Samsational Sweets

Ganache-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you thought my classic chocolate chip cookies couldn’t possibly get any better… surprise! These Ganache-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies take everything you love about the original — soft centers, melty chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt — and hide a silky, espresso-kissed chocolate ganache right in the middle.

The best part? You don’t need anything fancy. Just a quick stovetop ganache, my favorite cookie dough base, and a bit of patience while everything chills. The result is gooey, rich, and dangerously good. Consider this your new favorite way to bake chocolate chip cookies.

Recipe

Prep:

25 minutes

Chill (opt):

30 minutes

Bake:

9-11 minutes

Servings:

~14 cookies

Ingredients

Ganache Filling

8 oz (225 g) dark, milk, or semisweet chocolate
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp espresso powder

Cookie Dough

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
½ tsp espresso powder
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

Ganache

In a medium saucepan, combine 8 oz chocolate, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 Tbsp butter, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp espresso powder.
Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or until thick enough to scoop.
Once firm, scoop teaspoon-sized mounds of ganache onto a parchment-lined plate and freeze while you make the cookie dough

Cookies

Cream it: In a large bowl, mix ½ cup softened butter, ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar, and ½ cup brown sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla and beat until fluffy.
Dry mix: In another bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, and ½–1 tsp espresso powder.
Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing just until the flour disappears (no overmixing!).
Chocolate overload: Fold in 1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips.
Chill (optional): Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to keep the cookies thick and chewy

Stuff + Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, flatten it into a disc, and place a frozen ganache mound in the center. Cover with another tablespoon of cookie dough and seal the edges completely.
Bake for 9–11 minutes on the top rack, until the edges are golden and the centers look just slightly soft.
Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Let cool for 5–10 minutes before serving so the ganache stays warm and gooey inside.

Sam’s Notes

Okay confession time — in my photos, I didn’t chill the dough before baking. That’s why my cookies baked up a little flatter than usual… but honestly? They were still so gooey and delicious. If you want them extra thick and bakery-style, definitely chill your dough for at least 30 minutes before baking!
The espresso powder adds such a rich, chocolate-forward depth (especially paired with dark or semisweet chocolate). But if you’re not big on that slight bitterness, swap it for ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon for a softer, cozier flavor twist.
If you use milk chocolate chips, the espresso note balances perfectly — dark chocolate makes it more intense, while milk chocolate keeps it sweet and dreamy.
However you make them, they’re melty, gooey, and completely Samsational — promise.