The Chip Cookie NYC is a New York City classic: a large, bakery-style chocolate chip cookie with a crisp golden edge, a soft and chewy center, and a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt. This recipe delivers that iconic texture by using melted butter, a mix of bread and all-purpose flour, and a long chill time, which deepens the flavor and prevents over-spreading. The result is a cookie that tastes like it came straight from a high-end NYC bakeshop.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt)
- 1 1/2 cups (255 g) semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate bar)
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon), for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 72 hours. Chilling is essential—it allows the flavors to meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon balls (about 60 g each) and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Sprinkle each ball lightly with flaky sea salt.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12–14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- Chill the dough: Don’t skip the chilling step. It prevents the cookies from spreading into flat discs and deepens the toffee-like flavor. If you’re in a hurry, at least 1 hour is better than nothing, but 2+ hours is ideal.
- Use bread flour: Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose, which gives the cookies extra chew. If you don’t have it, substitute with all-purpose flour—the cookies will be slightly less chewy but still delicious.
- Brown the butter (optional): For a nuttier flavor, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, then let it cool before using. This adds a deeper complexity that’s very NYC-bakery.
- Don’t overbake: Pull the cookies out when the centers are still soft and puffy. They will look underdone, but they’ll firm up as they cool, leaving you with a soft, gooey center.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cookies slightly warm with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They’re also fantastic crumbled over a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream as a sundae topping. For a true NYC experience, enjoy one with a black coffee or a flat white.
Variations
- Double Chocolate: Replace 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and use white chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate.
- Nutty Crunch: Add 1/2 cup (60 g) of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips.
- Sea Salt Caramel: Press a soft caramel candy (like a Kraft caramel) into the center of each dough ball before baking—just make sure to seal it completely.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute both flours with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture will be slightly more tender, but still chewy.
Storage and Reheating
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep them soft, add a slice of bread to the container—it absorbs excess air and keeps them moist. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, place a cookie on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 10–15 seconds, or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. You can also freeze the raw dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag; bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my cookies spread too much?
If your cookies turn out flat, the dough was likely too warm. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 2 hours, and if your kitchen is hot, chill the scooped dough balls on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before baking. Also, check that your baking soda is fresh—test it by dropping a little into vinegar; it should fizz.
Can I use only all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can replace the bread flour with an equal amount of all-purpose flour. The cookies will be slightly less chewy and a bit more tender, but they’ll still be delicious. If you want to mimic the chewiness, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the dry ingredients.
How do I get that shiny, crackly top?
The crackly top comes from dissolving the sugar in the melted butter. Make sure your butter is warm (but not hot) when you whisk in the sugars, and whisk thoroughly for at least 1 minute. This creates a glossy, smooth mixture that bakes into a shiny crust.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Absolutely. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours—this actually improves the flavor. You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. Just bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Why do my cookies come out cakey?
Cakey cookies usually mean too much egg or too little sugar. This recipe uses one whole egg plus one yolk—the yolk adds richness without excess moisture. Make sure you measure the flour correctly: spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off, don’t scoop directly from the bag, which packs in extra flour.
What’s the best chocolate to use?
Use a high-quality chocolate bar (like 60-70% cacao) chopped into chunks instead of chips. The irregular pieces melt into pools of chocolate, giving that artisanal look. If you prefer chips, semisweet or dark chocolate chips work perfectly.
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