Bakery style chocolate chip cookies are the reason I can’t eat the regular thin ones anymore. I know that sounds dramatic, but once you go thick and gooey, you can’t go back.
So this whole thing started last summer when I walked past this bakery in downtown—I think it was called something with “Sweet” in the name, honestly can’t remember—and they had these MASSIVE chocolate chip cookies in the window. Like, the size of my face. I bought one “just to try” and proceeded to eat the entire thing in my car before I even got home. My kids were so mad when I showed up empty-handed.
Anyway, that started my obsession with trying to recreate those thick chocolate chip cookies at home. First attempt? Flat as paper. Second attempt? Burned edges, raw middle. Disaster. Complete disaster. But after probably 15 batches (my family was thriving during this phase, not gonna lie), I finally cracked the code.
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What Makes the Best Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Different
Here’s the thing about homemade bakery chocolate chip cookies versus regular ones—it’s all about the height and texture. You want them THICK. Like, at least 3/4 inch thick. And you want crispy edges with a soft, gooey center that’s basically still half-raw but not actually raw (you know what I mean).
The secret? Cold butter—wait, no, I mean melted butter that’s cooled down. And chilling the dough. And using more flour than you think you need. And brown sugar for chewiness. Okay, there’s multiple secrets, but they’re all easy, I promise.
My neighbor Sarah who bakes professionally told me the key is “embracing the weight” which sounds like a yoga mantra but she meant making them 4 ounces each. FOUR OUNCES. That’s like a quarter-pounder but cookie. Life-changing information.
Ingredients for Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
The base:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 15 minutes (IMPORTANT)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (I always pack mine down hard)
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature (that extra yolk is magic)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 tablespoon if you’re like me and heavy-handed)
Dry ingredients:
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (I spoon and level, no scooping straight from the bag)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (this is what makes them stay soft!)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (yes, both)
- 1 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt because it tastes better)
The good stuff:
- 2 cups chocolate chips (I use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate)
- Extra chocolate chunks for topping (optional but DO IT)
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (trust me)
Pro tip: Don’t buy those generic store-brand chocolate chips. Get Ghirardelli or Guittard. The quality makes a HUGE difference and bakeries use the good stuff. Also, I usually throw in some chopped chocolate bars along with chips because the melty puddles of chocolate are chef’s kiss.
How to Make Ultra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies (Step by Step)
Step 1: Melt and Cool Your Butter
Melt your butter in the microwave (I do 30-second intervals so it doesn’t explode everywhere) and then—this is critical—let it cool for 15-20 minutes. If you add hot butter to sugar, your cookies will spread like crazy and be flat. Learned that one the hard way when I was impatient.
It should be warm but not hot when you touch it. Like, body temperature or slightly warmer.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a big bowl, whisk together your cooled melted butter with both sugars. Mix it REALLY well, like for 2-3 minutes. It should look like caramel-colored paste and be smooth with no sugar lumps.
Add your eggs and egg yolk one at a time, whisking really well after each addition. Then add the vanilla. The mixture should be thick and glossy and honestly look kinda weird—that’s normal.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl—I know, more dishes, annoying—whisk together your flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no clumps because nobody wants a bite of pure baking soda (yes, I’ve done that, it’s terrible).
Step 4: Mix Everything Together
Pour your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Here’s where people mess up—don’t use a mixer! Just use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula and fold it together until you BARELY stop seeing flour streaks. If you overmix, your cookies will be tough and cakey instead of chewy.
The dough will be thick and shaggy. That’s perfect.
Fold in your chocolate chips. I like to save a handful to press into the tops of the dough balls later because that looks more bakery-style.
Step 5: Chill the Dough (DON’T SKIP THIS)
This is the step that makes or breaks the recipe. Use a large cookie scoop or just weigh out 4-ounce portions (about ⅓ cup each) and form them into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for AT LEAST 2 hours. Overnight is even better. I usually make the dough at night and bake them the next day.
Why? The cold dough spreads less, which means thicker cookies. Also, the flavors develop and taste even better. Science or something.
Step 6: Bake (But Watch Them Like a Hawk)
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Take your chilled dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. They will spread.
Press a few extra chocolate chips or chunks on top of each cookie. This makes them look EXACTLY like bakery cookies.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set, but the centers will still look slightly underdone and puffy. They might even look a little wet in the middle—THAT’S WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OUT.
I set my timer for 12 minutes and then watch them carefully. My oven runs hot, so mine are usually done at 13 minutes. Every oven is different though.
Step 7: The Hard Part (Waiting)
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They’ll continue cooking from residual heat and will firm up. If you try to move them right away, they’ll fall apart and you’ll be sad.
After 10 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack. Or just eat one immediately because they’re incredible warm. The chocolate will be all melty and gooey and you’ll burn your tongue but it’s worth it.
My Tips for Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies That Stay Soft
The Cornstarch Thing: Don’t skip the cornstarch. I tested this both ways and cookies without cornstarch get hard by day 2. With cornstarch, they stay soft for like a week (if they last that long).
Cold Dough is Essential: I cannot stress this enough. Room temperature dough = flat cookies. Cold dough = thick bakery cookies. If you’re in a rush, at least chill for 1 hour, but 2-3 hours is better.
Size Matters: Make them BIG. Like, uncomfortably big. 4 ounces per cookie. That’s what bakeries do and that’s why theirs look so impressive.
Underbake Slightly: The single most important tip. They look underdone when they’re actually perfectly done. Overbaking by even 2 minutes and they’ll be crunchy instead of chewy.
Brown Butter Version: Want to get REALLY fancy? Brown your butter before melting it. It adds this insane nutty, caramel flavor that’s next-level. I do this when I’m trying to impress someone.
Storage: Keep them in an airtight container with a piece of bread. The bread keeps them soft. Weird but effective.
The Verdict on These Restaurant Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are the cookies that made my sister-in-law ask if I’d started a side business. My kids’ friends now “randomly stop by” around 3pm hoping I’ve been baking. My husband hides them from me because otherwise I’ll eat 6 in one sitting (it’s happened more than once).
Are they as good as that fancy bakery downtown? Honestly? They’re better. Because they’re warm, fresh, and you can make them as chocolate-loaded as you want without paying $5 per cookie.
The thick, soft, chewy texture with those crispy edges and puddles of melted chocolate throughout? That’s the dream. That’s what chocolate chip cookies SHOULD be.
Fair warning: once you make these, regular cookies will disappoint you forever. You’ve been warned.
Make them. Eat them warm with cold milk. Thank me later. And seriously, if you have any tricks for not eating the entire batch yourself, please share because I need help. 🍪
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