Bakery-Style Chocolate Chunk Cookies We Make Again and Again
I’m such a creature of habit when it comes to baking.
Have you ever made a brand-new recipe for the first time? It usually takes a little longer. You're reading every step (sometimes more than once), double-checking ingredients, and hoping it turns out the way you imagined. And find yourself questioning everything. Is this how it’s supposed to taste, look, etc?!
But once you've made a recipe a few times, something changes.
You know exactly what to do. You learn little tricks. You tweak things to your liking. It becomes easier, faster, and somehow even better.
I think that's one of the reasons I love making the same recipes over and over again.
They become part of you, your days, your memories, your family traditions.
These bakery-style chocolate chunk cookies are one of those recipes for us.
I've made these cookies for weddings (including my own!), holidays, birthday parties, and countless gatherings with family and friends. But most often, I make them on a random weekday just because a homemade cookie sounds good.
This recipe is also the very first one in my Cookie Cookbook.
I've made them enough times throughout my entire adult life that I don't need the recipe anymore.
two key things that make these cookies special
First, I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. It gives the cookies a richer flavor and helps keep them soft and chewy.
Second, I skip chocolate chips and use a big bar of chocolate from Trader Joe's. I usually grab their bittersweet or dark chocolate bar and chop it into chunks. I’ll chop up about 1/2 to 3/4 of the bar (about 2-3 cups). The chunks will create those melty pools of chocolate and uneven pieces that remind me of the cookies you’d get at a bakery.
Don't have a Trader Joe's nearby? No worries!! Any good-quality dark chocolate bar will work. I typically look for one that is 70% cacao or higher.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
Soft and chewy centers
Crisp edges
Big pools of melted chocolate
Easy ingredients
Perfect for after-school snacks, parties, gatherings, or just because (my favorite reason)
A recipe you'll find yourself making again and again
A Few Tips
Don't overbake them. They should still look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them. (when I need the chocolate to harden faster i’ll even pop in the fridge to harden the chocolate up)
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while they're still warm if you want a sweet-and-salty finish.
These freeze great too. Put in an air tight container and freeze up to 3 months.
Bakery Style Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 cups chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (my favorite thing to do is chop up a large bar of bittersweet chocolate!!)
Instructions:
In a mixer, cream the butter together. Add in sugars and cream together.
Add in eggs and vanilla and mix.
Add in the flour, salt and baking soda.
Fold in the chocolate.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-11 minutes. Rotating sheets halfway through baking.
Take out and let cool on the sheet pan 5 minutes and then remove to wire racks.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you're anything like me, the best recipes aren't always the newest ones.
They're the ones you come back to again and again. The ones you can make without thinking, the ones your family requests, and the ones that become part of your story.
I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do. If you make them, be sure to tag me @urban.apron. I love seeing your creations and connecting over all things sweet!
xx,
Anna