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

Tips for success

For the best results, use cold butter straight from the refrigerator. Cold butter creates steam in the oven, which lifts the dough and creates a soft, chewy texture.

Do not allow the butter to warm up while you are mixing; if the kitchen is warm, you can chill the dough for 15 minutes before baking. This extra step helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies thick.

The type of chocolate you use matters. Dark chocolate bars with a high cocoa content (60-70%) provide a deep, intense flavor that balances the sweetness of the dough.

Chop the chocolate into irregular chunks, some large and some small, to create pockets of melted chocolate throughout the cookies. If you prefer a milder flavor, use semisweet chocolate. Do not use chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting into pools.

Variations

• Nutty Crunch: Fold in 1 cup of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate. Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, then cool completely before adding to the dough.
• 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 chocolate for a striking look and a sweeter flavor.
• Salted Caramel Surprise: Press a soft caramel candy into the center of each dough mound before baking. The caramel will melt and create a gooey pocket. Be sure to seal the dough around the caramel to prevent leaking.
• Spiced Chai: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the dry ingredients. This gives the cookies a warm, aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with dark chocolate.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months.

Freezer

Freeze baked cookies in a single layer in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave.

Reheat

Reheat a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to restore the gooey center, or in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them soft and gooey, add a slice of bread to the container; the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread. If you prefer a crisper cookie, leave the container slightly open. These cookies also freeze well for up to 3 months.

The cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, scoop the dough into mounds and place on a baking sheet; freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time. Alternatively, bake the cookies completely, cool, and freeze in an airtight container.

Serving ideas

Serve these giant cookies warm for the ultimate gooey chocolate pull. The contrast between the crisp edges and the soft, melting center is at its peak when the cookies are fresh from the oven.

Pair them with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert. They are also delicious on their own, with the flaky sea salt providing a savory counterpoint to the sweetness.

For a more elegant presentation, stack the cookies on a cake stand and dust with a little confectioners' sugar. You can also serve them slightly warm with a drizzle of caramel sauce or a dollop of whipped cream.

If you are sharing them, break them into pieces to show off the gooey chocolate. These cookies are best enjoyed within a day or two of baking, but they will stay soft for several days if stored properly.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Giant Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft & Gooey

Prep 20 minCook 11 minRest 5 minTotal 36 minServes 8

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cold cubed unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large cold eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups rough-chopped dark chocolate bars
• flaky Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the cold cubed butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until just combined and dense, about 2 minutes. Add the cold eggs and vanilla bean paste, and beat until just incorporated. The mixture will look slightly curdled, which is fine.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
4. Gently fold in the rough-chopped dark chocolate bars until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
5. Scoop the dough into tall, craggy mounds, about 1/4 cup each, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart.
6. Bake at 380°F (193°C) for 11 minutes, until the edges are caramelized and deep golden brown while the centers still look slightly underdone.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky Maldon sea salt.
8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm for the ultimate gooey chocolate pull.

Contains: gluten, eggs, milk

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

520

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

31 g

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