Salted Chocolate Truffle Cookies

If you love your cookies rich, chewy, and unapologetically chocolatey, these salted chocolate truffle cookies are going to be right up your alley. They bake up with that signature crinkly top you expect from a great brownie, but in a perfectly snackable cookie form.

The dough comes together easily chills briefly, and then scoops easily into soft, glossy mounds that turn into bakery-style cookies in just a few minutes in the oven. A light sprinkle of coarse salt before baking adds a subtle contrast that keeps the sweetness in check and makes the chocolate flavor shine even more.

They’re just as good warm from the oven as they are tucked into a cookie jar for later, which makes them a great option for everything from casual weeknight baking to holiday trays and gift boxes.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cookies

• Brownie-level chocolate flavor. Melted bittersweet chocolate in the dough makes these extra rich and fudgy.
• Soft centers, crackly tops. That classic truffle-cookie look with a tender bite.
• Easy, no-fuss process. One bowl, a short chill, and you’re ready to bake.
• Sweet-salty balance. A pinch of flaky salt takes the flavor from good to can’t-stop-eating.
• Perfect for sharing. These travel well and look beautiful on a cookie tray or tucked into a treat box.

Key Ingredients

• Bittersweet chocolate – This is the backbone of the recipe. Melting the chocolate into the dough (instead of just relying on cocoa powder) gives these cookies their deep, truffle-like flavor and that soft, fudgy center. Use a good-quality bar or baking chocolate for the smoothest melt and best taste. If you’re not sure which chocolate to choose, I’ve got a quick guide to the different types of baking chocolate and how they affect flavor and texture.
• Eggs – Whisked with the sugar, the eggs help create the glossy, brownie-style batter that leads to those signature crackly tops once the cookies bake.
• Mini chocolate chips – These add little pockets of melty chocolate throughout the cookies without overpowering the dough. Their smaller size means you get chocolate in every bite instead of big chunks that can make scooping tricky.
• Coarse salt (like fleur de sel or flaky sea salt) – Just a light sprinkle before baking is all you need. It doesn’t make the cookies salty — it simply sharpens the chocolate flavor and adds a subtle crunch on top.
• All-purpose flour – A small amount goes a long way here. There’s just enough to give the cookies structure while keeping them soft and brownie-like in the center.

How to Make Salted Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Melt the chocolate and butter.
Start by gently melting the bittersweet chocolate and butter together until smooth and glossy. Let it cool just slightly. You want it warm, not hot, so it doesn’t scramble the eggs when you mix everything together.

Mix the dry ingredients.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. This keeps the leavening evenly distributed so the cookies bake up with consistent texture.

Whisk the eggs and sugar.
In a larger bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until the mixture looks thick and a little lighter in color. This step helps set you up for that brownie-style crackly top.

Combine the chocolate and batter.
Slowly pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, whisking as you go. Stir in the vanilla until everything is smooth and glossy.

Fold in the flour and chips.
Add the dry ingredients in a few additions, mixing just until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. If the dough still feels warm, give it a few minutes to cool first so the chips don’t melt into the batter.

Chill briefly.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This firms it up just enough to make scooping easy without turning it stiff.

Scoop and salt.
Drop tablespoon-sized mounds onto lined baking sheets, leaving a little space for spreading. Sprinkle each one lightly with coarse salt — less is more here.

Bake and cool.
Bake until the edges look set and the tops are crackly, but the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Variations and Serving Ideas

• Dark chocolate lovers. Swap the mini semisweet chips for mini dark chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate for an even deeper, more intense chocolate flavor.
• Peppermint twist. Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract along with the vanilla and sprinkle the tops with a mix of flaky salt and finely crushed candy canes before baking. These make great holiday cookies without needing a whole new recipe.
• Espresso boost. Stir ½ to 1 teaspoon of espresso powder into the dry ingredients to highlight the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste like coffee.
• Dipped and drizzled. Once cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate or drizzle the tops for a bakery-style finish. This is especially nice if you’re packaging these as gifts.
• Serve them warm. These are at their fudgiest slightly warm, when the centers are extra soft and the chocolate chips are still melty. Pair with coffee, milk, or hot chocolate for a cozy, low-effort dessert moment.
• Dress them up. Turn these into an easy dessert plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a mug of hot chocolate for a cozy, low-effort chocolate night.

How to Store and Make Ahead

Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’ll stay soft and fudgy, especially if you tuck a slice of bread into the container to help maintain moisture.

Refrigerator: If your kitchen runs warm, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for a bit before serving so the centers soften back up.

Freeze the dough: Scoop the dough into portions, place them on a lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time and sprinkle with salt right before they go in the oven. If you love having cookies ready to bake, my full guide to freezing cookie dough walks through the process step-by-step.

Freeze baked cookies: Once completely cool, freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave for that just-baked feel.

One Last Chocolatey Note

If you’re the kind of baker who believes there’s no such thing as “too much chocolate,” these salted chocolate truffle cookies are going to earn a permanent spot in your rotation. They’re rich without being heavy, simple without feeling plain, and just fancy enough to make an everyday baking day feel a little special.