Supreme Dark Chocolate Chewy Delights

1. Preparing the Oven and Baking Sheets

Adjust your oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.

2. Preparing Sugar and Dry Ingredients

Pour ½ cup of granulated sugar into a shallow baking dish or pie plate and set it aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until they are well combined. This ensures an even distribution of the dry ingredients in the dough.

3. Mixing the Wet Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the dark corn syrup, large egg white, and vanilla extract until you have a smooth mixture. This will help to bind the dry ingredients and add moisture to the dough.

4. Creaming the Butter and Sugars

Beat the softened unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, and ½ cup of granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the dough, which helps to create a chewy texture in the cookies.

5. Combining Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add the corn syrup mixture to the creamed butter and sugars, and mix on medium-low speed for about 20 seconds. Gradually add the flour mixture and continue mixing on low speed for about 30 seconds, until everything is fully incorporated. Stir in the chopped bittersweet chocolate pieces, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well mixed.

6. Chilling the Dough

Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up slightly. This step makes it easier to handle and shape the dough into balls.

7. Forming the Dough Balls

Using your hands, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Roll half of the dough balls in the remaining ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. This coating will give the cookies a nice, sweet crunch on the outside.

8. Baking the Cookies

Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies should be puffed with cracked edges and soft centers when done.

9. Cooling the Cookies

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time on the sheets helps to set their shape and texture.