Chocolate Chip Cookie Cobbler
This chocolate chip cookie cobbler is two of the best desserts in the world baked into one 9×13 dish: a golden, homemade chocolate chip cookie on top and a gooey, pudding-like hot fudge sauce underneath. No stovetop sauce and no fancy technique. You sprinkle a cocoa-sugar mixture over melted butter, scoop cookie dough over the top, pour boiling water over everything, and let the oven do the rest. Serve it warm with ice cream and watch it disappear.
A Little Story First
If you’ve been around my kitchen very long, you know I’m a chocolate girl. Chocolate chip cookies are one of my very favorite things, and I’ve made old-fashioned chocolate cobbler, the kind where the gooey chocolate sauce makes itself on the bottom of the pan, more times than I can count. So when I kept seeing a chocolate chip cookie version of that cobbler floating around, I knew I had to try it.
I’ll be honest with you: when this goes into the oven, it looks a little crazy. You’ve got cookie dough sitting on top of dry sugar and cocoa, and then you pour hot water right over the whole thing and don’t stir it. Every instinct tells you that’s wrong. Trust the process. It works, and it works beautifully.
Darren is not a big chocolate fan, so this was not exactly his kind of dessert. He even joked that he might go into a sugar coma just standing next to it! But he took a bite with a little ice cream and a spoonful of that chocolate from the bottom, and he called it a winner. When I can convert him, I know a dessert is worth sharing.
When I took my first bite, all I could say was, “This just might be the most perfect dessert ever.” Is it slap-your-mama good? Absolutely, although I would never slap my mama. It’s rich, so I serve it in small bowls. Trust me, a small serving is all you need.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cobbler
Serves 12 to 15. Prep 15 minutes, bake 35 to 40 minutes, rest 10 to 15 minutes. You will need a 9×13-inch baking dish and a mixer.
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or a mix)
For the chocolate cobbler layer:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups boiling water
For serving (optional):
- Vanilla ice cream (or any flavor you love; caramel cashew was delicious on this!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and creamy. Pack the brown sugar just a little bit. It doesn’t have to be exact.
- Add the egg. Beat in the egg until it’s fully mixed in. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients. Spoon the flour loosely into your measuring cup and level it off. You don’t want too much flour in this dough. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Start the mixer on low so the flour doesn’t fly everywhere, then turn it up a little as it works in.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Mix in the 2 cups of chocolate chips. That’s your cookie dough! (Using store-bought dough? Skip steps 2 through 5.)
- Melt the butter in the baking dish. Put the 4 tablespoons of butter in your 9×13 dish and set it in the preheating oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until melted. Swirl it around so it covers the whole bottom of the pan.
- Boil the water. While the butter melts, bring 2½ cups of water to a boil. I just use the microwave for a couple of minutes. You want it truly hot and steaming.
- Mix the cobbler layer. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, and salt. That little bit of salt balances out all the sweetness.
- Sprinkle, don’t stir. Sprinkle the sugar-cocoa mixture evenly over the melted butter. Don’t stir anything. Just let it sit there.
- Add the cookie dough. Scoop the cookie dough by spoonfuls all over the top of the dish. It doesn’t need to be perfect or cover every inch.
- Pour in the boiling water. Carefully pour the boiling water over everything, moving around to different spots in between the cookie dough. It’s going to look crazy. It’s going to work. Trust me, and still don’t stir!
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cookie top is golden. It will still be a little jiggly when it comes out. That’s exactly what you want.
- Let it rest. Give it a good 10 to 15 minutes to settle and set up. The chocolate layer thickens as it cools, and it will still be plenty hot.
- Serve. Scoop down to the bottom so every serving gets cookie on top and that gooey chocolate underneath. Top with a scoop of ice cream and enjoy.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cobbler
- Don’t stir, at any stage. The magic happens because the layers stay separate. The hot water sinks through the cocoa and sugar and turns into a pudding-like sauce while the cookie dough bakes on top.
- Use truly boiling water. Lukewarm water won’t dissolve the sugar and cocoa properly. Reheat it right before pouring if it’s been sitting.
- Don’t overbake. A slight jiggle in the center means the chocolate underneath is still saucy. It keeps cooking as it rests.
- Spoon your flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and gives you a dry, cakey topping.
- Pick your chocolate. Semi-sweet keeps it a little less sweet; milk chocolate makes it extra rich. A mix of both is my favorite.
- Ice cream is worth it. The cold ice cream cuts the richness. Even Darren agreed it makes it not quite as sweet.
