If you’re a chocolate lover (like me), you’re going to fall hard for these Fudgy Chocolate Lava Cookies. Imagine a cookie that has the crackly, brownie-like top, a chewy bite, and a warm, molten chocolate center that oozes out the moment you take that first bite. That’s exactly what we’re making today—and yes, they’re every bit as good as they sound.

These cookies walk the perfect line between indulgent dessert and cozy comfort food. They’re rich and deeply chocolatey, yet come together with everyday pantry staples. The texture? Oh wow—it’s got that irresistible crispy edge, a soft, chewy middle, and a surprise lava center that feels like a secret treasure hidden inside. They’re basically like mini molten lava cakes in cookie form. And the best part? You don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull these off.

I made these last week when we had friends over for a casual dinner, and let’s just say… the cookies stole the show. People were scraping their plates with their spoons to catch every last bit of gooey chocolate, and I got three requests for the recipe before dessert was even over. So today, I’m breaking it all down for you—from ingredients to step-by-step tips—so you can bring these decadent little treats to your own table.

Let’s get baking!

this recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll want to gather before getting started:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• 2 large eggs

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Chocolate chunks or squares (for the molten center)

If you want that dramatic lava effect when you break open the cookie, go with a good-quality chocolate square for the center. I’ve used dark chocolate chunks and even pieces of a high-quality chocolate bar, and both work beautifully.

STEP 1: Melt the Chocolate and Butter

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trust me, you’ll want to use parchment—these cookies can get sticky if the lava seeps out, and cleanup is so much easier with the liner.

In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter together. I do this in the microwave using 20-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Set it aside to cool slightly. You don’t want it piping hot when it goes into the eggs—lukewarm is perfect.

STEP 2: Whisk the Eggs, Sugar, and Vanilla

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla together for about 2 to 3 minutes. You’re looking for a mixture that’s lightened in color and slightly thickened. This step adds air into the batter and helps give the cookies that beautiful shiny top when they bake—kind of like a good brownie.

STEP 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Now slowly mix the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. You want everything to be fully combined but don’t overmix.

Next, sift in your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir gently until you’ve got a thick, glossy batter. It’ll look more like brownie batter than traditional cookie dough, and that’s exactly what we want here.

STEP 4: Chill the Dough

This is an important step—chill your dough for 20 to 30 minutes. It helps the batter firm up just enough so you can shape it. Skipping the chill time can make the dough too sticky to work with, and the cookies might spread too much in the oven.

Once it’s chilled, we’re ready for the fun part: stuffing those cookies!

Welcome back! If you’ve chilled your dough and prepped your chocolate centers, you’re ready for the magic to really happen. This part of the process is where those decadent, bakery-worthy lava cookies start to take shape—and honestly, it’s a lot easier than you might think.

I always say this is the step where the cookies go from “nice idea” to “are you kidding me?!” status. The secret to that molten, lava-like center is in how you wrap the dough around the chocolate. I’ll walk you through it so yours turn out perfectly fudgy, gooey, and full of chocolatey drama every single time.

Let’s get to it.

STEP 5: Shape the Cookies and Add the Lava Center

Once your dough has chilled for 20 to 30 minutes, it should be much easier to handle. Using a small cookie scoop or a couple of spoons, portion out about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.

Here’s how to stuff them:

1. Slightly flatten each scoop of dough in your palm.

2. Press a piece of high-quality chocolate chunk or square into the center.

3. Gently fold the dough around the chocolate and seal it completely.

4. Roll the dough into a ball so the chocolate is fully enclosed inside.

Place each cookie ball onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between them. They’ll spread just a bit, and you want to give them space to develop that signature crackly top.

STEP 6: Bake Until Crackly and Soft in the Middle

Pop the tray into your preheated oven at 350°F and bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the tops are shiny, cracked, and just set around the edges. Don’t wait for the centers to look done—they should still look slightly underbaked.

This is key: If you bake them too long, the lava effect will disappear and you’ll end up with a regular (though still tasty) chocolate cookie. To keep the gooey center, take them out while the centers are still soft and slightly jiggly.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This short cooling time helps them set up just enough while keeping that gooey middle intact.

STEP 7: Serve Warm (or Reheat Later!)

These cookies are hands-down the best when they’re still warm and the centers are molten. Serve them just as they are or, if you really want to take things over the top, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top. The combo of warm, gooey cookie and cold, creamy ice cream is unreal.

If you’re making these ahead of time, you can totally reheat them. Just pop one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, and it’ll be gooey all over again.

Tips for Success and Simple Variations

• Use High-Quality Chocolate: The better the chocolate, the better the flavor and texture. Look for chocolate with at least 60% cacao for a rich, intense flavor.

• Chill the Dough: Don’t skip this step. Chilling the dough keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps hold in the lava center.

• Customize the Center: You can use dark, milk, or even flavored chocolate like hazelnut or caramel-filled squares for the center. A bit of peanut butter or a mini peanut butter cup would be amazing, too.

• Add a Sprinkle of Sea Salt: Right before baking, sprinkle a tiny bit of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie. It really enhances the chocolate flavor and adds a nice balance.

• Freeze for Later: These cookie dough balls freeze really well. Just shape them with the chocolate center inside, then freeze on a tray. Once frozen, transfer to a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to bake, pop them straight into the oven from frozen and just add a minute or two to the bake time.