Belgian Cookie Dough Recipe

Soften and cream butter

Bring unsalted butter to room temperature (soft but not greasy) — about 30–45 minutes at room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes with a hand mixer or 2–3 minutes with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed.

Add yolks and vanilla

Scrape down the bowl, then add the two egg yolks and the vanilla extract. Beat until fully incorporated, about 30–45 seconds. The mixture should look smooth and slightly glossy.

Combine dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, and baking soda until evenly distributed.

Make the dough

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined after each addition. Scrape down the bowl and mix briefly (5–10 seconds) to ensure there are no streaks of flour. The dough should be soft, pliable and slightly sticky. If it feels too stiff, add up to 1 tablespoon heavy cream and mix briefly.

Fold in chocolate

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the coarsely chopped Belgian dark chocolate and the milk chocolate chips until evenly distributed. If using toasted nuts, fold them in at this stage.

Chill (optional for shaping)

For firmer scoopable dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30–60 minutes. For a soft, scoopable texture for immediate serving as edible cookie dough, chilling is optional.

Portion and finish

Scoop the dough into 1.5-tablespoon rounds (about small cookie-dough bites) using a cookie scoop or spoon. Place on a parchment-lined tray. If serving as edible dough, sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt flakes on each portion to enhance flavor. If you plan to bake as cookies, space dough balls 2" apart on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft.

Storage

For edible cookie dough: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving. For baking later: freeze dough balls on a tray until firm, then transfer to a sealed bag and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.