Giant Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft & Gooey Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

For the most dramatic chocolate pull, use a high-quality dark chocolate bar (70% cacao) and chop it into chunks with a knife. The uneven pieces melt into puddles, while chips tend to hold their shape.

If you want a more uniform look, use chocolate chips, but chunks give that bakery-style appearance. You can also press a few extra chunks onto the top of each cookie right before baking—this makes them look even more decadent.

The dough is very forgiving. If you want smaller cookies, use a 1/4-cup scoop and reduce the baking time to 9-10 minutes. For extra gooey centers, underbake by 1 minute. If the dough is too soft to shape, chill it for 15 minutes.

And if you prefer a crisper cookie, bake for 12 minutes, but note that the centers will be less soft. Always let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them, or they may break.

Variations

• Double Chocolate: Replace 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Use white chocolate chunks or a mix of dark and white. The cocoa adds a deep chocolate flavor and makes the cookies even more indulgent.
• Nutty Crunch: Fold in 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts along with the chocolate. Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. The nuts add a crunchy contrast to the soft centers.
• Salted Caramel: Press a soft caramel candy or a piece of caramel-filled chocolate into the center of each dough mound before baking. The caramel melts into a gooey pocket. Sprinkle extra flaky salt on top after baking.
• Mint Chocolate: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the dough along with the vanilla. Use dark chocolate chunks and sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top after baking. This version is perfect for the holidays.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Freezer

Freeze unbaked dough mounds on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

Reheat

To refresh baked cookies, warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-4 minutes.

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep them soft, add a slice of bread to the container—it absorbs excess moisture and keeps the cookies tender. If you live in a humid climate, they may stay soft longer. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To refresh, warm a cookie in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-4 minutes.

The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Shape the dough into mounds, wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. You can also freeze the shaped dough balls on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a zip-top bag.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen: add 2-3 minutes to the baking time, but keep the oven at 380°F. No need to thaw—the cold dough actually helps keep the cookies thick.

Serving ideas

Serve these cookies warm for the ultimate experience. The chocolate will be molten, and the edges will have a satisfying crunch. Pair them with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a dessert platter, stack them high on a cake stand and let everyone pull them apart. The flaky salt on top makes them perfect with coffee or espresso.

If you are serving them later, reheat each cookie in a toaster oven or regular oven at 300°F for 3-4 minutes. This revives the crisp edges and soft center. Do not microwave them, as that will make them tough and chewy.

For a fun twist, crumble them over ice cream or use them as a base for an ice cream sandwich. They are also delicious broken into pieces and stirred into yogurt or used as a topping for brownies.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Giant Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft & Gooey

Prep 20 minCook 11 minTotal 31 minServes 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold European-style unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 cups rough-chopped dark chocolate chunks
• flaky sea salt, for sprinkling, to taste

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cold cubed butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until just combined and dense, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste. Beat on low until incorporated, then increase to medium and beat for 1 minute until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, espresso powder, baking soda, and fine salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until just a few streaks of flour remain. Scrape the bowl and fold once or twice with a spatula to incorporate any flour at the bottom.
3. Add the rough-chopped dark chocolate chunks to the dough. Fold with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is evenly distributed. The dough will be stiff and chunky.
4. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 6-ounce mounds (about 3/4 cup each). Shape each mound into a tall, craggy dome, pulling the dough upward rather than flattening it. Space them at least 3 inches apart.
5. Heat the oven to 380°F (193°C). Bake the cookies one sheet at a time on the center rack for 11 minutes, until the edges are deep golden brown and caramelized while the centers still look slightly moist and puffed. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle the hot cookies with flaky sea salt. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will collapse slightly and develop a crinkly top.
7. Let the cookies cool on the wire rack until just warm or completely cool. For the ultimate experience, break one open while still warm to see the melted chocolate stretch. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
8. Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To refresh, warm a cookie in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes.

Contains: gluten, eggs, milk, soy

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

620

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

36 g

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.