Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe for Soft, Chewy Results

If you’ve ever tasted a bakery’s oversized chocolate chip cookie and wondered how to recreate it at home, this recipe delivers. After many test batches, I developed a method for bakery-style chocolate chip walnut cookies that are thick, chewy, and full of flavor. These giant cookies are loaded with semi-sweet chocolate and chopped walnuts, with crisp edges and soft, tender centers. The key techniques are using cold butter, baking powder, and an overnight chill—simple adjustments that make a big difference.

bakery style chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet with chocolate chips and walnuts.

Giant Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

What makes these cookies taste like they came from a bakery is the technique. Rather than creaming room-temperature butter, this recipe starts with cold butter mixed just until the dough becomes crumbly. Cold butter limits spread, helping the cookies bake up tall with soft centers and crisp edges. Adding the chocolate chips and walnuts before the egg helps distribute them evenly without overworking the dough. Baking powder is used instead of baking soda because it’s double-acting—giving lift both when mixed and again in the oven—so the dough can rest and develop flavor before baking. Chilling the dough overnight hydrates the flour and deepens the taste, producing a texture and flavor that feel bakery-made.

Your Baking Pan Matters

For best results use a light-colored aluminum baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dark or nonstick pans brown quickly and can dry out the bottoms of these thick cookies before the centers set. If you must use a darker pan, reduce the bake time slightly and watch closely.

Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These giant bakery-style chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts. Cold butter, baking powder, and an overnight chill make them taste like they came straight from a bakery case.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Chill Time: 8

Total Time: 8 30

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Baking Sheet

Serves 6 large cookies

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cut into small cubes
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar packed
1½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts optional
1 large egg
Flaky sea salt optional, for sprinkling

Instructions

Add the cold butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment or beaters until the butter and sugars are incorporated but not creamed, about 1 minute.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until the mixture resembles small crumbs, about 1–2 minutes.
Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts on low speed until evenly distributed through the crumbs.
Add the egg and mix on low just until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator overnight, at least 8 hours (up to 72 hours for deeper flavor).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Crumble the chilled dough into uneven pieces and gently press them together into 6 rough dough balls (about 130 grams each). Don’t overcompact—leave some texture so the cookies spread properly.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. If desired, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top while the cookies are hot.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

You can swap the semi-sweet chips for milk, dark, or white chocolate.

If someone has a nut allergy or you prefer no nuts, omit the walnuts or replace them with extra chocolate chips.

Tips:

Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling to avoid dense, cakey cookies.
Cold butter creates thicker cookies with less spread.
Chill dough overnight for best texture, but you can bake immediately if short on time.
Use parchment-lined aluminum pans for even baking.
For smaller cookies, divide the dough into smaller portions and shorten the bake time.
Avoid compacting the dough balls so the cookies retain their bakery-like texture.
Remove cookies from the oven when centers look slightly underbaked—the residual heat will finish them and keep the centers soft.

Make-Ahead: Chill the dough up to 72 hours, or freeze dough portions in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the time.

Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, or warm gently in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes or microwave for 1–2 minutes.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course: cookie, Dessert

Cuisine: American

How to Make Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies Step-by-Step

Mix the Butter: Add ½ cup cold butter (cut into small cubes), ½ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup packed brown sugar to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix on low with the paddle attachment or beaters until incorporated but not creamed, about 1 minute.

creamed butter and sugar in a glass mixing bowl.

Add the Dry Ingredients: Stir in 1½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix on low until the mixture looks like small crumbs, about 1–2 minutes. Coating the flour in fat limits gluten development and keeps the cookies tender.

creamed butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Add the Mix-Ins: Mix in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) on low until they’re evenly distributed. Adding mix-ins before the egg prevents overmixing later.

chocolate chips and walnuts added to crumbly cookie dough in a glass bowl.

Add the Egg & Chill the Dough: Add 1 large egg and mix on low until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Cover and chill overnight (minimum 8 hours, up to 72 hours for more flavor).

chocolate chip walnut cookie dough in a glass bowl.

Divide the Dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Crumble the chilled dough into uneven pieces—those irregular edges help create texture in the baked cookies.

chocolate chip walnut cookie dough crumbled out onto a work surface.

Form the Cookies: Gently press the pieces into 6 rough balls (about 130 g each). Don’t overcompact. Place them on the prepared sheet with plenty of space to spread.

three giant bakery style chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet.

Bake the Cookies: Bake 12–15 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers still look slightly soft. Optionally sprinkle flaky sea salt on the hot cookies. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Close up on a giant chocolate chip cookie.

How to Store and Freeze

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, or warm in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes or microwave for 1–2 minutes.