These large, bakery-style thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies stay soft for days and are a huge family favorite. Made with melted butter, a high brown sugar to white sugar ratio, and an extra egg yolk to ensure super soft cookies, they require NO chilling time and are the perfect after-school snack.

Chocolate chip cookies on wax paper with glasses of milk.

These cookies have been around for a LONG time! I first made them nearly 12 years ago when I fell in love with America’s Test Kitchen and my new Baking Illustrated cookbook. I had long been on the hunt for a fabulous thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie and I had finally hit pay dirt! This was my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe for years upon years, until I stumbled upon The New York Times chocolate chip cookie, which I modified a bit to become my NEW favorite thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe.

However, these cookies made a resurgence in my kitchen last weekend and were due for a revival here on the site, especially since they’re one of my all-time most popular recipes!

A mixing bowl with melted butter and brown sugar.

How to Make Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Start with Butter: We use melted butter to keep the cookies super soft and moist.
  2. High Brown Sugar to Granulated Sugar Ratio: Brown sugar ensures soft cookies and the white sugar helps the cookies spread out. For cookies that are chewier and have a more robust flavor, we use double the amount of brown sugar to white sugar.
  3. Egg & Vanilla Extract: Eggs provide structure and an extra egg yolk gives the cookies a boost of softness. Vanilla is our flavor enhancer!
  4. Dry Ingredients: You’ll need all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt for structure, rise and flavor balance.
  5. Chocolate Chips: Of course! One and a half cups give you chocolate in every single bite without being overwhelming.
Chocolate chip cookie dough in a mixing bowl.

Ahhhh that dough!

There’s a little shaping technique that makes these cookies have that gorgeous bumpy texture on top that looks like they came straight out of the bakery.

All of that combined to make these my oldest, most favorite chocolate chip cookie that needs absolutely no chill time whatsoever.

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While the NY Times cookies that I love require some refrigeration before they’re baked, these can be mixed up and baked right away, so you’ll have warm cookies fresh from the oven and ready to devour in about 45 minutes. Can’t beat it!

What’s your favorite type of chocolate chip cookie?

A basket of chocolate chip cookies, with a bite taken out of one.

Watch the Recipe Video Below:

One year ago: The Best Chocolate Frosting
Five years ago: Overnight Chilled Plum-Oatmeal Pudding
Seven years ago: Peach Coffee Cake

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Large, bakery-style chocolate chip cookies that stay soft and chewy – a family favorite!
4.58 (203 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 g) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup (220 g) light or dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (270 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Roll a scant ¼ cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2½ inches apart.
  • Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to set, yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. These can also be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 280kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 105mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 270IU, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1.7mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle Lettrich
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

This recipe was originally published on June 21, 2008, updated in July 2016 with new photos, and then refreshed in August 2019 with updated photos and more recipe tips.

[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]