Crisp and golden on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside—these thick chocolate chip cookies are large, extra-thick, and built for indulgence. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Levain Bakery cookie in New York City, this recipe is a close copycat that delivers that same bakery-style texture at home.
These cookies are irresistible not only because of their gooey centers but because they’re giant. If you enjoy oversized treats, another favorite is the Giant Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients for this Recipe
- Cold Butter
- Brown Sugar
- White Granulated Sugar
- Cake Flour
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips
Tips and FAQs
What makes these cookies thick and bakery-style?
- Cold butter. Using cold butter creates pockets of fat that help produce a tender, layered texture. Mixing briefly leaves small pieces of butter in the dough—similar to a pie crust—which contributes to thickness.
- Cake flour blended with all-purpose flour. Cake flour reduces protein content and yields a more tender crumb, helping the cookie remain soft while holding its shape.
- High baking temperature. A hot oven quickly sets the outside, producing a crisp, golden exterior while keeping the center gooey.
- Chilling the dough. Chilling is essential to prevent spreading during baking so the cookies stay tall instead of thin.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch adds structure without drying the dough like extra flour would, giving a soft, thick crumb.
- Cold baking sheets. Always place dough onto a cool sheet; a hot pan will encourage spreading and a thinner cookie.
- Light-colored baking sheets. Light aluminum pans reflect heat more evenly. Dark, nonstick pans tend to brown cookie bottoms too quickly.
- Thick disc shape. Shape the dough into hockey-puck discs—about 6 ounces (roughly ½ cup) each and 1.5–2 inches thick—to bake through evenly without overbrowning the edges.
How long should the dough chill?
Chill the formed discs until firm, at least 30 minutes. For convenience, the dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days, making this an easy make-ahead option.
Can the dough be frozen?
Yes. Form the dough into discs before freezing so you can bake directly from frozen. Add a couple of minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen. Monitor oven temperature carefully; an oven thermometer helps prevent overbrowning on the bottoms.
Can I use other mix-ins besides chocolate chips?
Absolutely. Chocolate chunks work beautifully, and you can also use a smaller amount of chocolate with chopped nuts or other mix-ins. Experiment to suit your taste.
Other favorite cookie recipes
- Sprinkle Drop Sugar Cookies
- Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
- Brown Butter Almond Shortbread Cookies
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Recipe
Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crisp and golden on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. These cookies are giant and extra thick, delivering a bakery-style cookie at home.
- Author: Kathleen
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 cookies
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup Brown Sugar, light or dark
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cups Cake Flour
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl, cream together the cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium for about 2–4 minutes until combined. A few small pieces of butter should remain.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla until incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients. Add both flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined—avoid over-mixing. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
- Form discs of dough. Shape the dough into thick, hockey-puck-like discs. Use about 6 ounces (roughly ½ cup) of dough per disc, making them about 1.5–2 inches thick. Press gently without overworking.
- Chill discs. Refrigerate the discs until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use an oven thermometer for accuracy. Line light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies. Place a few chilled discs on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 14–17 minutes (15 minutes is a good target). They’re done when puffy, golden, and set on the outside. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack. If baking in batches, always use a cool baking sheet.
- Serve. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky salt if desired, then enjoy.
Notes
Freezing: Freeze formed discs and bake from frozen with a couple of minutes added to the bake time.
Leftovers: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 extra large cookie
- Calories: 826
- Sugar: 69 g
- Sodium: 341.4 mg
- Fat: 40.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 111.4 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 10.4 g
- Cholesterol: 107.5 mg