The Secret To Baking The Best Thick and Chewy Cookies
What is the secret to thick cookies? You know the ones…giant, bakery-style cookies with that gooey center. This cookie style is my all-time favorite! You can’t go wrong with that slightly crisp outside and perfectly chewy inside. That being said, whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because you deserve a little treat, these giant cookies never disappoint. Once you know the tricks to getting that height and texture just right, you’ll never settle for flat cookies again.
THE SECRET TO THICK AND CHEWY COOKIES
To be completely honest, there’s no single magic ingredient that transforms a regular cookie into one of those thick, bakery-style with a toasty edge and soft, gooey center. It’s all about the right mix of ingredients, ratios, and baking techniques working together. If you’re dreaming of bringing those gourmet, bakery-worthy cookies to your next get-together, I’ve got you covered — here’s exactly what goes into creating that irresistible thick and chewy cookie texture.
TOP FIVE TIPS FOR GIANT COOKIES
- Cold Butter: Cookie recipes usually call for softened, or melted butter. Using straight-out-of-the-refrigerator butter is one of the best ways to get that thick and chewy consistency. The cold butter is one of the few ways to keep the dough from spreading too much, which results in a much bigger and thicker cookie!
- Corn Starch: Corn Starch does something magical to a cookie! By adding a tablespoon or two, you have significantly reduced spreading (again, less spreading means thick cookies) and completely leveled up the soft and chewy inside. Corn Starch is a must in my book!
- Flour to Sugar Ratio: The flour to sugar ratio is a HUGE factor in getting your cookies to stay thick! This has been one of the hardest parts of perfecting this recipe. If you add too much flour, the cookies will be dry. How about adding too much sugar? They will spread. If the flour to sugar ratio is off, your cookie won’t be as sweet as you may like it. And if you are anything like me, you like your cookies sweet! I have taken out the guess work and trial and error for you, and have nailed the perfect flour to sugar ratio!
- Oven Temperature: I always bake giant cookies at 400°F for 10-12 minutes. At this temperature, I know the cookie is getting hot enough to bake all the way through. There’s a sweet spot when it comes to oven temperature and bake time! With this temperature and time combination we are able to keep the inside soft and chewy while adding a touch of golden brown to the outside.
- Brown Sugar: Brown Sugar brings so much to the table when baking cookies. This magical ingredient reduces spreading, elevates the flavor, and somehow locks in the moisture, keeping the cookies soft and perfectly chewy. It truly makes all the difference! That being said, you’ll notice this recipe calls for 3x the amount of brown sugar than granulated sugar, it’s that good!
Well, there you have it—my top five secrets for creating the best thick and chewy cookies! Giant cookies really aren’t as tricky as they seem — it’s all about getting the ingredients, ratios, and timing just right. Once you’ve got the hang of these little tricks, pulling off that bakery-style magic is easy — whether it’s for a party, a gift, or just because you deserve a sweet treat. These cookies are exactly the kind you’ll want to make again and again.
Continue below for one of my favorite giant cookie recipes, dig in, and enjoy every bite!
Giant M&M Cookies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 Cookies 1x
Description
These giant, thick, and chewy m&m cookies are bakery-style perfection – toasted on the outside, and soft and gooey on the inside. This is a no-chill cookie recipe – packed with mini chocolate chips and mini m&m’s for the ultimate m&m cookie. With this simple recipe, you can skip the bakery line and bake giant, chunky cookies right at home!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (cold)
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cups Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 1/2 Teaspoons Salt (heaping)
- 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
- 3/4 cups Mini M&M’s
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Butter: Add cold, cubed butter to stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on med-high for 1 min. Scrape sides, mix again for another 30 seconds.
- Cream the Sugars: Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to butter and mix on medium until combined and fluffy.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined. (don’t over mix!)
- Mix It Up! Add dry ingredient mixture on low until just combined. Don’t turn mixer on too high or you could end up with flour all over your kitchen!
- M&M’s & Chocolate Chips: Add the mini m&m’s and chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips in this recipe, use what you like. I also love using mini chocolate chips as well!
- Rolling the Dough: Roll each cookie into a ball and place on the prepared parchment lined baking sheet. These cookies weighed about 160 grams (5.7 oz) each and I was able to form 6 giant cookies.
- Bake: Bake on middle rack for 10-12 minutes, depending on cookie size.
- M&M Topping: If you’d like to add mini m&m’s to the tops, gently press them into the cookies before baking.
- Let Cookies Set: Let sit for 10-15 minutes after baking before moving to a cooling rack, this gives the cookies time to set.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months—just microwave for 10–15 seconds before enjoying.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
MORE GIANT COOKIE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:
- Perfectly Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies You Need to Try
- Giant Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- A Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie That Isn’t Weird and Cakey
- The Best Monster Cookie Recipe
- Giant Cookie Monster Cookies
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These cookies are actually ? my wife loved them!
How much egg, not in your recipe ingredients??
Just one egg! I just edited the recipe! Thanks for letting me know!
How big do you make your cookies before you bake them? Two tablespoons? One? Three?
Thanks!
I weigh them at about 6 oz on a food scale, I would say about 3-4 tablespoons if I were to measure that way!
Not everyone has a food scale, so are we suppose to make them?
Hi Connie! This was one of my first posts ever, so I was still learning on what to include in the recipe cards 🙂 I will update when I get a chance! You can look at my regular giant chocolate chip cookie recipe for the cup measurements 🙂 Thank you for bringing this post to my attention!
These didn’t work for me ): they spread out a lot! I even chilled em for a day. How would I fix that?
Hi Briana! I’m so sorry! I’ve never had a spreading issue with these!
Was the butter cold?
What oven temperature and time did you bake them?
Did you use the correct amount of flour?
These are just a few reasons I can think of off the top of my head that would affect spreading!
These were chewy , but the did spread and they were raw in the center when they came out .
Hi Julie! Did you give them time to set? They will look raw in the center if you don’t let them sit for about 15-30 minutes.
you said one stick of butter, im assuming it’s the 1/2 c sticks, but thought i would double check because i have some that are 1c
also have you ever added instant pudding to your cookies?
Yes, it is one stick, 113 grams, or 1/2 cup 🙂 This is one of my older posts that I need to go back and update, I now use more specific measurements in cups and grams only 🙂 I’ve never used instant pudding! But I love the texture and flavor instant pudding gives so please let me know if you try it and it’s a success!
How would I add peanut butter to this recipe? And if I were to make 4oz cookies instead on 6oz how long would you cook them for?
Hi Breanna! Go check out this recipe-https://coveandkitchen.comthe-best-monster-cookie-recipe/. I have a regular peanut butter cookie recipe on my to-do list!