Decadent Chocolate Lava Cookies
Ultra-fudgy chocolate cookies stuffed with a frozen ganache core that melts into a warm, silky river of molten chocolate. These Chocolate Lava Cookies bake up thick, gooey, dramatic, and irresistibly decadent—like handheld lava cakes!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling)
- Cook Time: 10–13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 18 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
**Ganache Lava Core**
200g dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped
120g heavy cream
**Chocolate Cookie Dough**
225g unsalted butter, softened
250g granulated sugar
100g brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
375g plain/all-purpose flour
50g Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
**Finishing**
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
**Make the Ganache**
Line a small tray with parchment. Place finely chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream until just beginning to bubble at the edges, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Chill 30 minutes until scoopable. Scoop into 18 portions and freeze at least 1 hour until solid.
**Make the Cookie Dough**
Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 3–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Sift together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold just until combined. Chill dough 30 minutes.
**Assemble the Lava Cookies**
Scoop about 2 tbsp of dough and flatten into a disk. Press a frozen ganache ball into the center and fully encase with dough, sealing completely. Roll smooth. Repeat with remaining dough and ganache. Chill shaped cookies 30–45 minutes.
**Bake**
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line baking trays with parchment. Bake chilled cookie balls for 10–13 minutes, until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft and puffed. Do not overbake.
**Cool & Finish**
Let cookies rest on the tray 5–10 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Break open warm for a molten lava center.
Notes
• Freeze ganache completely—this guarantees a molten center.
• Do not overbake; slightly underbaked centers = perfect lava flow.
• Thorough chilling prevents spreading and keeps the core intact.
• Seal the dough fully around the ganache to stop leaks.
• Reheat cooled cookies for 10–15 seconds to re-melt the center.
• For deeper chocolate flavor, add 1/2 tsp espresso powder to the dough.
Find it online: https://pinchofwarmthbakes.com/decadent-chocolate-lava-cookies/