These HUGE, thick chocolate chip cookies are the kind you’d find front and center in a bakery case. My recipe takes just 15 minutes to prep before chilling and yields an incredible, gourmet chocolate chip cookie. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Bakery-Inspired Chocolate Chip Cookies
We’ve made giant and mini chocolate chip cookies, thin & crispy chocolate chip cookies, and even the WORST chocolate chip cookies… but these thick chocolate chip cookies are a first! Another gourmet-style cookie, these super thick and fat cookies are tender, soft, melt-in-your mouth, and oh-so-chocolatey.
They’re the sort you’d spy behind bakery glass and just wouldn’t be able to resist ordering one… or a dozen.
But before we get started, it’s so important that I note that while they are thick, these cookies are NOT cakey (dry, cakey cookies are unwelcome here!).
In order to achieve this tricky balance of melt-in-your-mouth-ness AND pillowy thickness, it’s very important you don’t accidentally overmeasure your flour, or your cookies could actually end up cakey. I recommend using a kitchen scale to be safe, but if you don’t have one of those (you should really get one), check out my post on how to (properly) measure flour!
What You Need
Most of these ingredients will be pretty familiar, but let’s chat about a few that can be customized to your liking:
- Brown sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar, or do what I do and use equal parts of each. Personally, I find that using all dark brown sugar yields a cookie that’s just a bit too rich.
- Cake flour. For someone who doesn’t stand for cakey cookies, I’ve found cake flour has made its way into an awful lot of my cookie recipes, recently. From my blueberry muffin cookies and coffee cake cookies to my Lofthouse cookies, I’ve found that, while not a typical cookie ingredient, cake flour contributes to the thick, tender texture we’re going for here. It creates a fine crumb that really does melt in your mouth. You can substitute all-purpose flour (instructions below), but the texture won’t be the same.
- Vanilla extract. I love using my homemade vanilla extract in these cookies. By the way… if you start making a batch of homemade vanilla now, it will be ready just in time for holiday baking 😉
- Chocolate. Chocolate chips work great (opt for semisweet), but I really enjoy using 8-10 oz of chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate bars. The bars just melt nicer and leave varying sizes of chocolate throughout the dough.
- Cornstarch. Okay, this one isn’t customizable or negotiable, but it is highly important and therefore worth mentioning! Cornstarch helps with the thickness of these cookies (it prevents them from spreading too much) and their melt-in-your-mouth (I have repeated this phrase so often only because it is so relevant, I promise) tenderness. Don’t skip it!
SAM’S TIP: Add the dry ingredients gradually! If you add the flour all at once, you will have a tough time mixing everything together and your dough will be dryer and more difficult to work with than necessary (and this is already a stiff dough).
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cream together the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and stir well to combine.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually add them to the wet ingredients.
- Fold in the chocolate until thoroughly incorporated, then cover the dough and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Scoop ⅓-cup sized scoops onto a parchment lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2″ apart.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes at 375F or until the edges look slightly golden brown. The centers will still be a bit underdone and fragile when you remove them from the oven, so let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: I use an ice cream scoop for this dough since we are going for huge chocolate chip cookies. You can always drop the dough right on the baking sheet, but I like to roll mine into smooth balls to make them more uniform first.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t let these cookies cool completely on their baking sheets, they will likely fall apart on you (they are super fragile while warm). This isn’t a bad thing, but it can be unexpected if you are were planning to enjoy the cookies right after baking!
Yes! This dough can stay tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dough might be a bit hard to scoop at first, so you can let it sit at room temperature for a bit to soften back up.
Unfortunately I don’t have a great substitute. I know sometimes bakers use tapioca starch and arrowroot powder instead, but I’m not sure how they would work here. If you do try either of these, please let me know how it goes for you!
Love these cookies? Try my thick peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies next!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Big Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar firmly packed (use light, dark, or a blend of the two)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (450 g) cake flour
- 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cup (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips see note
Recommended Equipment
- Ice cream scoop
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat until light and well-creamed.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and stir well.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.4 cups (450 g) cake flour, 2 Tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until completely combined.
