Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you love those oversized, bakery-counter chocolate chip cookies that are crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and absolutely loaded with chocolate, this recipe is for you. These big, fat chocolate chip cookies are buttery, rich, and incredibly satisfyingโexactly the kind you want to enjoy warm with a cold glass of milk.
This is a simple one-bowl cookie recipe, so you do not need any special skills or complicated steps. The dough comes together quickly, chills briefly, and bakes into thick, golden cookies with gooey chocolate pockets. They are perfect for bake sales, parties, gifting, or whenever your cookie craving hits.
Why Youโll Love These Cookies
- Big, thick, and substantialโlike bakery cookies.
- Crispy edges with soft, chewy centers.
- Packed with sweet milk chocolate chips.
- One-bowl recipe with basic pantry ingredients.
- Easy to make ahead and freeze.
These cookies are ideal when you want something that feels a little extra special compared to standard, smaller cookies. One cookie is basically a dessert all on its own.
Ingredients Youโll Need
You only need classic baking staples to make these big fat chocolate chip cookies. Hereโs what goes into the dough:
- โ cup granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- โ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 โ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 (12-ounce) bag milk chocolate chips
Using both brown and white sugar gives these cookies great flavor and texture. The brown sugar adds moisture and a slight caramel note, while the granulated sugar helps the edges crisp up.
Room temperature butter is important here. It should be soft enough to press with your finger but not melted. This helps create a smooth, creamy mixture when you beat it with the sugars.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for perfectly thick chocolate chip cookies every time.
1. Cream the butter and sugars
Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and softened unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer fitted with beaters, beat the mixture until it looks light, fluffy, and well combined.
This step usually takes a couple of minutes. Properly creaming the butter and sugar helps incorporate air into the dough, which contributes to a thicker, more tender cookie.
2. Add the egg and vanilla
Crack the egg into the bowl and pour in the vanilla extract. Beat again until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, with no streaks of egg remaining.
At this point, the mixture should look like a thick, silky batter. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice so everything is evenly mixed.
3. Mix in the dry ingredients
To the same bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Start the mixer on low speed and beat just until everything is combined and no visible streaks of flour remain.
The dough will be thick and may look a bit crumbly, but that is expected. Avoid overmixingโonce the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, you can stop. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips
Pour in the milk chocolate chips and use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold them into the dough. Press and fold until the chocolate chips are distributed evenly.
The dough may still seem slightly crumbly, but when you grab a handful and press it together, it should hold and form a cohesive ball. If necessary, use your hands at the end to gently knead the dough together.
5. Shape the cookie dough
Use a ยผ-cup measuring cup to portion the dough. Scoop and pack the dough into the measuring cup, then turn it out into your hand and form it into a ball.
Place each dough ball on a greased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper). Leave space between each ball because these cookies will spread slightly as they bake. You are aiming for large, tall mounds of dough.
6. Chill the dough
Transfer the baking sheet with the shaped dough balls into the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes.
Chilling helps the dough firm up so the cookies do not spread too quickly in the oven. This is one of the keys to getting that thick, bakery-style look and texture.
7. Preheat the oven
While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC). Make sure your oven is fully heated before you put the cookies in, so they bake evenly.
8. Bake the cookies
Once the dough has chilled, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until:
- The centers look set (no shiny raw dough)
- The edges are starting to turn a light golden brown
The cookies will still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.
9. Cool and serve
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the pan. After they have set slightly, transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool further.
You can serve them warm for soft, melty centers, or let them cool completely for a firmer, crunchy edge and chewy middle. Either way, they are delicious.
Enjoy your big fat chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or just on their own as a treat.
Tips for the Best Big Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use room-temperature butter.ย Cold butter will not cream properly and melted butter will make the cookies spread too much.
- Chill the dough balls.ย Do not skip the chilling timeโthis helps control spreading and gives the cookies their thick, chunky shape.
- Measure flour accurately.ย Too much flour can make cookies dry and crumbly. For best results, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Bake just until set.ย If you like soft centers, pull the cookies out as soon as the middle looks set and the edges are lightly browned. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Use good-quality chocolate chips.ย Since chocolate is the star of this recipe, choose a brand you love.
Variations and Add-Ins
Once you have the base recipe down, you can easily customize these cookies:
- Use semisweet or dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate.
- Mix in chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, for extra crunch.
- Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top right after baking for a sweet-and-salty finish.
- Use a mix of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks for more texture.
- Stir in a handful of mini chocolate chips in addition to the regular ones for extra chocolate in every bite.
You can also make the cookies slightly smaller if you prefer. Just reduce the baking time by a few minutes and keep a close eye on them.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Room temperature:ย Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4โ5 days.
- Freezing baked cookies:ย Once fully cooled, place cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2โ3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
- Freezing dough balls:ย After shaping the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Having cookie dough in the freezer is a great way to enjoy fresh-baked cookies anytime without making a full batch from scratch.
Nutrition Information (Per Cookie)
Approximate values per cookie:
- Calories: 334 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
- Sodium: 215 mg
- Potassium: 172 mg
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 29 g
- Vitamin A: 269 IU
- Calcium: 59 mg
- Iron: 1 mg
These values are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands you use, as well as the final size of your cookies.
