This Small Batch Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe makes 8 large cookies that are filled with deep flavors and chunks of chocolate. They have the perfect crispy edges, are gooey, rich, and so easy to make!
There's nothing quite like a warm and gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie with a glass of cold milk! And these cookies are perfect for just that. This easy Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe can make 8 large cookies, or 12-14 smaller ones. They take no time to whip up, but have the best flavors, thanks to the salted butter, dark and milk chocolate chunks, and the long chill time. I know, I know, you want cookies RIGHT now, but trust me, it's worth the wait!
They turn out to be the perfect Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies that are filled with deep flavor, crispy edges, chewy center, and just the right amount of chocolate pools.
If you're in the mood for a little more pizzaz, try these Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies, Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies, Pistachio Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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♥ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Flavor: This Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookie is PACKED with flavor. It has deep flavors from the long chill time, salted butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla, and all the chocolate chunks.
Texture: These cookies have crispy edges with gooey and chewy centers with pools and pools of chocolate that create even more depth of flavor and texture.
Easy: Not only does this recipe contain few basic ingredients, it's also very easy to come together. No mixer required because we're using slightly melted butter. No browning of the butter, so don't worry about any extra steps. Once it all comes together and you roll into balls, you cover, chill, and forget about it for 12-72 hours.
8 cookies: This recipe only makes 8 large cookies. That's all. I LOVE small batch recipes because it's just me and my husband, and most of the time when it comes to cookies, it's just me, so I don't really like making large batches. But this recipe can be doubled to add more, or you can make them smaller.
🍪 What Makes these Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Amazing?
As simple as these cookies are, there are three things that make them some of the most amazing cookies I've made.
Salted Butter: Using salted butter truly enhances the flavor of these cookies to another level. The extra salt balances out the sweetness and creates the perfect flavor.
Chilling: Marinating the dough in the refrigerator does a few things: chills the butter to avoid over spreading; hydrates the flour and creates thicker cookies; and develops richer flavors the longer it chills.
Chocolate chunks: Adding chopped chocolate bars that are mostly dark chocolate and a little milk creates the perfect flavor and texture for these cookies. It also creates pools of melted chocolate throughout the cookie.
Pan-banging: Right out of the oven, bang the pan a few times to deflate the cookie and create ripples. It will give a nice crispy texture and a chewy center. Don't forget to round the cookies using a cookie cutter while they're still hot.
Large: This recipe creates 8 cookies that are large and packed with flavor.
📝 Ingredient Notes
A full list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Butter: This Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe uses salted butter. I've tested out this recipe using unsalted butter, and salted won by a landslide. If you only have unsalted and want to make this recipe, I suggest adding at least ¼ teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Sugar: Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used. I love using dark brown sugar for the deep flavor, but in a pinch, you can use light brown sugar. Granulated sugar is important for the crisp of the cookies.
- Salt: This cookie uses salted butter, but I like to add more salt because it truly does enhance the flavor of the cookie.
- Egg: Only one egg is used for this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe. Creates structure, gives color, and adds moisture.
- Vanilla: You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Flour: For the best texture and cookie, use regular all purpose flour.
- Baking soda: Using only baking soda will result in a cookie that spreads a little more with crispy edges. Don't worry though, the long chill will prevent it from spreading too much.
- Chocolate: A key ingredient in this recipe is the chocolate. Chopped chocolate bars are used, and it's very important for the flavor and structure of the cookie. I like using a combination of dark and milk chocolate. I love adding mostly dark chocolate with about 2 oz. of milk chocolate to balance out the richness from the dark chocolate. It also creates different flavor combinations that make the cookie incredible. Some of my favorite brands to use: Ghirardelli, Lindt, Valrhona, or Guittard because I know they all taste wonderful in recipes. I personally don't suggest substituting with chocolate chips, but if you want, you can, and be sure to use a high quality chocolate chip like Ghirardelli, Guittard, or even Valrhona chocolate discs.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍴Special Equipment
Kitchen Scale: It's so important to use a kitchen scale
Cookie Scoop: I love using a large ice cream scoop to get the large cookies, but if you want smaller ones, use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop.
Baking Tray: A large half sheet baking pan to bake the cookies.
Mixing bowls: I love using glass Mixing Bowls when making batters and doughs.
⇄ Substitutions
Butter: In a pinch, you can use unsalted butter, but make sure to add extra salt to the cookie dough to balance out the missing salt from the butter.
Brown sugar: You can use light brown sugar if you don't have any dark brown, but I highly recommend using dark brown sugar.
Chocolate: This bakery style chocolate chip cookie was developed specifically with the type and amount of chocolate listed. I tested this recipe out with both chocolate chips, less chocolate, as well as all dark chocolate, and the best combination was mostly dark chocolate chunks and a little milk chocolate. However, if you want to make this recipe, you can try it out with chocolate chips. Just be sure to use high quality chocolate chips.
