What’s the best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies?

In every episode of our new podcast Things Bakers Know, we answer baking questions from our listeners. In our recent episode all about chocolate chip cookies, one caller asked a very important question: What’s the best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies? Below is an edited excerpt from hosts David Tamarkin and Jessica Battilana. You can find the full episode here.

David: Where do I begin? I have so many thoughts about this. I think we can check off the easy answers first. So first of all, the form of chocolate you use does matter. If you are using chocolate chips, those are designed specifically to not melt. And that has an impact on the final texture of your cookie.

A chocolate chip cookie that uses chocolate chips will not spread as much, which is neither good nor bad: It's a stylistic thing, but it absolutely matters. If you're chopping your chocolate, you're going to get pools of chocolate throughout your cookie. Your cookie is going to lay a little flatter; you're also going to have some bites that are full of chocolate and then parts of the cookie that aren't. Personally, that's my preference. 

Now, as to what type of chocolate to use, I mean … 

Jessica: I mean, find your bliss, right? I think there are plenty of good quality brands of chocolate chips out there. Semisweet chocolate is going to be sweeter than bittersweet chocolate. The specific percentage of cacao in bittersweet versus semisweet chocolate varies from brand to brand, but you can assume that semisweet chocolate is always going to be a bit sweeter than bittersweet. It really comes down to personal preference.

David: And yours is?

Jessica: Well, that's a good question. I like bittersweet chocolate in my cookies. But my children like semisweet chocolate. Honestly, often what I'm doing is dredging up whatever bits and bobs of chocolate I have in my pantry. So it'll be like some chocolate chips, some chopped chocolate, you know, everybody in the pool. And you know what? It always turns out pretty good. 

David: I, like you, prefer a bittersweet chocolate in my cookie. For me, the chocolate is there to offset the sweetness of the cookie.

We’re answering more essential cookie questions over on the podcast, including solving the mystery of why one baker’s cookies turn out differently even when she’s following the exact same recipe, and another question about edible cookie dough. Listen to the full episode for the answers!

Cover photo (Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies) and food styling by Liz Neily.