Renowned pastry chef and chocolatier Pierre Hermé shares another one of his favorite easy and delicious chocolate recipes that I have translated from French, tested, and adapted. He notes that the amount of salt added to the cookies perfectly complements their richness, and I agree! I love any salted chocolate treat, and these cookies deliver on that promise. They also have a delicate chewiness, with some large flakes of salt incorporated into the dough remaining partially undissolved, offering an occasional surprise burst of salt.
In his video, Pierre mentions that the vanilla is optional, but it enhances the overall flavor, acting as a seasoning that rounds out the taste, as it does in any baked good. He also explains that flaky sea salt gives the cookies a delightful salty flakiness when enjoyed, although fine salt can be used instead. He recommends reducing the salt quantity to 1/3 teaspoon (2 g) if using a fine salt.
Although Pierre mixes his dough using a food processor, I found this method to be slower for bringing the dough together and a little more complicated due to the sharp blade, making it difficult to scrape the thick dough from the sides and bottom when needed. Therefore, I have adapted the recipe using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, simplifying the process and allowing for easier scraping and faster mixing, but you can use the method you prefer. Watch Pierre make the cookies (in French) here:
Makes 24 cookies about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) in diameter
1 1/2 cups minus 1 Tbsp (175 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (30 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
10 1/2 Tbsp (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (120 g) turbinado sugar, such as Organics brand
1/2 tsp (3 g) flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional)
5 oz (150 g) premium dark chocolate, such as Valrhona Guanaja 70% cacao or other dark chocolate near the same percentage cacao, roughly chopped
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
Cut the butter into large pieces. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the granulated and turbinado sugars and the salt. Beat until thoroughly combined (the sugars should look fully incorporated into the butter, but the mixture will remain grainy). Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add half the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until the flour is mostly incorporated; the mixture will now look sandy and in large pieces but most of the dry ingredients will be incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is in large pieces. Add the chopped chocolate pieces and mix until they are evenly incorporated; do not overmix.
Scrape the dough out onto a work surface and knead briefly with your hands until it comes together well; do not overknead it. This additional hand kneading ensures the dough and the chocolate pieces are homogenous and stay together. The dough should weigh approximately 24 ounces (660 g). Using a heavy knife, cut the dough into four even portions, approximately 6 ounces (165 g) each. Working with one portion at a time, roll each one into a smooth, neat log 6 inches (15 cm) long and about 1 inch (3 cm) in diameter. Tap the ends with your hands while you are forming the logs to help square them up. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut each log widthwise into six 1-inch (3 cm) rounds. Try to hold the knife straight up and down while cutting through the logs to keep the sides of the rounds as straight as possible, ensuring the cookies bake up flat. If any pieces break off the rounds, just stick them back onto the dough. Place the rounds, still chilled, cut side up on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. If the end pieces are more rounded, set them on the baking sheet with their flat sides down. One baking sheet will fit about twelve cookies, so plan to bake them in two batches (keeping the second batch in the refrigerator) or simultaneously on two separate baking sheets.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or just until the cookies are set but the centers remain slightly underbaked. The cookies will look matte all the way across. It is important to leave the centers slightly underbaked to maintain the cookies’ best texture once cooled.
Immediately slide the parchment paper, with the cookies still on top, onto a cooling rack. You may have to use a spatula to lift up the edge of the paper and then tilt the pan as you carefully pull the entire paper onto the rack. Removing them immediately off the hot pan prevents them from continuing to bake and becoming too dry. Let cool completely, and enjoy.
Storage: You can make the dough logs ahead and store them well wrapped in plastic wrap for several days in the refrigerator before baking the cookies, or you can freeze them for long-term storage well wrapped in plastic wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the cooled baked cookies in an airtight container away from humidity. Stored in this way, they will keep for several days.
Chef Zach’s Notes:
Pierre uses Valrhona Guanaja 70% cacao dark chocolate for the chocolate pieces and explains in the video that he loves the intense, but not bitter, flavor of this Madagascar-origin chocolate. I agree, and it’s a great choice, but since the chips are not integrated into the dough, you can use any dark chocolate chip of any percentage cacao that you prefer.
If you decide to transfer the cookies off the hot pan one by one, wait five minutes to allow them to cool slightly, as they are too soft to move immediately out of the oven.
In the video, Pierre emphasizes the importance of not overbaking the cookies, leaving the centers slightly underbaked out of the oven.