✨ Variations
These cookies are perfect as-is, but here are some suggestions:
Nuts: I love adding pecans to cookies for an extra flavor and crunch.
Espresso: Add a little espresso powder for a deeper flavor and a hint of coffee
𓎩 Step-by-Step Instructions
A few instruction photos to help you nail this recipe every time.
Step 1
In a medium heat-proof bowl, slightly melt the salted butter. Don't melt it completely. It should be mostly melted with chunks of butter still unmelted but soft.
💡 Hint: Do not melt your butter completely. You want the butter to be slightly melted with chunks of butter softened.
Step 2
To the bowl, add the sugars and mix until completely combined.
Step 3
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until all combined well.
Step 4
Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chunks (reserving a little for the top) and mix until just incorporated.
Step 5
You can use a scale or eye ball, but form 8 large balls, then add chocolate chunks on top. Cover, and chill.
Step 6
Once chilled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add the balls to the baking sheet, making sure to leave 2 or so inches between each other. Bake at 350℉ for 12-14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If making smaller cookies, bake for 11 minutes.
Step 7
Right out of the oven, bang the pan a few times to deflate the cookie and create ripples. It will give a nice crispy texture and a chewy center. Don't forget to round the cookies using a cookie cutter while they're still hot.
To create perfectly round cookies, use a spoon to scoot the edges of the cookies into a perfect circle. You can even use the cookie cutter method: place the large cutter over the cookies and create small round motions. Make sure the cookie cutter is much larger than the cookie. You can even use a glass or a round bowl.
💬 FAQ
Yes, this step is non-negotiable. If you bake immediately, the cookies will come out flatter with less flavor.
This recipe was specifically developed for chocolate chunks, but if you don't have any, you can use chocolate chips. Use high quality chocolate chips.
If your cookies spread way too much, it's possible you added more butter than necessary or the butter was completely melted and not chilled enough. Be sure to chill your dough for at least 12 hours.
Salted butter is best for this recipe, but if you don't have any, you can use unsalted, but make sure to add at least ¼ teaspoon extra salt to the recipe.
Absolutely! You can use a smaller cookie scoop or divide the dough into around 12 cookie balls.
💡Pro Tips
Measure Ingredients Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
Salted butter: I used to be team "unsalted butter" for cookies, but once I started using salted butter, game changer. It gives the cookies so much more depth of flavor. I also add a little more salt (I use table salt for baking).
Don't melt the butter completely: Only slightly melt the butter. See image in post. The butter should still have chunks of softened butter.
Don't over mix: Using a spatula instead of a hand mixer reduces the chances of over mixing, but once your ingredients come together, stop mixing.
Cookie Scoop: If you want large cookies, use a large ice cream scoop (it's the equivalent of 4 tbsp). I tend to use that when I want larger cookies, but I typically use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Want smaller cookies, use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. You'll end up with quite a few more cookies this way.
Don't skip the chill: These cookies are best when chilled for at least 12 hours and no more than 72 hours. My favorite is to keep them refrigerated for 48 hours for the best flavor and texture.
Parchment paper: To avoid sticking, make sure to line the pan with parchment paper.
Light-colored pan: Use a light colored metal baking pan. It helps cook evenly and doesn't burn the bottom of the cookies.
Don't over bake: Start checking the cookies at 12 minutes (unless you're making them smaller, then only bake for 11 minutes).
High quality chocolate: I like using Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Guittard because I know they all taste wonderful in recipes. Here's more info on baking with the right chocolate.
Top with chocolate: After scooping into balls, top with extra chocolate for a nice, finished look. If you forget to do this, no worries! Just top the cookies with a few pieces of chopped chocolate right after they come out of the oven. The chocolate will keep it's shape, but also melt into the cookie, and it will look gorgeous!
Pan banging: I learned this trick from Sarah Kieffer. Her concept is to take the tray out of the oven mid-bake and bang it to deflate the cookie and create ripples/waves in the cookies. I do the trick at the end of the bake. Right out of the oven, bang the pan a few times to deflate the cookie and create ripples. It will give a nice crispy texture and a chewy center.
Round cookies: To achieve a round cookie, immediately after removing from the oven, use a cookie cutter to form round cookies, or my favorite way is to just use a spoon to push the edges into a round circle.
Sea salt: Top your cookie with sea salt! It gives the cookies even more flavor. Also, who doesn't love salt?
Note on salt: Because this recipe uses salted butter, you can use anywhere from ¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt. I use a ½ tsp, but if you don't want too much salty flavor, then just use ¼ tsp. If using unsalted butter, use ¾ teaspoon of salt.
❄ Storage & Freezing
Cooked: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Uncooked in fridge: You can store uncooked cookie dough in the fridge for up to 72 hours. Once ready to bake, preheat your oven and pop them in.
Uncooked in freezer: These bakery style chocolate chip cookies freeze well. Just form them into balls, let them chill for at least 12 hours in the fridge, then transfer them to a ziploc bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees F., then bake for 12-14 minutes. They turn out crispy on the edges and incredibly soft and gooey in the center.
