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These homemade copies of those famous NYC bakery chocolate chip cookies bring all the magic of the original straight to your kitchen. They're not regular cookies by any means – expect huge, super-thick delights with golden crunchy outsides and soft, melty middles that'll completely change how you think about cookies.
I tried making these after standing in a crazy long line at the original shop. Once I bit into that incredible cookie, I couldn't stop trying to figure out the recipe at home, and this version finally captures that amazing texture and flavor combo just right.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Gives that rich taste and helps create the crispy outside. Just make sure it's soft but not melty
- Light brown sugar: Adds wonderful flavor and keeps the cookies moist
- Granulated sugar: Helps make those irresistible crispy edges
- Large eggs: Hold everything together and build the cookie structure
- Homemade cake flour: The secret to that incredibly soft texture
- All purpose flour: Gives enough strength to hold all the chunky fillings
- Baking powder and baking soda: Team up to make the cookies puff up just right
- Sea salt: Boosts all the flavors and cuts through the sweetness
- Walnut halves: Add a fantastic crunch and nutty taste. Get fresh ones if you can
- Large chocolate chips or chunks: Create those awesome melty spots throughout
Detailed Directions
- Get Your Butter Ready:
- Mix the softened butter with a mixer for around a minute on medium until it's smooth. The butter should be soft to touch but not liquid. This sets you up for a really tender cookie.
- Mix In The Sugars:
- Throw in both sugars with the butter and mix for about a minute until they're combined. Don't mix too long or you'll get too much air in there, and your cookies might flatten out when baking.
- Put In The Eggs:
- Add eggs and mix on medium for about half a minute, just until they're blended in. The mix will look a bit chunky but shouldn't have any egg streaks showing.
- Add All Dry Stuff:
- Stop the mixer and dump in everything dry – both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low just until it comes together. The dough should look a bit rough, and that's exactly right.
- Fold In The Goodies:
- Use a spatula to carefully mix in the walnuts and chocolate chips until they're spread out evenly in the dough. You want lots of chocolate and nuts in every bite.
- Form Your Cookies:
- Split the dough into 8 equal chunks, about 6 ounces each. Roll them into rough balls without pressing them flat. The uneven, rustic look is part of what makes them special.
- Bake Them Just Right:
- Put 4 cookies on each baking sheet and cook at 400°F for exactly 11 minutes until they're barely golden on top and bottom. They'll seem a bit underdone but will finish cooking as they cool.
- Let Them Rest:
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes after they come out of the oven. This waiting time is super important – it helps them set up with that perfect gooey middle.
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For me, the big chocolate chunks really make these cookies stand out. I still remember my first bite of an original cookie and being blown away by those huge pockets of melted chocolate. Using bigger chocolate pieces instead of tiny chips creates those wonderful melty spots that make these cookies so memorable.
Creating That Special Texture
You absolutely need both cake flour and all purpose flour to get that genuine texture. The cake flour makes them tender while the all purpose flour gives them structure. Don't skip making the homemade cake flour if you want truly authentic results. The cornstarch in cake flour stops some of the gluten from forming, which gives you that incredibly soft center.
Prepare Them Early
You can make this dough up to 3 days before baking and keep it in the fridge. Just form the cookies, put them on a parchment-covered tray, wrap them well with plastic, and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake, put the cold dough straight into your hot oven, but add an extra minute or two to the cooking time. You can also stick the shaped dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
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Tasty Pairing Ideas
These cookies taste amazing by themselves, but try them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for something really special. The mix of warm, gooey cookie and cold ice cream is just amazing. When they're fully cooled, they also make fantastic ice cream sandwiches. For the real NYC experience, enjoy them with a big glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee.
Different Size Options
While those huge 6 ounce cookies are what the bakery is known for, you can definitely make smaller ones. For regular sized cookies, split the dough into 16 pieces instead of 8 and bake for just 7-8 minutes. The smaller cookies will have a bit different ratio of crispy outside to gooey inside, but they'll still taste fantastic.
Common Questions
- → What sets these cookies apart from others?
They're extra large with a fantastic texture combo—crunchy around the edges but soft and melty in the middle.
- → Can I swap milk chocolate for dark chocolate?
Absolutely! Dark chocolate chunks work great if you want something less sweet with deeper flavor notes.
- → How can I make cake flour at home?
Take out 2 tablespoons from your all-purpose flour and put in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch instead, then sift everything together 3-4 times.
- → Why should I keep the dough balls tall instead of flat?
The chunky shape helps create those thick cookies with gooey insides and crispy outsides everyone loves.
- → Is it possible to make smaller versions?
Sure thing! Just split the dough into tinier portions and cut down the baking time so they don't dry out.