- Add chocolate chips and use a spatula to fold in until well distributed.2 cup (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Cover bowl and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375F (190C).
- Once dough has chilled, uncover and scoop into ⅓-cup sized scoops (I use an ice cream scoop). Drop onto prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 2” apart, and bake for 13-14 minutes, until edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown. Allow cookies to cool before removing from the baking sheet, cookies will be fragile and prone to breaking while warm and will appear under-baked in the center if they’re broken into before they’re cooled completely.
Notes
Flour
I recommend cake flour for best results. However, you may substitute all-purpose flour (cookies will be less tender). Use 3 ⅔ cup (450g) all-purpose flour.Chocolate
I like to use a blend of mini and regular-sized chocolate chips or I’ll chop up 8 oz of semisweet chocolate and use that instead.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cookies may also be frozen after baking and cooling. Wrap tightly and frreeze up to several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Lucy
Made these last night. another keeper recipe. Thanks for another great recipe.
Martha Tracy
This recipe looks fabulous….. what’s the average diameter of them? Have to make big cookies for a give-away and need to know how wide the little bags need to be…?? Thanks, Martha t
Sam
Hi Martha! I haven’t measured it, but I would guess about 3 inches. 🙂
kim topping
Wonderful cookies but mine did not spread much if any. Suggestions? Cake flour made all the difference in the texture. Very light tasting though it looked heavy. All my ingredients were fresh.
Sam
Hi Kim! These shouldn’t spread a whole lot, just a little bit. If they stayed in ball form, there may have just been a little too much flour if they stayed in ball form. I hope that helps. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Anthony Marabello
Hey Sam,
Wow! These are amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I followed your directions to the T, minus having to leave them in 2 minutes longer because I eyeballed the size? And I Think I made them a little bigger! But they were absolutely delicious!! My wife actually suggested I write this to tell you how much she/we loved them!
Neither of us ever had a cookie like this before, and it was great! Thanks again, can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Anthony! 🙂
Anthony
We made them a few more times, & they just keep getting better..
Which I’d like to add for anyone who is thinking about making this recipe or any baker’s or chef’s recipes you’ve learned online, without any culinary training?
The minute you decide to substitute an ingredient for anything else, like the flour? it’s no longer Sam’s recipe you’re baking. You are now making some messed up concoction that you are now responsible for! So when it doesn’t come out right? It’s not Sam’s fault because that wasn’t her recipe from the start, & you just told the whole world you didn’t follow instructions & messed up.
Just wanted to clear this up because it’s been on my mind after I read some of the reviews, & every time I eat one of these delicious cookies? Or make a fresh batch like I just finished doing? I can’t help to think about this topic, sorry.
Thanks again! 🙂
Tracy
These are so good!! I have been trying to mimic a local bakery’s chocolate chip cookies and this is by far the closest recipe out there. Thick, puffy, and a little chewy. Using semi-sweet bars is the way to go!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Tracy! 🙂
Tracie
Hi. I was wondering if this cookie dough could be frozen in individual servings prior to baking.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Tracie! It sure can; check out our how to freeze cookie dough post for details 😊
Lisa
Thanks a lot, Sam. You have officially ruined every other chocolate chip cookie recipe for me now. How could I ever make anything but these?? These are a chocolate chip cookie lover’s DREAM. I’ve made these probably half a dozen times since you posted the video, and they are perfection every time. Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
😂 We’re so happy you love them too, Lisa! Thanks for the review!
Kirsten
These cookies are incredible. I mixed in some red and green flat holly & berry shaped sprinkles and rolled the tops in the sprinkles before baking, and they look really cute and festive. Only other thing I changed was doubling the vanilla. I made them at high altitude and they turned out perfect.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Kirsten! 🙂
virginia ellison
i can”t wait try this recipe, i love chocolate chip cookies . and now i have to wear dentures it makes hard for me to eat the regulat chocolate chip cookies. thank you for putting this recipe up.
Michelle
I had to rate before posting . I have not made as yet as I have a question. If I want to make them smaller say 1/4 c size instead of 1/3, how long to bake and should I bake at 375?
