Molten Chocolate Lava Cookies
Soft-baked chocolate cookies with molten dark-chocolate centers! These Ultimate Molten Chocolate Lava Cookies combine fudgy brownie richness, chewy cookie texture, and gooey lava-cake indulgence. Tested over nine times for a bakery-quality, show-stopping result.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10–11 cookies
- Category: Dessert, Cookies, Stuffed Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
100 g dark chocolate (60–70 % cacao), finely chopped
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
**Fudgy Chocolate Cookie Dough**
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated cane sugar
2 tablespoons milk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (75 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Make ganache: In a small saucepan, heat chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream on low until smooth and glossy. Chill 20–30 minutes until thick but scoopable.
2. Scoop & freeze: Portion ganache into 1-tablespoon mounds on parchment and freeze at least 20 minutes until solid.
3. Cream butter & sugars: Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
4. Add liquids: Mix in milk and vanilla just until combined.
5. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Make dough: Add dry ingredients to wet mixture on low speed until just combined; do not overmix.
7. Rest: Cover dough and let rest 30 minutes at room temperature to hydrate.
8. Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C); line a baking sheet with parchment.
9. Stuff cookies: Scoop ~50 g dough, flatten in palm, place one frozen ganache ball in the center, and wrap dough around to seal. Roll smooth.
10. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set but centers still soft.
11. Scoot & cool: Use a round cutter or glass to “scoot” warm cookies into perfect circles. Cool 5–10 minutes on tray before serving warm for that gooey lava effect.
Notes
Storage:
• Best enjoyed fresh for full molten center.
• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 3 days at room temperature.
Reheat:
• Microwave 10–15 seconds to re-melt the chocolate core.
Make-ahead:
• Freeze stuffed dough balls until solid; keep up to 3 months in a freezer bag.
• Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
Tips:
• Use bar chocolate, not chips, for smooth ganache.
• Always freeze ganache solid before stuffing.
• Resting dough prevents excess spread and yields chewier texture.
Find it online: https://pinchofwarmthbakes.com/molten-chocolate-lava-cookies/