- Shortcut option. Two 16-ounce packages of store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough will cover a 9×13 nicely. Homemade is a step up, but store-bought is still delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought cookie dough for chocolate chip cookie cobbler?
Yes. Refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough works great and makes this a super easy dessert. Just pinch it into pieces and scatter it over the cocoa layer. Homemade dough takes about five minutes and tastes even better, but either way you’ll end up with a delicious cobbler.
Why do you pour boiling water over the top without stirring?
It’s the same method used in old-fashioned chocolate cobbler (sometimes called hot fudge pudding cake). As it bakes, the boiling water dissolves the sugar and cocoa and sinks to the bottom of the pan, where it thickens into a rich chocolate sauce. Stirring would mix the layers together and you’d lose that gooey bottom.
Why is my cobbler still jiggly when it comes out of the oven?
That’s normal. The chocolate layer underneath is meant to be saucy, so the center will move a little when you take it out. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes and it will set up while staying gooey underneath.
What size pan do I need?
A 9×13-inch baking dish. A smaller pan will make the layers thicker and may overflow, so if you use something smaller, put a baking sheet underneath and expect a longer bake time.
Can I make chocolate chip cookie cobbler ahead of time?
It’s best served warm, about 15 to 20 minutes out of the oven. You can make the cookie dough a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then assemble and bake when you’re ready. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until warm and the chocolate sauce loosens up again.
Can I freeze it?
You can freeze baked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. The cookie top will be softer than fresh-baked, but it’s still delicious.
Can I use different chips?
Absolutely. Semi-sweet, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a mix all work. Peanut butter or butterscotch chips swapped in for part of the chocolate would be fun variations, too.
Should I use regular or Dutch-process cocoa?
Regular unsweetened cocoa powder is what I use, and it works perfectly. Dutch-process will give you a darker, slightly smoother chocolate flavor if that’s what you have on hand.
What should I serve with chocolate chip cookie cobbler?
Vanilla ice cream is the classic, and it helps balance the richness. Whipped cream, caramel or butter pecan ice cream, or a cold glass of milk are all great choices. Because it’s so rich, small servings go a long way.
Worth Giving a Try
If we can convert Darren, who’s not a big chocolate fan, you know this dessert is worth making. It’s quick, it’s simple, and making your own cookie dough brings it up to the next level. I hope your family loves it too.
Looking for more easy chocolate desserts? Try our Chocolate Torte with Ganache (no mixer needed!) or Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. And if you love a good cobbler, don’t miss our Pecan Pie Cobbler and Southern Peach Cobbler.
From Your Kitchen to Ours: One of my favorite things is hearing from you. If you have a tried-and-true family recipe you think belongs at Mary Katherine’s Table, I’d love to see it. Submit your recipe here, and it may be featured in a future video!
Thank you so much for joining me at Mary Katherine’s Table. And remember to go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness and give them some of yours.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cobbler
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or a mix
Chocolate Cobbler Layer
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups boiling water
For Serving
- vanilla ice cream optional
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- Beat in the egg until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until the flour starts to work in, then increase the speed slightly until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
Assemble and Bake
- Place 4 tablespoons butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and set it in the preheating oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until melted. Swirl to coat the bottom of the dish.
- Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Sprinkle the sugar-cocoa mixture evenly over the melted butter. Do not stir.
- Scoop the cookie dough by spoonfuls evenly over the top.
- Carefully pour the boiling water over everything, aiming between the scoops of cookie dough. Do not stir.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the cookie top is golden. The center will still be slightly jiggly.
- Let rest 10 to 15 minutes to set. Serve warm with ice cream, scooping to the bottom of the dish to get the chocolate sauce.
Video
Notes
- Store-bought shortcut: Two 16-ounce packages of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough can replace the homemade dough.
- Don’t stir: The boiling water sinks through the cocoa layer and bakes into a gooey chocolate sauce on the bottom.
- Use truly boiling water: Reheat it right before pouring if it has cooled.
- A little jiggle is normal: The cobbler keeps setting as it rests.
- Spoon the flour: Spoon and level it so the cookie topping doesn’t turn out dry.
- Storage: Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat servings in the microwave 20 to 30 seconds.
This recipe was easy and super delicious. I served with heavy creme. You need ice-cream or something to cut the richness. Small portions are a good idea so it goes a long way. I’d cut the cook time to 25 minutes because at 30 mine was a bit overdone and u want it to nice and saucy. we lived this and it will be going in the book.
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, this is definitely one you don’t want to be overbaked. That sauce is delicious! 🙂