Chocolate cookie recipes are, without a doubt, the most popular of all. Very few can resist the temptation of a soft, gooey, chocolaty cookie.

This chocolate cookie recipe is for the true chocolate lover, combining the rich taste of dark with the sweetness of white chocolate. They are also among the easiest cookies to make as there is no rolling and cutting out shapes. Simply drop the mixture from a spoon onto a baking tray.

Ingredients

115 g / 4 oz unsalted butter

115 g / 4 oz / 2/3 cup light muscovado sugar (if unavailable substitute with dark brown sugar)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

150 g / 6 oz / 1 ¼ cups self raising flour

75 g / 3 oz / ¾ cup porridge oats

115 g / 4 oz dark (semisweet or plain) chocolate, roughly chopped

115 g / 4 oz white chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 190oC / 375oF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or baking paper. This will prevent the cookies sticking to the baking sheet and is preferable to greasing the trays. It also prevents them spreading too much during baking.

So that the butter is soft enough to beat easily, remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to start. Unsalted butter is the preferred choice, but if you are going to use margarine, choose the firm block type that is suitable for baking.

Using an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar in a small bowl until the mixture lightens in color. The mixture should be well aerated and have a light and fluffy texture.

Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat until creamy. The eggs should also be at room temperature or they may curdle the creamed mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and sift the flour over the mixture. Using a metal spoon, gently fold through the mixture. Add the oats and chopped dark and white chocolate. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Take small tablespoons of the mixture and place on the trays spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.

Bake on the center shelf of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cookies begin to turn a pale golden color.

Remove from the oven and leave on the trays for about 5 minutes. Then using a wide, slotted spatula transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Your cookies will be soft when you first remove them from the oven, but will become crisper as they cool.

This mixture will make approximately 18 – 20 cookies.

Always buy the best quality chocolate you can afford. This is the one time when cost-cutting does not pay. The results are worth the extra cost. Of course the best way to buy it is by the block. Ideally it should contain 70% cocoa solids to achieve that rich chocolaty taste.

For best results it should be eating quality not compound. Other types contain other oils and ingredients and will give inferior results.