Chocolate Cream Drops

I started making chocolate cream drops about three years ago when I needed a simple cookie that looked fancy but didn’t require any special skills. These soft, cake-like cookies get topped with a smooth chocolate ganache that sets into a glossy finish.

The base is more like a drop cake than a traditional cookie, it uses oil instead of butter, which keeps them soft for days. I’ve made these chocolate cream drops for birthday parties, bake sales, and just because I had a chocolate craving on a Tuesday afternoon.

The recipe comes together in one bowl, bakes in 12 minutes, and the ganache takes maybe 5 minutes to make. No mixer needed, no chilling the dough, no rolling anything out.

Why This Recipe Works

The oil-based batter creates cookies that stay moist much longer than butter-based ones. Butter cookies can dry out after a day or two, but these keep their soft texture for nearly a week when stored properly. The small amount of vinegar reacts with the baking soda to give you a light, tender crumb without any tangy taste.

I use a combination of cocoa powder in the cookie base and melted chocolate in the ganache topping. This gives you chocolate flavor in two different forms, the deeper, more intense cocoa in the cookie and the sweeter, creamier chocolate on top. The ratios here matter: too much cocoa makes the cookies dense and bitter, too little and they taste bland.

The ganache uses a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream, which sets to a firm but not hard consistency. I tried 2:1 once and it was too thick, 1:2 stayed too soft and slid off the cookies.

What You’ll Need For Chocolate Cream Drops

The key ingredients here are neutral oil (I use vegetable or canola), unsweetened cocoa powder, and heavy cream for the ganache. The oil keeps these cookies soft, don’t substitute butter or they’ll become a different cookie entirely. I use Dutch-process cocoa because it gives a smoother, less acidic chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa works fine if that’s what you have.

For the ganache, use real chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar, not chocolate candy melts. Candy melts have added stabilizers that change the texture. Heavy cream is non-negotiable here, milk or half-and-half won’t set properly. The vinegar is just regular white vinegar, and yes, you need it even though it’s a tiny amount.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream

How To Make Chocolate Cream Drops

1. Heat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Don’t skip the parchment, these cookies can stick.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make sure there are no lumps of cocoa powder.
3. Add the sugar, oil, egg, milk, vinegar, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until you have a smooth batter with no dry streaks. The batter will be quite thin, almost like a thick pancake batter.
4. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. They’ll spread a bit as they bake. I get about 24 cookies from this batch.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops look set and spring back lightly when touched. They won’t look fully done, that’s normal. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. This takes about 30 minutes.
6. While the cookies cool, make the ganache. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer, you’ll see small bubbles around the edges. Pour it over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
7. Let the cream and chocolate sit for 2 minutes without stirring, then whisk until smooth and glossy. If you have stubborn chunks of chocolate, microwave for 10 seconds and whisk again.
8. Let the ganache cool for 10-15 minutes until it thickens slightly but is still pourable. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of ganache onto the center of each cookie, letting it spread naturally. The ganache will set as it cools, which takes about 1 hour at room temperature.

Storing Your Chocolate Cream Drops

Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, with parchment paper between layers so the ganache doesn’t stick. They stay fresh for 5-7 days. The cookies actually get a bit softer after a day or two, which I like.

You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating. The ganache might look a bit dull after freezing, but the taste stays the same.

My Best Tips For Success

• Let the cookies cool completely before adding ganache. If they’re even slightly warm, the ganache will melt and slide right off.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookies tough.
• Use a cookie scoop for even-sized cookies. A tablespoon works too, but a scoop is faster and more consistent.
• If your ganache gets too thick while you’re working, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen it back up. If it’s too thin, let it sit at room temperature for a few more minutes.
• Line your baking sheets with parchment, not just grease them. These cookies have a high moisture content and can stick even to a well-greased pan.
• Check your baking soda expiration date. Old baking soda won’t give you the lift you need and your cookies will be flat and dense.
• The cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out. They continue cooking on the hot pan as they cool.

Ways To Customize This Recipe

Add 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder to the cookie batter to deepen the chocolate flavor without making them taste like coffee. I do this about half the time. You can also swap the vanilla extract for mint extract for chocolate-mint drops, or add 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract for chocolate-orange cookies.

For the ganache, use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet for a less sweet, more intense topping. White chocolate ganache looks nice for parties, though you’ll need to reduce the cream to 3/4 cup since white chocolate is softer. I’ve also stirred a tablespoon of peanut butter into the ganache, which is good if you’re into that combination.

Sprinkle chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, or sea salt on top of the ganache right after you add it, before it sets. These work well for gift boxes since they look more finished.

Notes

• Use Dutch-process cocoa for smoother flavor, or natural cocoa works fine
• Don’t substitute butter for oil, it changes the texture completely
• Must use heavy cream for ganache, not milk or half-and-half
• Store in airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days
• Freeze up to 3 months with parchment between layers

Common Questions About Chocolate Cream Drops

Can I use a hand mixer instead of stirring by hand? Yes, but mix on low speed and stop as soon as the batter comes together. A spoon works just as well and there’s less cleanup.

Why are my cookies flat? Your baking soda is probably expired, or your oven temperature is off. Check with an oven thermometer. Also make sure you’re measuring flour correctly, spoon it into the cup and level it off, don’t scoop.

Can I make these without eggs? I haven’t tested it, but a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) should work. The texture might be slightly different.

The ganache won’t thicken. What happened? You might not have used heavy cream, or the cream wasn’t hot enough to fully melt the chocolate. Try refrigerating it for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes until it thickens.

Can I double this recipe? Yes, it doubles perfectly. You’ll need to bake in batches unless you have four baking sheets.

How do I know when the cookies are done? Touch the top lightly, it should spring back and not leave an indent. They’ll look slightly underdone, which is what you want.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet? You can, but the ganache will be much sweeter. I’d reduce the sugar in the cookie to 2/3 cup if you’re using milk chocolate ganache.

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