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Supremely Fudgy Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies Will Have You Wishing To Be On Santa’s Naughty List! 🎅🏼🤶🏼
For me, holiday baking is all about cookie plates! My annual cookie platters are a celebration of festive holiday flavors—cinnamon! gingerbread! peppermint!—but as a chocolate lover, I always make room for one deeply chocolatey treat.
Enter these Bittersweet Chocolate “Lumps of Coal”. These supremely fudgy, double chocolate chip cookies might look like coal, but trust me—they’re exactly the kind of treat you want to find in your Christmas stocking.
To create the perfect lump of coal cookies, I took inspiration from New York’s iconic Levain Bakery cookies, famous for their thick, craggy shape and soft, gooey centers.
I added black cocoa powder for a bold, bittersweet flavor and a dramatic, inky hue, then shaped the dough into charming ‘lumps’ for a playful, festive twist.
Whether you’re adding them to a holiday cookie platter or enjoying them with a mug of Christmas Morning Cocoa, these bittersweet chocolate cookies are a festive way to spread holiday cheer—whether you’re on the Naughty or Nice List this year!
Fancy-Feeling Recipes for Easy Holiday Hosting
Get popular dinner, brunch, and cookie recipes for a special holiday menu, whatever (or whenever) you’re celebrating.
During the holiday baking season, I always turn to Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White Organic All-Purpose Flour—it’s made from high-quality American-grown wheat and minimally processed for the best texture. Baking with Bob’s is simply the best! 🙌🏼
The Secret Ingredient: Black Cocoa 🖤
The secret to giving these cookies a striking color that looks just like coal? 🪨🥰 Black cocoa.
Black cocoa is an ultra Dutch-processed cocoa powder with an almost jet-black color and a smooth, mellow chocolate flavor. It’s less acidic than natural cocoa powder, which gives these cookies their deep, bittersweet chocolate taste without any sharpness. You can find black cocoa readily at specialty baking shops. It’s also available online.
No black cocoa powder? No problem! ⇢ You can make these bittersweet chocolate cookies with Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
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Buy Now → Make the Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
There are so many reasons to love this recipe, but at the top of the list is how quick and easy it is to throw together. The bittersweet chocolate cookie dough starts with cold butter (no need to soften anything to room temperature! 🙌🏼) and comes together in just one bowl.
How To Make Your Cookies Look Like Lumps of Coal 🪨
Shaping these cookies is where the real magic happens! ✨ Unlike most cookie recipes that aim for a perfectly round and uniform treats, these are meant to be charmingly misshapen—just like the cutest little lumps of coal.
There are 2 key secrets to ensuring these bittersweet chocolate cookies bake up into perfect lumps of coal: First, shape the dough balls so they’re taller than they are wide. Second, chill the shaped dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour.
Together, these steps prevent spreading, helping the cookies keep their lumpy, craggy shape while baking.
Make-Ahead Cookie Dough! ⇢ My favorite holiday baking hack? Prepping cookie dough ahead of time so you can bake fresh cookies on a whim! Just store the dough balls in the fridge or freezer for later. Check the Recipe Notes below for more guidance.
Complete Your Holiday Cookie Platter! 🎄🎅🏼
While these black cocoa lump of coal cookies are delicious any time of year, they really shine on a festive holiday cookie platter!
Create the ultimate Christmas cookie platter with Fudgy Peppermint Brownies, Tahini Buckeye Balls, Thick and Chewy Chai Oatmeal Cookies, and Stuffed Dark Chocolate Dipped Pretzels. The ultimate line-up of holiday sweetness!✨
I can’t wait for you to try these Lump of Coal Cookies! They’re fudgy, chocolatey, and irresistibly festive—the kind of treat everyone will hope to find in their stocking. Bake them for your holiday cookie platter, share them with friends, or keep them all to yourself (I won’t tell! 😉).
If you do give them a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy baking!
Print
“Lumps of Coal” Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
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Prep Time: 25 minutes -
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Inactive Chilling: 1 hour -
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Cook Time: 10-12 minutes -
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Total Time: 2 hours -
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Yield: 18–20 cookies -
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Category: Cookies, Dessert Recipes -
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Method: Baked -
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Cuisine: American -
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Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time:
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Pin RecipeDescription
Being on Santa’s Naughty List has never been sweeter! 🎅🏼🤶🏼 These Lump of Coal Cookies have craggy edges, a fudgy center, and rich flavor from black cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chips. Rolled in sugar and baked just until set, they’re the perfect treat for holiday cookie plates or festive hot cocoa breaks!
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, diced into cubes
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus ⅓ cup extra to coat the cookies
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White Organic All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup black cocoa powder (can substitute Dutch process cocoa powder)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix the wet ingredients: To the bowl of stand mixer, add the cold butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
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- Mix in the dry ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, instant coffee/espresso, and salt, breaking up any lumps in the cocoa powder. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. When the dough is almost fully combined, add the chocolate chips and mix until just incorporated.
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- Portion and chill the cookie dough: Divide the cookie dough into 18-20 balls, about 3 tablespoons each. For quickness and ease, I like to use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion the dough. Then, for the “lump of coal” effect, reshape each portion with your hands, making the edges rough and keeping the shape slightly tall. Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.
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- Baking prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll the chilled dough balls in the reserved granulated sugar until evenly coated, then place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart.
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- Bake the bittersweet chocolate cookies: Working with one baking sheet at a time, transfer the cookies to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake–the edges and tops should be set, but the centers will still be slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet just until they set.
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- Serving: Once the cookies are set, enjoy! These are a delicious treat with coffee or hot cocoa and make a festive addition to any holiday cookie plate—even for those on the Naughty List! 😉
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Notes
- Storage: These bittersweet chocolate cookies are best enjoyed within 2-3 days of baking, though you can store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
- Make-Ahead: These bittersweet chocolate cookies are perfect for holiday baking, and I often prep a double or triple batch for my holiday cookie plates. To streamline prep, make the dough in one go (Steps 1-3). After portioning, place the dough balls on a baking sheet and chill them completely in the refrigerator. Then transfer to large, resealable bags. Unbaked dough balls will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. You can bake straight from the refrigerator, adding 2-3 minutes if needed. For frozen dough, thaw in the fridge before baking.
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