If you’re hunting for that perfect indulgence, look no further than this Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe—a true celebration of everything wonderful about a classic cookie. These cookies are the perfect balance of crispy edges and soft, gooey centers, loaded with a trio of luscious chocolates that melt in your mouth. With the simple but powerfully delicious blend of flours, a touch of cornstarch for tender crumb, and a careful chilling step, every bite feels like you just stepped into your favorite bakery. Trust me, once you try this Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe, you’ll want to bake it again and again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe proves you don’t need a pantry full of exotic items to create stunning bakery-quality cookies. Each ingredient plays a key role, whether it’s building structure, adding the perfect chew, or giving those glorious chocolate pockets their stage.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour: Provides the sturdy backbone and classic cookie texture.
- 1 cup cake flour: Introduces tenderness for an irresistibly soft bite.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder: Helps the cookies rise just right, making them airy yet substantial.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda: Adds a touch of lift and aids in browning for stunning edges.
- ½ teaspoon salt: Balances sweetness and brightens all the flavors.
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch: The secret weapon for that melt-in-your-mouth softness.
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature): Brings rich flavor and buttery goodness, essential for softness and spread.
- ½ cup granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and crispy edges with a little crunch.
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (packed): Gives moisture and depth with its molasses undertones.
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk: Eggs bind and enrich the dough for chewiness and richness.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: Offers warm aromatic notes that elevate the entire cookie experience.
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: Classic chocolate flavor that’s melty and satisfying.
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips: Adds a creamy smoothness and milder sweetness.
- 3 oz dark chocolate bar (chopped): Chunky bursts of intense chocolate that surprise your taste buds.
How to Make Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl until well mixed. This step is crucial because it evenly distributes all the leavening agents and cornstarch, ensuring consistent texture in every cookie.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars
Using a stand mixer, beat the butter together with the granulated and dark brown sugars on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This aeration gives your cookies that desirable lift and texture while blending the rich flavors.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are silky smooth. The extra yolk especially contributes to a softer, richer cookie, making a noticeable difference in yumminess.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed. Mix just until the dough comes together—overmixing can lead to tougher cookies, so err on the side of gentle folding here.
Step 5: Fold in Chocolate Chips and Chunks
Gently fold in the semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips along with the chopped dark chocolate chunks. This triple-chocolate combination means every bite gets a delicious surprise, whether it’s creamy, melty, or boldly intense chocolate.
Step 6: Chill the Dough
Cover your dough and chill it in the fridge for at least one hour, though up to 24 hours is ideal. This step hydrates the flours and lets the flavors deepen, resulting in cookies that hold their shape better and have a richer, more developed flavor.
Step 7: Preheat and Prepare to Bake
When ready, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This keeps the cookies from sticking and helps them bake evenly without spreading too much.
Step 8: Scoop the Dough
Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop generous balls of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them about three inches apart. Baking these large dough bites creates that bakery-style look and texture everyone loves.
Step 9: Bake Until Perfect
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges have set and look golden but the centers still seem slightly underbaked. This subtle underbaking ensures the inside stays deliciously soft and chewy while the outside gains a satisfying crisp finish.
How to Serve Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
A light dusting of flaky sea salt right after baking takes these cookies to the next level by balancing their sweetness and enhancing the chocolate flavors. You can also drizzle a bit of melted chocolate or sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top for extra decadence.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a tall glass of cold milk for classic comfort, or try them alongside hot coffee or a robust chai latte for a cozy treat. For an adult twist, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a splash of coffee liqueur for an indulgent dessert experience.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties or gatherings, stack cookies with parchment layers in a rustic basket or box tied with a ribbon—instant gift-worthy charm. You can also sandwich two cookies around a scoop of ice cream and roll the edges in chopped nuts or sprinkles for a playful treat.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature where they will stay soft and fresh for up to 4 days. Placing a slice of bread inside the container helps retain moisture and keeps your cookies perfectly chewy.
Freezing
You can freeze unbaked cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined tray, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply thaw dough in the fridge overnight and proceed with baking. Baked cookies also freeze well—store in an airtight container and thaw to room temperature before enjoying.
Reheating
To revive a day-old cookie’s fresh-from-the-oven magic, warm it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds or pop it in a 300°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. This softens the chocolate and reinvigorates the chewy texture, like it just came out of the oven again.
FAQs
What makes this a bakery-style chocolate chip cookies recipe?
This recipe mimics the complex texture and flavor typically found in bakery cookies by combining all-purpose and cake flours, using cornstarch for tenderness, and chilling the dough to develop better taste and structure. The use of multiple types of chocolate also adds to that decadent, bakery-like experience.
Can I substitute the flours if I don’t have cake flour?
While cake flour gives these cookies their signature softness, you can make a substitute by measuring 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and sift together. This combination will approximate cake flour and maintain the right cookie texture.
Why is chilling the dough important?
Chilling allows the ingredients to hydrate and meld, resulting in more flavorful, better-textured cookies. It also solidifies the butter, which helps control the spread during baking, so your cookies look thick and bakery-perfect rather than thin and flat.
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
Look for golden-brown edges that are fully set while the centers remain slightly soft and appear just underbaked. This ensures the cookie stays chewy on the inside with crisp edges once it cools—a hallmark of bakery-style cookies.
Can I use different types of chocolate chips?
Absolutely! Feel free to customize your cookie with any combination of chocolate chips or chunks you love, such as white chocolate, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch. Just be mindful that different chocolates may slightly alter the sweetness and texture.
Final Thoughts
I cannot recommend this Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe enough if you’re aiming to recreate that bakery magic right in your own kitchen. It’s approachable, uses simple ingredients, and consistently delivers irresistibly tender, deeply flavorful cookies with melty chocolate goodness. Once you make these for yourself and share with loved ones, they’ll quickly become your new go-to recipe for cookie cravings or special treats. Happy baking, friend!
Print
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 12 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Classic bakery-style chocolate chip cookies with a perfect balance of chewy and crispy textures. These cookies combine all-purpose and cake flours with a blend of semi-sweet, milk, and chopped dark chocolate chips for rich, indulgent flavor. Chilling the dough enhances the taste and texture, resulting in soft centers and slightly crisp edges reminiscent of your favorite bakery treats.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Mix-ins
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- 3 oz dark chocolate bar (chopped)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl until well mixed. Set aside to incorporate the leavening agents evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture becomes light in color and fluffy in texture, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and creamy, ensuring thorough incorporation.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed. Continue until the flour mixture is just combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain tender cookies.
- Fold in Chocolate: Using a spatula, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and chopped dark chocolate chunks evenly throughout the dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, to develop the flavors and improve texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Shape Cookies: Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, form large dough balls and place them on the prepared sheets, spacing them about three inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still appear slightly underbaked for that perfect chewy texture.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial for developing the cookie’s texture and flavor. Don’t skip this step if possible.
- Using a combination of flours (all-purpose and cake flour) helps create a tender yet sturdy cookie.
- If you prefer a softer cookie, reduce the bake time slightly, but avoid overbaking to keep the centers chewy.
- Storing baked cookies in an airtight container will keep them fresh for up to 5 days.
- For extra flavor, you can toast the chopped dark chocolate slightly before folding it in.
