The Ultimate Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
These bakery-style chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with pools of melty dark chocolate and rich semi-sweet chips. With brown sugar for depth, vanilla bean paste for luxury, and three kinds of chocolate, this recipe creates the ultimate cookie indulgence.
There’s nothing quite like pulling a tray of warm chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. The edges are golden brown, the centers are soft and gooey, and the aroma of vanilla and butter fills the kitchen. These Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies are big, rustic, and decadent—the kind of cookies you’d expect to see in the glass case of a trendy coffee shop or tucked into a bakery box tied with string.
What makes these cookies so special? It’s all in the details: a mix of sugars for depth, a touch of cornstarch for softness, a blend of three types of chocolate for complexity, and the technique of shaping the dough tall and rough for a rustic, bakery-style appearance. This recipe balances crispy edges, chewy centers, and pools of melty chocolate in every bite.
Whether you’re baking for your family, impressing guests, or just treating yourself, these cookies will quickly become your go-to recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Three Chocolates = Maximum Flavor: Semi-sweet chips, dark chocolate chunks, and mini chips melt into ribbons of chocolate throughout.
Rustic Bakery Look: Shaping the dough tall and imperfect creates that artisanal bakery-style finish.
Perfectly Balanced Texture: Crisp edges, chewy centers, and soft middles.
Easy to Make: Straightforward ingredients and simple steps—anyone can bake these!
Freezer-Friendly: Bake now or freeze dough balls to have fresh cookies whenever you crave them.
Ingredient Breakdown (Why Each Matters)
All-Purpose Flour (2 ¼ cups / 313g)
The backbone of the cookie. Flour provides structure and gives cookies their body. Using the right amount ensures the cookies are thick without being cakey.
Baking Powder (1 ½ teaspoons)
Adds a bit of lift, creating that tall bakery-style appearance.
Baking Soda (1 teaspoon)
Balances acidity and helps with spreading just the right amount. The combo of baking powder + baking soda ensures the cookies puff up without going flat.
Cornstarch (1 teaspoon)
The secret to soft, tender centers. Cornstarch acts like a cushion, preventing the cookies from over-hardening.
Dark Brown Sugar (¾ cup / 150g)
Adds moisture, chewiness, and a deep molasses flavor. It’s what makes the cookies taste rich and complex.
Granulated Sugar (¼ cup / 50g)
Provides sweetness and helps the edges crisp slightly. Balances the moisture from the brown sugar.
Cold Eggs (2)
Cold eggs slow down the dough’s warmth, helping keep the butter from melting too quickly—important for thicker cookies. They also bind the dough together.
Vanilla Bean Paste (1 tablespoon)
An upgrade from vanilla extract, paste has those little flecks of vanilla seeds that add a gourmet look and flavor. You can swap with extract if needed, but paste elevates the cookies.
Unsalted Butter (1 cup / 225g, slightly softened)
The flavor hero! Butter adds richness and depth. Using it slightly softened ensures a proper cream with the sugars, while still holding the dough together.
Salt (Pinch)
Balances sweetness and enhances chocolate flavor.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (1 cup)
Classic chips create little bursts of chocolate throughout the dough.
Dark Chocolate Chunks (1 cup)
These melt into dramatic pools, creating that bakery-style “goo factor.”
Mini Semi-Sweet Chips (½ cup)
The final touch! They scatter chocolate more evenly into each bite.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This aerates the dough for better texture.
Step 3: Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix until pale, creamy, and well-incorporated (3–4 minutes). Add vanilla bean paste and pinch of salt.
Step 4: Combine Dry & Wet
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix—you want tender cookies.
Step 5: Fold in Chocolate
Stir in the chocolate chips, chunks, and minis. Save a handful to press on top later.
Step 6: Shape Dough
Scoop large dough balls (3–4 tablespoons each) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave them rough, tall, and rustic—don’t roll them smooth. This creates that bakery look.
Step 7: Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 13–16 minutes, until edges are golden and centers look slightly underdone. Cookies will continue baking on the tray.
Step 8: Cool
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
Chill If You Can: For even thicker cookies, chill the dough balls for 30–60 minutes before baking.
Weigh Ingredients: Using a kitchen scale ensures perfect texture every time.
Rustic Shaping: Don’t smooth the dough balls—stack them a little higher and rougher for that bakery look.
Save Some Chocolate for Topping: Press extra chips into the tops before baking for picture-perfect cookies.
Freeze for Later: Freeze shaped dough balls on a tray, then store in a bag. Bake straight from frozen—just add 2–3 minutes to bake time.
Serving Suggestions
With a Glass of Milk: The classic pairing.
Ice Cream Sandwiches: Press ice cream between two cookies for an indulgent dessert.
Coffee Companion: These pair perfectly with espresso or a latte.
Gift Idea: Wrap them in parchment and twine for a bakery-style gift box.
Storage & Freezing
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freezer (Baked): Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months; thaw at room temp.
Freezer (Dough): Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months.
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
These bakery-style chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with pools of melty dark chocolate and rich semi-sweet chips. With brown sugar for depth, vanilla bean paste for luxury, and three kinds of chocolate, this recipe creates the ultimate cookie indulgence.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¾ cup (150g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 cold eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
- ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and salt.
- Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in chocolates, reserving some for topping.
- Scoop 3–4 tablespoon-sized balls, leaving them tall and rustic. Place 4 per pan with 4 inches between.
- Bake 13–16 minutes until edges are golden brown.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.
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These bakery-style chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with pools of melty dark chocolate and rich semi-sweet chips. With brown sugar for depth, vanilla bean paste for luxury, and three kinds of chocolate, this recipe creates the ultimate cookie indulgence.