📖 Recipe Card
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter slightly melted
- ¾ cup (150 g) dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt see notes
- 6 oz. (170 g) dark chocolate chunks, chopped 70-80% (reserve some for the top)
- 2 oz. (56 g) milk chocolate chunks, chopped (reserve some for the top)
Instructions
- Line a small baking pan or large plate with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add slightly melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and mix using a spatula. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined.½ cup salted butter, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolates and mix until JUST incorporated. Do not over mix.1½ cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 6 oz. dark chocolate chunks, chopped, 2 oz. milk chocolate chunks, chopped, ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- Divide the dough into 8 balls (see notes), add remaining chocolate chunks on top, then place in the parchment lined pan/plate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, preferably 24-72 hours. My favorite is to chill for 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place chilled dough on the baking sheet. For a large baking sheet, I like to add no more than 5.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. If making them smaller, bake them for 10-12 minutes.
- To get beautiful ripples in your cookies, bang the pan a few times right when you take it out of the oven. This will deflate the cookies, cause beautiful ripples, and create crispy edges and chewy centers.
- TIP: To create perfectly round cookies, use the cookie cutter method: place the large cutter over the cookies and create small round motions. Make sure the cookie cutter is much larger than the cookie. You can even use a glass or a round bowl.
- Cookies will last at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Because this recipe uses salted butter, you can use anywhere from ¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt. I use a ½ tsp, but if you don't want too much salty flavor, then just use ¼ tsp.
- If using unsalted butter, use ¾ teaspoon of salt.
- I developed this recipe for these cookies to be large. I divide the dough into 8 balls (I don't use a cookie scoop).
- However, I have made them smaller using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and I get about 12-13 cookies that way. Make sure to bake them for 1-2 minutes less.
Easy cookies to make. I love that there wasn't any creaming involved. It took very little time to put together, with very basic ingredients. The salted butter made a big difference in terms of flavor. I chilled most for the recommended time, but I left one chilled it for about 30 minutes and then baked it. It was delicious, especially warm. I then made another cookie after 72 hours of chill time and it was fantastic. The flavors were way better. If you're looking for a really easy recipe with tons of flavor, I recommend.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review, Annette! I'm so glad you loved this recipe! 🙂
What kind of chocolate chunks did you use?
I used 6 oz. of 70% lindt dark chocolate bars and 2 0z. of lindt milk chocolate bars. I chopped them up into different sizes chunks.
how many oz are these cookies?
It depends how much chocolate you end up using. If you're using a total of 8 oz, then they'll be around 3 to 3.5 ounces.
I weighed out the dough. The 8 cookies were about 84g each with a bit left over that I distributed.
I will get up early tomorrow and bake them before work. They will only have 10 hours to chill — I hope they taste good! (Judging from the yummy batter, I’d say they will be great!)
This was such a decadent cookie omg. So much chocolate, but it was so good. I made sure to chill the cookie dough for about 36 hours and they turned out delicious. Thank you. I'll be making them again.
Yummy choco chip in every bite! Damn easy recipe just have patience to chill these babies! Cookies did spread. The measurement I had was 4.5 oz. Any idea how big should be the cookie? After pressing these mine came out to be close to 5X5. Definitely will make a big batch and pull out as needed.
Just one question Kima, do you bake these on chill tray?
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe and for the feedback. I truly appreciate it! I honestly don't really measure the cookies out to a specific weight. I tend to weight the entire batch and then divide that by 8 (or however many cookies I want) and measure out cookie dough to equal that amount. Not every time will be the same, especially if the weight of your eggs differ slightly or if I didn't add as much (or maybe too much) chocolate, and so on.
As for the cookies spreading a bit too much, I don't press them before baking. I scoop out dough balls, refrigerate them, and then place them on the baking sheet as-is, so it's possible if you pressed them down, that could be the culprit as to why they spread. It could also be that you started out with butter that was a little too warm. Another thing I make sure is to always use a kitchen scale when measuring my ingredients, so that I don't end up with too much or too little of one ingredient. I also highly recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to make sure your oven doesn't run too hot or too cold. If they come out too big next time, you could always do the cookie scoot right when you take the cookies out of the oven (just get a LARGE cooking cutter and place over the cookie and create round motions). This will push the edges into the cookie itself and make them round and perfectly circular. If the cookie spread too much, use a spoon or spatula to push the edges in a little. No, I do not use a chilled baking pan to bake the cookies.
I do plan to revisit this recipe to see if I can make tweaks that will elevate the cookie. Again, I truly appreciate the feedback, and I'm so glad you loved the cookie!
Oops! Let me apologise first. The cookie in your pic looked flat and big to me and thats exactly I wanted them.
I was not sure if I should have put these on chilled tray. My DH loves big cookies 😊.
Making batch today. I will bake a batch tomorrow and leave rest for 48 -72 hrs. Tempted to try more from your site 😋