Large Batch Sheet Pan Cookies for Easy Party Slices

Large batch sheet pan cookies are chocolate chip cookies baked as one generous slab in a rimmed half-sheet pan, then cut into squares for sharing. Brown sugar keeps the centers tender, while a short chill helps the dough bake evenly and hold its shape.

Ingredients

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, preferably spooned into the measuring cups and leveled
1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1½ cups (330 g) packed light brown sugar
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells), at room temperature
1 large egg yolk (about 18 g), at room temperature
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 teaspoon (2 g) flaky salt, optional, for finishing

Instructions

Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F (177°C). Line a rimmed 18-by-13-inch (46-by-33-cm) half-sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides to help lift out the cooled cookie. Make sure the pan is rimmed; a flat cookie sheet cannot contain the dough as it bakes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine salt until evenly combined. Breaking up any small flour or soda lumps now helps avoid salty or soapy-tasting pockets in the finished slab.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until creamy and a little lighter in color. A hand mixer on medium speed works well; a sturdy spoon and some elbow grease also work. Beat in the eggs and yolk one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. Scrape the bowl so no butter-sugar mixture is left stuck at the bottom.
Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low or folding by hand just until no dry flour remains. Stir in the chocolate chips. Stop as soon as the dough comes together; extended mixing after the flour goes in can make the baked cookie tougher rather than tender.
Transfer the dough to the lined pan. With lightly damp fingers or an offset spatula, press it into an even layer, reaching the corners without packing it down hard. Aim for a consistent thickness so the edges do not finish long before the center. Cover the pan and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This rest firms the butter and gives the flour time to hydrate.
Bake for 22–24 minutes, rotating the pan once after about 12 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The edges should look golden and set, and the center should no longer look wet or shiny; it may still feel soft. Because this dough contains eggs, USDA FSIS guidance gives 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum for egg dishes: check the center with a food thermometer before removing the pan. If it has not reached that temperature, bake for another 2 minutes and check again. Avoid waiting for a deep-brown center, which can make the slab dry as it cools.
Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the cookie in the pan for 45 minutes before lifting it out by the parchment. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if using, then cut into 24 squares with a long sharp knife. For tidy edges, wipe the blade between cuts. The middle will firm as it cools, so resist slicing while it is hot.

Tips

Measure flour gently. Scooping directly into a measuring cup can compress the flour and add too much, making a thick, dry slab. Fluff it first, spoon it into the cup, and level the top, or use the listed 500 g weight. If the dough seems unusually stiff before it goes into the pan, check the measurement rather than adding liquid automatically.

Use softened, not melted, butter. Butter should give slightly when pressed but should not look greasy or collapse into a puddle. Melted butter makes the dough looser and can lead to a flatter, greasier cookie. If the butter gets too warm while mixing, chill the dough a little longer before baking.

Choose chocolate to suit the slices. Chips keep their shape and make cutting straightforward; chopped chocolate gives you more irregular pockets and streaks. If using a very sweet milk chocolate, consider replacing some or all of it with semisweet or dark chocolate so the slab is not overly sweet.

Do not judge doneness by color alone. The edges brown before the center, and the middle continues to set during cooling. Use the thermometer guidance in the baking step, and avoid baking until the center is fully firm in the oven. Also, do not taste raw dough; it contains uncooked flour and eggs.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the squares at room temperature for clean, sturdy portions, or warm them briefly for a softer, more dessert-like texture. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, or a few sliced strawberries makes each piece feel like a plated dessert without much extra preparation. For a casual gathering, put the whole slab on a board and let guests choose a center or edge piece; the edge pieces have more browned surface, while the middle pieces stay softer.

For a party or bake sale, cut the slab into 24 squares, or make smaller portions by cutting each square in half. A serrated knife can help if the chocolate has set firmly, but use a gentle sawing motion so the cookie does not crumble. If you want warm portions, cut first and warm only what you plan to serve. Keep the rest covered and chilled according to the storage guidance below.

Variations

Nutty chocolate chip: Replace ½ cup (85 g) of the chocolate chips with ½ cup (60 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. Let the nuts cool completely before stirring them into the dough; warm nuts can soften the butter. For a nut-free version, leave them out and use the full amount of chocolate.

Double chocolate: Replace ⅓ cup (40 g) of the flour with ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, then add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk if the dough feels unusually dry. Cocoa absorbs moisture, so the small splash helps keep the slab tender. Chocolate chips still work well, or use a mixture of chips and chopped dark chocolate.

Other mix-ins: Swap up to 1 cup (170 g) of the chocolate for an equal quantity of peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or candy-coated chocolate pieces. Keep the total mix-ins close to the listed amount so the dough can hold together and spread evenly. For a more lightly sweet version, use chopped dark chocolate and omit the flaky salt.

Smaller pan option: If you do not have an 18-by-13-inch pan, use two rimmed 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pans and divide the dough evenly between them. The layers may bake a little differently, so start checking at 18 minutes and use the same visual and temperature cues. Do not pile the full recipe into one smaller pan; the center would be too thick to bake evenly in the stated time.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the slab completely, then cut it and place the pieces in a covered container. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking and keep for 3–4 days. Separate layers with parchment if you stack the squares, which helps prevent the chocolate from sticking to the cookies above. Chilling can make the butter firm and the texture less tender; let a portion stand briefly at room temperature before serving if you prefer it softer.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled squares in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months, with parchment between layers. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature while still covered so condensation forms on the container rather than directly on the cookie. Freeze individual portions if you expect to take out only a few at a time.

To warm a portion, heat it in a 300°F (149°C) oven until hot through, or microwave a piece in short bursts for a softer result. For reheated leftovers, USDA guidance is to reach 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer, especially if warming several pieces together. The cookie may become more tender when warm, so let it sit for a minute before lifting it from a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. Press it into the lined pan, cover it well, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. The long chill firms the dough, so let the pan sit out briefly while the oven heats if it is very cold and hard to press evenly. Bake using the same doneness checks, allowing a little extra time if needed.

Can I bake these on a regular flat cookie sheet? No. The dough needs the sides of a rimmed half-sheet pan to stay contained as the butter softens in the oven. A flat sheet can allow dough to spread or spill. If you have smaller rimmed pans, divide the dough between two and check them earlier because their thickness and browning may differ.

Why did my sheet pan cookie turn out dry? Common causes are too much flour, overmixing once flour is added, or baking until the entire surface is dark brown. Weighing the flour is the most reliable fix. Take the pan out when the edges are golden and the center has set to the safe temperature; carryover heat and cooling finish the texture.

Can I leave out the egg yolk? You can, but the center will be a little less rich and tender. Replace it with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk if the dough seems too firm to spread, adding only enough to make it workable. Keep the two whole eggs, since they help bind this large slab and provide moisture.

How do I get neat squares without breaking the cookie? Let it cool for the full 45 minutes, then lift it out with the parchment and place it on a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife, press straight down, and wipe the blade between cuts. If the chocolate is still soft, wait a few more minutes; cutting too early can drag melted chocolate and crack the warm center.

Can I halve the recipe? Yes. Halve every ingredient and bake the smaller batch in a rimmed 9-by-13-inch pan. Start checking around 18 minutes, since a smaller pan can produce a different thickness than the full-size batch. Keep the same center-temperature check and allow the cookie to cool before slicing.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).