Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

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4.98 from 37 votes
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This is the ultimate bakery chocolate chip cookie recipe. Soft, chewy, loaded with chocolate chips and packed with flavor!

Six bakery chocolate chip cookies stack together next to a glass of milk.

The Softest, Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookies You’ll Ever Make

If you’re looking for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, stop right here. This is the one. Perfectly soft, chewy, and packed with chocolate chips, these cookies taste just like the ones you’d buy from a bakery—because they are bakery cookies.

I didn’t get this recipe from my aunt’s cousin’s neighbor’s in-laws who once worked at a bakery. Nope. I actually worked at a bakery, making these very cookies at 4 AM when the world was still asleep. And let me tell you—nothing smells better in the early hours than warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. And the taste? They are so soft, chewy and DELICIOUS! These cookies are the real deal!

At the bakery, we would make HUGE batches of these in massive mixers. Obviously I don’t have a bear-sized mixer in my home so I had to figure out the correct measurements for a small batch. It took some time but I figured it out and it is PERFECT. So here is my recipe for perfect bakery chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients in Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Unsalted Butter – Room temperature is key! Think soft, not melted. Let it sit out for about 30 minutes before using.
  • Granulated White Sugar
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Large Eggs
  • Vanilla Extract
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Baking Soda & Baking Powder
  • Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
  • Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – I swear by minis! But hey, you do you. (More on mix-ins later!)
Ingredients to make bakery chocolate chip cookies including flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, mini chocolate chips, eggs, vanilla, butter, brown sugar and sugar.

Equipment You’ll Need

  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or a hand mixer)
  • Mixing bowls
  • Cookie scoop (trust me, it’s a game changer! This helps get that bakery-perfect size!)
  • Large baking sheet
  • Wire rack
  • Parchment paper

How to Make Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Cream the butter and sugars – This is what gives the cookies their soft texture. Mix until light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs and vanilla – One at a time, so everything gets evenly combined.
  3. Mix dry ingredients separately – Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt before slowly adding to the wet ingredients.
  4. Add chocolate chips – Be generous! No one ever complained about too many chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop (and chill) the dough – Scoop with a cookie dough scoop or small ice cream scoop. For extra thick cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
  6. Bake at 325°F for 8-9 minutes – Don’t over-bake! Take them out when they still look slightly underbaked! They’ll set perfectly as they cool.
Bakery chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack.

The Bakery Secret for Perfectly Sized Cookies

Ever wonder how bakeries get those perfectly uniform cookies? The trick is a cookie scoop. I bought mine at a local restaurant supply store, but you can find them online too.

At the bakery, we’d put on gloves, grab a big chunk of dough, and use the scoop to create even-sized balls. If you want to be extra precise, roll them in your hands to smooth them out before baking. The result? Perfect, Instagram-worthy cookies every time.

Scooped out bakery chocolate chip cookie dough with a cookie scoop.

Fun Mix-In Ideas

Want to mix things up? Try swapping out the chocolate chips for:

  • Peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips
  • Mini M&Ms
  • Raisins
  • Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are great!)
  • Chopped candy bars (think Snickers, Twix, or Reese’s)
  • Pretzels (for a sweet and salty combo)
  • Sprinkles (because why not!?)
  • Cherry chips (these can be hard to find but they were my favorite from the bakery where we grew up)

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cookies Every Time

Don’t overbake – 8-9 minutes is usually the right amount of time for perfectly chewy cookies, but experiment with your cookies and oven and note the amount of time that works best for you. Pull the cookies out when they still look slightly underdone. They’ll set up as they cool, keeping them soft and chewy.

Use quality chocolate – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate works best since the dough itself is sweet enough.

Chill the dough – This helps the flavors meld together and gives the cookies that rich, bakery-style texture.

Drop the pan trick – Right after pulling them from the oven, lift the baking sheet a few inches and let it drop onto the counter (this works best on a granite countertop). This flattens the cookies slightly and creates that signature bakery-style look.

Bakery chocolate chip cookies stacked together on a plate.

Reviews From Our Readers

Over the years, we’ve had thousands of people make this recipe. Here’s what a few of them had to say.

“These cookies have a great look to them, just like bakery cookies. They came out perfectly round with soft crackly tops, and they stay nice and soft. My family really enjoyed these.” – Nicole

“Great cookies! Made for the first time the other night and the family was super pleased thank you so much! After 3 days the cookies are still soft and taste great .” – Michelle

“I found this recipe around 2 years ago, I made it for the first time and fell in love – and have been using it ever since!” – Katie

Questions About Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?

Absolutely! It’s so easy to do. You can freeze it in scoops, as a log, or in pre-shaped cookie dough balls. I’ve laid out how to freeze cookie dough in a separate post so you can learn all about it and how to bake after storing in the freezer!

What Chocolate Chips Are Best?

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips are my go-to. That is what we used at the bakery and it’s what I still prefer because you get the perfect amount of chocolate in each bite. Of course, if you don’t have mini chips, you can always use regular-sized. Because the dough, itself, is plenty sweet, you will want to stick to semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.

What is the secret to the best cookies?

Room temperature ingredients and no overbaking!

Read Next: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas (with Pictures + Simple Recipes)

These Chocolate Chip Cookies are so classic. It is one of those must-have family-favorite cookie recipes, much like our cut-out sugar cookies, easy no-bake cookies, or our classic peanut butter cookies. If you are a cookie fanatic like me, you should also try:

And there you have it—the ultimate bakery chocolate chip cookie recipe. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just treating yourself, these cookies will not disappoint!

Six bakery chocolate chip cookies stack together next to a glass of milk.

Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.98 from 37 votes
This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need. They are to this day my favorite cookies ever! Perfectly soft and chewy every time.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Dutch
Servings 48 cookies

Ingredients

  • 7/8 cup softened butter (⅞ cup = ½ cup + 6 tablespoons)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 pound mini chocolate chips (½ bag)

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a paddle attachment on medium speed for 3-4 mixtures .
    Glass mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugars.
  • Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. 
    Glass mixing bowl with eggs butter and sugar sugars.
  • In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to sugar blending on medium speed until combined.  
    Bowl of combined dry ingredients and a wooden spoon.
  • Slowly mix in the chocolate chips. 
    Chocolate chips added to chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.
  • Scoop with cookie dough scoop or small ice cream scoop. 
    Cookie scoop filled with bakery chocolate chip cookie dough.
  • Bake at 325 for 14-15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. Do not over bake! Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet then move a cooling rack.
    Baked Bakery chocolate chip cookies on a cookie sheet.

Video

Notes

*This recipe has been updated and halved from the original recipe. The original recipe makes 6-7 dozen cookies. It is included in our How to Freeze Cookie Dough post.
If you want to venture out of the box and try some different mix-ins, you can swap out the chocolate chips for any (or any combination) of these:
    • Peanut butter, butterscotch, or white chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
    • Mini M&Ms
    • Raisins
    • Chopped nuts
    • Chopped candy bars
    • Sprinkles
    • Pretzels
    • Cherry chips (these can be hard to find but they were my favorite from the bakery where we grew up)

Nutrition Information

Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 124IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.5mg

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Six bakery chocolate chip cookies stack together next to a glass of milk.

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and their three daughters. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and has a passion for travel and adventure. Whether kayaking, hiking, or scuba diving, she loves exploring the world—and bringing her family along for the ride.

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4.98 from 37 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these cookies for the first time today. They are absolutely delicious, one of the best cookies that I’ve tried!

  2. 5 stars
    Using the mini chips was a great idea! Even though the amount of chocolate chips is the same, it feels like you are getting more chocolate in every bite. And more chocolate is always a win in my book!

  3. 5 stars
    These cookies are awesome !! I have been making chocolate chip cookies for 45 years or more, and these are the best!!

  4. 5 stars
    I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe I have used for years. This weekend I decided to try yours, as I have had it saved in my Pinterest account for a while…well, they were a hit…now my family won’t let me go back to the other recipe… and I agree with them! These absolutely are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made or eaten!

      1. We haven’t tried it that way so I can’t say. But let us know how it turns out if you do try it!

  5. Hi,
    I don’t have small chocolate chips, but I have regular-sized semisweet chocolate chips. Could I use those instead?
    Thank you!

  6. I have made these with both light and dark brown sugar and it is my belief that the dark adds a bit richer flavor than the light brown

  7. Thank you for sharing the recipe! should I use dark brown or light brown sugar or does it not matter which one I use?

    also does the butter and sugar need to be creamed until
    really light and fluffy (like when youre making a cake),
    or just until it starts to lighten in colour
    or until they are just combined?

    Thanks!

    1. I usually use light brown sugar, but you can use either. I also cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy!

  8. 5 stars
    These cookies are perfect! I was actually given one of those commercial mixers and have never had a chance to use it. I wish I had your full size recipe to finally try it out! We have a big family but I might still have to give cookies to everyone I know-I’m sure they wouldnt mind.

  9. I’m horrible at baking so this question is meant to assure me that my cookies will turn out like a true bakery Ü Do the eggs and the butter need to be at room temperature?
    Thanks so much!

    1. The butter should definitely be at room temperature! As for the eggs, I usually just put them in straight from the fridge. Happy Baking!

        1. 5 stars
          Came back to declare these were the best cookies I’ve ever made in my life. No self-titling here, this honor came directly from my cookie snob Husband ❤️ I was beyond excited! My scooper broke after the first dozen but I powered through and have a lovely stash in the freezer for him. Thank you so very much!

          1. How many cookies should this make? Any one use air bake sheets? Sometimes they take longer to bake and cool.

      1. Tracy, Thank you for sharing the recipe, I can’t wait to try it.! Do you bake these on parchment paper, or grease the cookie sheet pan?
        Thanks,
        Pam

  10. 5 stars
    Great cookies! Made for the first time the other night and the family was super pleased thank you so much! After 3 days the cookies are still soft and taste great . Only thing that was off for me was cooking time but not surprised as my oven cooks uneven it took 16 min to get a light gold color.

        1. I don’t think we have a recipe like that, but the bakery chocolate chip cookie recipe in this post is hands down my favorite cookie recipe ever!

    1. 5 stars
      Love the recipe. Now I use A lot of random recipes online all of the time. I came across yours, and just saw the usual butter sugar etc. so I proceeded to just go for it. Let me just ask why I made Enough cookie dough for a wedding! It didn’t even fit in my kitchen aid! I am laughing, and am thankful I had enough of everything to finish! My family will be happy to have cookies for a month.

  11. Hi there,
    little confused about recipe , you didn’t use any flour in recipe or there is any printing mistake?

    1. Flour is found in the ingredients list. In the instructions it is considered one of the “dry” ingredients. Hope this helps!

  12. This recipe looks great! Back to the butter issue, recipe calls for 3 1/2 sticks but in parenthesis it says 2 3/4 cups? Thinking it should be 1 3/4 ????. Trying them today.

  13. Love this recipe! Was just wondering if it can be made into bars (9×13)?

    Thanks for the recipe ????????

    1. We haven’t made it in bars before but I am sure they would be great! Just keep checking them for doneness– you will probably have to cook longer