the burnt, under-done, odd-looking items as well. But at least there’s always some thing going on in the kitchen. These cookies look really good and I love how they’re made with a dark sugar xx
These cookies are perfect with a glass of milk!
Love them
Liking the idea of a layered chocolate chip cookie. I’ve never seen a cookie recipe with 4 eggs in it – these I will definitely have to try. Yummy and thank you for sharing. Sammie