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These bakery style chocolate chip cookies are an essential staple in my house. They’re fantastically delicious and everyone goes crazy for them – they never stick around for long. The dough can also be made in advance, scooped and frozen so I always have a supply in the freezer. I just pop them in the oven when I need a sweet treat for last minute guests or for an after school snack for my girls.
There are many, many recipes and variations for chocolate chip cookies, but if you have been searching for the ultimate bakery style chocolate chip cookie, then this is THE recipe. These are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be. Thick, chewy, soft, buttery, caramel-ly and full of ooey-gooey chocolate chips. Use good quality chocolate chips here as it makes all the difference in flavor. Make these super indulgent by using chunks of chopped up semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate instead of chips. Melty chocolate puddles are life.
This recipe is similar to many other chocolate chip cookie recipes but with a few differences that take these over the top and make them bakery style chocolate chip cookies. Melted butter is used here, instead of softened butter, which results in chewier cookies and less spreading when baked (think thick and chewy!). It has both granulated and brown sugar but has more brown sugar which adds to the chewiness and contributes to more of a complex caramel flavor. I use high quality pure vanilla extract in all my baked goods, and if you can, use it here as the flavor is far more intense and complex than imitation extracts. You can use any size ice cream scoop to portion your dough (I used a standard size in these photos) but to get large bakery size cookies, use a large (quarter cup) ice cream scoop.
This dough does not need to be chilled before baking, BUT, I will say that you should. Refrigerating your dough allows the flavors to meld together and some of the water content to evaporate, concentrating that caramel flavor, as well as re-solidifying the butter for less spread. Less spread=thicker, gooey-er cookies. Even an hour in the refrigerator can make a difference, overnight is even better. I have baked these cookies right after mixing and they’re still amazing, but if you have some time to optimize the flavor and refrigerate, you’ll be happy you did so.
Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (146g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups (262g) high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips - I use Guittard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and let cool for a bit. You don’t want the butter to be too hot otherwise the eggs will scramble when added.
- Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Combine both sugars to the bowl of a mixer followed by the melted butter and beat together on medium low until well blended.
- Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the egg and the egg yolk until light and creamy.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
- Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using an ice cream scoop (or ¼ cup measuring cup for larger cookies), scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheets leaving two inches or so between each cookie.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown and the tops look just set. Transfer to cookie sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.
Serve warm with a cold glass of milk for the ultimate indulgence.
Do you have to refrigerate the dough before baking? And is can a person add baking powder?
Hi Chanté! This recipe uses baking soda only, so no baking powder is needed. Baking soda goes into the dough when the flour gets added. Refrigerate the dough before baking.
Hi Chanté! This recipe uses baking soda only, so no baking powder is needed. Baking soda goes into the dough when the flour gets added. Refrigerate the dough before baking.
Hi Chanté! This recipe uses baking soda only, so no baking powder is needed. Baking soda goes into the dough when the flour gets added. Refrigerate the dough before baking.
I too was hoping for chewy and ended up with cakey. I even reduced the flour by a couple tablespoons It could have been reduced by another quarter cup. Though as it is the texture is OK. The flavor is good. And I think that my son who likes Cakey cookies will love these. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Cherie! I’m not sure why these ended up cakey for you. Perhaps, if you plan to make them again, bake them just until they look set in the middle. That might do the trick. Thank you for the feedback! -Ash
Came out perfect. Didn’t flatten out like most chocolate chip cookies. I did not use the whole mix so I put it in the refrigerator. Hopefully the next batch will come out as well as the first batch did. Definitely be making this recipe again. Thank you
Wonderful! So happy you loved them. Ash
best chocolate chip cookies. period. (and i’ve been making yummy ones for a looong time) i now use this recipe exclusively. thank you!
Hi Simone! I’m so happy to hear that you love them! Ash
These are amazing.
These cookies look amazing- I’m just wondering which brand of all purpose flour you Use as different brands have varying protein content? Thank you in advance!
Hi Elaine! Generally, I use Gold Medal for all purpose because I like the moderate protein content. It would be beneficial using an all purpose flour with a higher protein content (like King Arthur Flour) for these cookies because it helps with the chewiness. I like to aim for more protein than less in cookie recipes.
Is the cookie dough supposed to be a darker color? Or a light color?
Somewhere in the middle? They could end up a bit darker if your ingredients are darker – darker yolks, butter, or brown sugar or if you use vanilla paste. If the dough is lighter in color, that’s perfectly normal too.
Hey! How long do they last in the freezer? Do you cook them instantly after taking them out of the freezer or you let them defrost first?
Thank you!
Hi! These will last in the freezer for about a month or two, depending on how well they’re protected from freezer burn. You can totally cook them right out of the freezer, or you can defrost them for a little bit first. If you bake directly from the freezer, they won’t spread as much, but if you let them defrost, they’ll look more like the photos. Hope you love them!
Excellent cookie, I browned the butter for a caramel flavour and added 1 tsp of espresso powder.
Hi Shannon! So happy you liked them! The brown butter and espresso sounds amazing – I’ll have to try them.
These cookies are AMAZING! My wife makes them and whenever she does, I am the Cookie Monster. These are my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookies…ever. Once you have these, all other chocolate chip cookies will forever be inferior!
So, so good! I’ve maybe been making them a bit too much during quarantine (if that’s even possible!). I like to start on it before dinner, let it refrigerate while I cook and eat dinner, pop them in the oven after, and it’s the perfect quick, yet delicious dessert.
These are my favorite chocolate chip cookies! They’ve become a staple in my home as well! They’re also a requirement for any large family gatherings. The texture is perfect and I can barely get them out of the oven before little hands start grabbing them!
I had a craving for cookies and this recipe popped up. But I am pretty disappointed with how they turned out. They feel and taste cakey and aren’t sweet enough in my opinion. I was expecting chewy and I got cakey 🙁 They didn’t spread at all either. The only change i made to the recipe was using vegan butter. But I don’t think that should have had any effect…
Hi Kate!
Oh no! I’m sorry the cookies didn’t turn out for you! They’re definitely supposed to spread and be chewy with gooey centers. I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. I don’t believe it was the vegan butter. Not spreading, a cakey texture and not tasting sweet enough sounds like maybe too much flour could have been added.
Hi, there!
Do you recommend portioning these and then refrigerating? Or refrigerating and then portioning?
My mouth is watering, by the way!
Hi! Portion them, then refrigerate. Then they’ll be ready for baking when you need them. Enjoy!
Hi! Curious on how long you would recommend chilling the dough for? Overnight?
Overnight is best, but a few hours will work if you’re in a hurry. Enjoy!
I have probably tried thirty chocolate chip cookie recipes looking for one that creates a cookie that is soft and puffy. These are perfect and check all of the boxes.
Hi Jenaya! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these!