Sam
Hi Michelle! I’d check at 10 minutes and see how they look. The baking temperature will be the same. Enjoy! 🙂
Jennifer
I made these exactly as posted with the exception of cake flour…I used all-purpose with the recommendation for same. I don’t think they came out like a cookie. they are more scone-like. I was highly disappointed. luckily my husband and children like scones. perhaps they may have been more like a cookie with the cake flour.
Sam
Hi Jennifer! They shouldn’t really be scone-like unless they were accidentally over-baked. They do have similarities in that they are thick and the crumb should melt in your mouth, they aren’t chewy cookies like a classic chocolate chip, these are bakery-style ones. Did you substitute all-purpose flour, by chance? That’s more likely to give them a scone-like texture, too.
Debbie
Loved these! I didn’t have enough chocolate chips, so used what I had and they were great – but will definitely make them with more chips next time. Trying your Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies next, but wanted to ask – would it work to add maple syrup to this recipe? I love these thick cookies, and wonder if the syrup might make these the “Second Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies”? Thanks so much for these awesome recipes!
Sam
Hi Debbie! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed all of the cookies! I haven’t experimented with adding syrup here. Without making other alterations the cookies would definitely not be as thick.
Aaron
Not the cookie I was looking for. I wanted a soft, chewy, thick cookie. They are dry and thick, like eating a scone. They won’t go to waste but I probably won’t make this receipe again.
Sam
Hi Aaron! This is not meant to be a chewy cookie, it is a thick, melt-in-your mouth one. It should not be dry (unless they were overbaked) but it does sound like you are looking for a different sort of cookie than the one described here. I hope that helps!
Kim
Can you substitute All Purpose Gluten Free flour in place of the cake flour?
Sam
Hi Kim! Unfortunately I am not familiar with baking with gluten free flour so I can’t say for sure how they would turn out. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
Kim
Wow! It worked perfectly!💞 they just came out of the oven.
I substituted for the All purpose Gluten free flour and weighed out 450g, which was almost 3 cups total. I Also added 2 Tbsp of yogurt to wet ingredients as gluten free flour is known to absorb more moisture. I also added 1.5cups chocolate chips and 3/4cup chopped walnuts instead of the 2cups of choc. chips. Baked 1/3c size balls at 375°f for 8 min them decrease temp. To 350°f for last 7 min as i noticed they were browning already at 8 min. They turned out perfectly! Delicious and cooked thru to perfection 🥰. I think I will bake the second batch at 350°f from the start. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Sam
Thank you so much for the feedback! I’m glad they turned out. 🙂
Jessica
How do recommend baking these in convection oven? I baked them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. They seemed quite underdone in the middle.
Sam
Hi Jessica! Unfortunately I haven’t tried making these in a convection oven. Did they cool completely on the pan? They may have just needed another minute in the oven. 🙁
Cat
Beautiful. Thank you so much for this. My job in the family at Christmas is being the one who makes the biscuits. I always make cookies and shortbread. Each year I do different flavour variations for the cookies, like double chocolate with mint, peanut butter, etc. I always use your “2nd best cookie recipe” for the cookie itself. This year, I am going to use this one as I’m wanting to start making thicker cookies. I’m so excited to share it with my loved ones. Thank you for sharing your talent and the shared joy that baking can bring.
All the best. Take care. X
Sam
I hope everyone loves these, Cat! 🙂
Myah
DELICIOUS!! I have been trying to expand my cookie portfolio and these are the perfect addition. Follow the recipe and these will be perfect!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Myah! 🙂
Cindy
OMG, these turned out perfect and taste amazing. I did not have cake flour, used ap flour but I sifted it with baking powder, soda, salt beforehand. I am going to have a very happy husband this evening, thank you Yummy 😋
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Cindy! 🙂
Rachel
Hi! These look so good, and I’m so excited to try to make them today. I am no baker, so this may be a dumb question. How do I prepare the baking sheet?
Thank you 🙂
Sam
Hi Rachel! I typically line my baking sheet with parchment paper, but if you don’t have parchment paper, you can just bake the cookies on an un-greased cookie sheet. 🙂