There are recipes you make once…and then there are recipes you obsess over until they’re just right. These thick chocolate chip cookies definitely fall into that second category for me.
I went down a full-on rabbit hole testing different ratios, chilling times, and sugar combinations, basically eating a lot of cookies in the name of “research.” Tough job, I know!
These thick chocolate chip cookies aren’t just bigger; they have the perfect balance between crisp edges, soft centers and just the right amount of chewiness.
These delicious big cookies are not too different from regular chocolate chip cookies, but it’s all about the balance of ingredients
If you compare the recipes for regular cookies and thick cookies, two things stand out: the amount of flour and the addition of a second type of sugar.
To make cookies thicker, you need a sturdier dough. The logical step is to add more flour but not too much flour that it changes the texture too much. Chocolate chip cookies should still be soft and chewy, of course.
In my base recipe, I only use light brown sugar, which is ideal if you want a softer texture in baked goods. Try rubbing some brown sugar between your fingers and then do the same with granulated sugar, you’ll immediately feel the difference.
That difference shows up in your baking too. By replacing part of the brown sugar with granulated sugar, you get a slightly firmer structure (helpful for holding their shape). But if you replace too much, you lose that soft, chewy texture. After lots of testing, I landed right in the middle for these cookies.
If you’re familiar with the thick cookie trend, you might still find these not quite thick enough. Personally, I love those giant, super thick stuffed cookies but they’re also a lot to eat.
I prefer baking cookies that I can actually finish with a cup of tea without feeling like I just ate a huge slice of cake. Luckily, polls on Instagram (with thousands of votes!) showed that most of you care more about texture than extreme size or thickness.
That said, you can make them thicker. You can experiment a bit more with the ingredient ratios, or simply use more dough per cookie. Try using a bit less sugar for instance, as that is also a factor of how much a cookie spreads.
Another popular trick is baking the cookies in a muffin pan or pastry ring. That way, the cookies can’t spread outward as much but can still rise, making them thicker.
Alongside this base recipe, I’ve already created a couple of stuffed chocolate chip cookies, like this Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookie and this Oreo stuffed cookie and I have a few more lined up for you soon! But below you can find my tips for making stuffed chocolate chip cookies.
The easiest way to fill cookies is by dividing a ball of dough into two pieces. Flatten each piece, place the filling on one, then cover it with the other. Seal the edges and roll it back into a ball.
Make sure there’s enough dough around the filling. You may need a bit more dough for the best result and keep in mind this might increase the baking time slightly.
Because you handle the dough more, it warms up and softens. Chill the filled dough balls for at least an hour before baking.
If you use a soft filling (like chocolate spread or peanut butter), the cookies tend to spread more in the oven. The filling melts, which affects the final result. To keep them thicker, you can use the muffin pan or pastry ring trick mentioned earlier.
The filling can also affect baking time. I noticed the cookies sometimes needed 1 to 2 extra minutes to turn nicely golden brown.
You can store these thick chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container or a cookie jar for 1 to 2 weeks.
Yes you can easily freeze these cookies as well. It’s best if you wrap them individually and freeze that way. Keep in mind that the cookies will be a bit softer after defrosting.
If you love chocolate chip recipes as much as I do, you’ll be happy to know I have a lot of them on the site already. Below is a small selection of my favorites!
This usually happens if the dough wasn’t chilled long enough or the butter was too warm. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 2-3 hours (preferably overnight). Also check that you didn’t accidentally use too little flour.
You can use slightly larger dough balls or bake the cookies in a muffin pan or pastry ring to prevent spreading. Chilling the dough well also helps keep them thick.
Yes! You can store the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough balls and bake them straight from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
This is usually caused by adding too much flour or overbaking. Make sure to measure your flour correctly and take the cookies out when they’re still slightly soft in the center.
You can, but it will change the texture. Using only brown sugar makes the cookies softer and chewier, while only granulated sugar makes them crisper and less chewy. The mix of both gives the best balance.
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