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Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Nearly 1/2 inch thick in the middle, these Extra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies feature crispy edges and gooey centers. They’re the perfect cookie for chocolate lovers and big enough to share! Enjoy warm dunked in a glass of milk.

The Best Extra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can’t resist the opportunity to try a new variation on classic chocolate chip cookies – especially when that variation is extra thick and chewy and loaded with chocolate!

These Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies are a cross between bakery-style chocolate chip cookies and Levain style chocolate chip cookies. These are thicker than my bakery-style cookies but not quite as thick as the Levain style, which typically has more of a softball shape.

With a few simple tweaks to a classic homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe, these extra thick cookies are perfectly chewy in the center (and almost 1/2 inch thick!) with a crispy outside. They’re large enough to cut in half and share – or enjoy one giant cookie all to yourself if you’re like me.

Four large thick chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of each other

Cookie Ingredients

Less than 10 ingredients – all of them pantry staples – are needed for this recipe.

  • Butter – The unsalted butter should be at room temperature but not so soft that you can press a finger into it.
  • Sugar – I use a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar.
  • Eggs
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cornstarch– The secret ingredients to keep these cookies extra soft
  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips – or pick your favorite type of chocolate chip.

How to Make Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

The process for making these is the same as any homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe – the dough balls are just significantly bigger!

  1. Beat the butter and sugar. Beat the sugars with the butter.
  2. Add the liquid. Next, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
  3. Add the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add to the dough, mixing on low just until the flour starts to combine. Add in the chocolate chips and beat until the dough forms. Due to the amount of dry ingredients, the bottom of the mixing bowl may be hard to incorporate. If you turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, it will help to fully incorporate the dough.
  4. Measure the dough. Portion the dough into 6-ounce balls. It is easiest to use a food scale to ensure accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale, 6 ounces of dough is roughly 1/2 cup of dough or 3 large cookie scoops worth.
  5. Bake. Place 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes. These are best once they have cooled for at least 1 hour.

How Long to Bake Thick Cookies?

I tested baking these are a variety of temperatures. At 325°F they spread more and baked for about 20 minutes. At 375°F, these only baked for 15 minutes, and they were crispier on the outside and spread the least. I finally decided on a 350°F baking time, which was the best of both worlds, and gave this cookie just the right amount of thickness with the crispy edges.

Can I Make These As Regular-Sized Cookies?

These cookies are 3 times the size of a normal cookie. If you want to bake these thick chocolate chip cookies as regular-sized cookies, just use a large (3 tablespoon size) cookie scoop. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and let cool for 5 minutes or so on the baking sheet.

A large ball of cookie dough next to a regular sized ball of cookie dough

Tips for Success

If this is your first time baking these thick cookies, there are some things you may want to keep in mind.

  • Make sure each dough ball is the same size. If you have a food scale, it’s best to weigh the cookie dough balls to ensure they are even sized and will cook at the same rate.
  • Soften the butter. The butter should be soften but not warmed or melted. I like to leave it on the counter for at least 20 minutes. If you over-soften the butter, the cookies will spread too much.
  • How to tell when the cookies are done? The exact amount of time it’ll take to bake the cookies will depend on your oven. 16-18 minutes is the sweet spot for me. Note that the center of the cookie should be underbaked but not too gooey or shiny on top.
  • Add some extra chocolate and sea salt. For an extra special treat and the best cookies, add some extra chocolate chips and sea salt on top of the dough balls before baking.
Angled view of a thick giant chocolate chip cookie split in half with a gooey center

How to Store

Chocolate chip cookies will stay fresh stored in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 days. They will be softer and chewier the sooner that you enjoy them, however.

Thick cookies can be frozen just as regular chocolate chip cookies can as well. However, I do like to wrap the individual cookies tightly in plastic wrap first then place in a ziploc bag or container to prevent freezer-burn.

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Angled view of an extra thick chocolate chip cookie

Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 48 minutes
  • Yield: 7-8 cookies

Description

Nearly 1/2 inch thick in the middle, these Extra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies feature crispy edges and gooey centers. They’re the perfect cookie for chocolate lovers and big enough to share! Enjoy warm dunked in a glass of milk.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (95g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (4g) cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
  • 1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
  • 1 bag (12oz/340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Maldon sea salt flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Allow the butter to soften for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Beat the butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes until well creamed. Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue beating until well incorporated.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Stir to combine and slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing on low speed until the dough starts to form. Before the dough thickens, add the chocolate chips. Beat until incorporated. Set aside.
  4. Portion out 6-ounce balls of cookie dough (about a ½ cup of dough). Place 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes (18 minutes in the sweet spot for me). The center of the cookie should be slightly underbaked but not too gooey or shiny on top. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Beating the dough: Due to the amount of dry ingredients, the bottom of the mixing bowl may be hard to incorporate. If you turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, it will help to fully incorporate the dough.
  • Measuring the dough: It is easiest to use a food scale to ensure accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale, 6 ounces of dough is roughly 1/2 cup of dough or 3 large cookie scoops worth.
  • How to store: Chocolate chip cookies will stay fresh and stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 days. 
Nutrition Information:
1 Cookie
630
43.6 g
545.3 mg
28.8 g
85.5 g
1.6 g
7.8 g
122.9 mg
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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