Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe for Chewy, Melted Chunks

Using chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or a mix is all fine. Chocolate chips are formulated to hold their shape while baking because they lack cocoa butter. Chopped chocolate bars—chocolate chunks—contain real cocoa butter, melt sooner and create those lovely glossy pools while also helping the cookies spread.

These cookies are close to a classic chewy chocolate chip cookie. If you want to try a variation, consider Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies for a nutty twist.

Ingredients

Scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements. Key ingredients:

• All-purpose flour — unbleached is preferred. If using bleached flour, add one tablespoon of milk with the vanilla.
• Baking soda — helps with spreading and gives a golden color.
• Light brown sugar and granulated sugar — more brown sugar yields a chewier, toffee-like cookie; changing the ratio affects texture.
• Melted unsalted butter — use unsalted so you can control the salt level.
• Egg and egg yolk — the extra yolk adds fat for a tender, rich texture.
• Chopped chocolate — use chocolate you love; a mix of semi-sweet dark and milk chocolate works well.
• Pure vanilla extract — enhances the chocolate and brown sugar flavors.
• Optional — add two tablespoons of brown milk powder to the melted butter for a deeper, brown-butter-like flavor.

Make Them

You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer, but a large mixing bowl, whisk, and rubber spatula work fine for this recipe.

Make the Dough

Bring ingredients to room temperature. Make sure the melted butter is warm but not hot and the eggs are not cold.

1. Sift and measure the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Chop the chocolate and set aside.
2. Combine the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing gently after each addition.
4. Stir in half the chopped chocolate before the final flour addition, then mix in the remaining chocolate once the dough is combined.

Scoop, Bake and Shape

Two tips when choosing cookie size: larger dough balls spread more, and rolling dough between your palms compresses it and reduces spread.

1. Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. Place scoops on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie.
2. After baking and while still warm, use a large cookie cutter to gently circle each cookie for a more uniform shape.

Storing and Freezing

Cookies are best fresh. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to four weeks.

Freezing Raw Cookie Dough

Raw dough freezes well for up to eight weeks. Scoop the dough, freeze the balls on a tray in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag.

Baking Frozen Cookie Dough

Two options:

1. Bake from frozen: Arrange frozen dough on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes. If the dough is very cold it may set before spreading—use a light-colored pan and bake on a higher rack if needed.
2. Thaw first: Place frozen dough on the baking sheet and let it warm at room temperature for 60–90 minutes before baking for best spread.

Recipe Tips

• Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements. Too much flour makes dense cookies that won’t spread properly.
• Pan color affects baking: dark pans absorb heat and can prevent spreading, while light pans reflect heat and encourage spread.
• If cookies spread too much, raise the oven temperature or use a dark pan. If they don’t spread, lower the oven temperature or use a light pan.
• Chop chocolate into even pieces for uniform distribution.
• For a glossy chocolate patch on top, press 3–5 extra pieces of chopped chocolate onto each dough ball before baking.
• For chewy cookies, bake 17–18 minutes. For more tender cookies, reduce light brown sugar to 3/4 cup (150 g) and bake 12–15 minutes.

More Cookie Recipes

Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Rolled Cookies, Mandel Bread are great options to try next.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

Tender, slightly chewy cookies studded with chopped chocolate

Prep Time
15 mins

Cook Time
15 mins

Servings
15 Large Cookies

Author
Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 Cups AP Flour (270 g)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted (226 g)
• 1/4 Cup Sugar (50 g)
• 1 1/4 Cup Light brown sugar (250 g)
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Large Egg Yolk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups Chopped chocolate (340 g)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2–3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
• Combine the sugars and melted butter in a large bowl. Mix on low until combined.
• Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
• Stir in the flour mixture and half the chopped chocolate until mostly combined, then fold in the rest.
• Form dough into 85 g (3 oz) balls. Chill shaped dough in the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
• Place 3–4 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and bake.
• Bake about 8 minutes until the cookies have spread and the center is still puffy. Open the oven, lift the pan about 4″ and gently bang it on the oven rack; close the oven and bake 2 more minutes, repeating the bang 2–3 times total. The total bake time is about 14–16 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cookies set on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

• Use a kitchen scale and room temperature ingredients for reliable results.
• Pan color affects spread: dark pans bake faster and can limit spread; light pans encourage spreading.
• If cookies spread too much, raise oven temperature or use a dark pan. If they don’t spread, lower the temperature or use a light pan.
• Chop chocolate into even pieces for consistent distribution.
• Place a few extra chocolate pieces on top of each dough ball before baking for an attractive melted chocolate spot.
• For tender cookies reduce light brown sugar to 3/4 cup (150 g) and bake 13–15 minutes. For chewier cookies, bake 15–18 minutes.