Description
Delight in the classic Byron Bay Chocolate Chip Cookies, featuring a perfect balance of soft, buttery dough studded with rich dark chocolate chunks. These cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients and yield a satisfying crunchy texture after baking and cooling. Ideal for a comforting treat or sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter and Sugars
- 175g / 12 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (6.2 oz)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or normal, not dark)
- 1/3 cup white sugar (caster / superfine)
- 1/8 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or essence
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup rice flour (can substitute with plain/all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
Chocolate
- 200g / 7 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate block, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Prepare Butter and Sugars: Place the softened butter, salt, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl. Beat on speed 5 for 1 minute until the mixture is soft, creamy, and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the 2 egg yolks and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 1 minute until well incorporated.
- Add Baking Powder and Flours: Add the baking powder, rice flour, and half of the plain/all-purpose flour. Beat until no flour is visible, then add the remaining flour and beat again until incorporated. The mixture will be clumpy and thick but should stick together when pressed between fingers.
- Incorporate Chocolate Pieces: Using a wooden spoon, stir the chopped chocolate chunks thoroughly into the dough.
- Shape Dough Log: Transfer the dough onto a work surface and press it together into a 22cm / 9″ log shape. Wrap the log tightly in cling wrap or parchment paper, twisting the ends to seal.
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the wrapped dough log for 1.5 to 2 hours to firm up and develop flavors.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).
- Prepare Baking Trays: Line two baking trays with baking or parchment paper. Position one oven rack in the middle and the other one below it.
- Slice the Dough: Remove the dough log from the fridge and unwrap. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice into 1.75cm / 2/3″ thick slices, gently sawing through the chocolate chunks. If edges crumble slightly, press them back together; place 6 slices per tray.
- Bake Initial Stage: Bake the trays on their respective shelves for 10 minutes at 200°C / 390°F.
- Reduce Temperature and Swap Trays: Lower the oven temperature to 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan). Switch the positions of the trays between the middle and bottom shelves.
- Bake Final Stage: Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the cookie surfaces turn light golden and the edges develop a slightly deeper golden hue.
- Cool Down: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the trays to achieve a crunchy texture.
Notes
- Softening butter tip: To soften butter quickly, cut it into small cubes and leave at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or microwave briefly in short bursts.
- Rice flour can be substituted with plain/all-purpose flour if preferred.
- Use a serrated knife for better control when slicing through chocolate chunks to prevent breaking.
- Leftover egg whites can be saved for other recipes or meringues.
- Cooling cookies on trays is essential for achieving the desired crunchiness.
- Cookies keep fresh in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Keywords: Byron Bay, chocolate chip cookies, homemade cookies, baking, dessert, chocolate chunks
