A few weeks ago a friend of mine had a bad case of poison oak. I mean, he was COVERED. He was in fact so covered that he had to go to the hospital. Now, if anyone you know has to go the hospital because of poison oak, the least you can do is bake cookies for him. At least, that’s how I feel. I asked my friend what kind of cookies he preferred and without hesitation he said “double chocolate chip.”

Coincidentally, my mother had recently sent me a recipe for Ooey Gooey Double Chocolate cookies from Milk in Los Angeles, so I decided to give them a try. To be clear: I have never been to Milk; I couldn’t find it on a map if my life depended on it. However, I LOVE this place. I would go there every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even a mid-day snack, all because of these chocolate pieces of heaven.

I actually had to read the recipe a few times before I confirmed that yes, there is over a pound of chocolate in these cookies, and yes, the recipes specifically says that they should only cook long enough to be barely set up. Basically, once they’re cooked enough that you can get them to your mouth without the aid of a spoon, they’re perfect. Perfectly ooey and gooey and chocolaty and mmmmm….

Ooey-Gooey Double Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from Bret Thompson of Milk in Los Angeles.

Servings: 1 1/2 dozen

1/4 pound (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (chunks or chips)

In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bow combine the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix just until combined and set aside. In another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate.

Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the dough onto a greased baking sheet lined with parchment (I used a Silpat.) Grease your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking) and shape the dough into balls. Place the balls on the pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and the center is still soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Place the cookies, still on the parchment, on a rack and cool completely before serving. They will be very soft, gooey and delicious.