Cookie Recipe for 42 People: Big-Batch Chocolate Chip

This big-batch chocolate chip cookie recipe makes 42 generous cookies with crisp edges, soft centers, and plenty of chocolate. The dough uses familiar pantry ingredients and a short chill, so you can bake a crowd-sized batch in manageable trays without complicated equipment.

Ingredients

5 1/4 cups (656 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
1 3/4 cups (397 g) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (330 g) packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs (about 150 g without shells), brought to room temperature if convenient
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (10 g) baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) fine salt; use 1 teaspoon if your butter is salted
3 cups (510 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Set up the oven and pans. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (177°C). If your oven cannot fit three sheets at once, plan to bake them one at a time; the dough can wait in the refrigerator between batches.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until the leavener is evenly distributed. This brief mixing helps avoid pockets of baking soda in the finished cookies. Set the bowl aside.
Cream the butter and sugars. In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides once. The mixture should look creamy and a little lighter, but it does not need to become fluffy like cake batter. If mixing by hand, use a sturdy spoon and allow a few extra minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each disappears before adding the next. Add the vanilla and mix briefly. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, continue with the recipe; it usually comes together when the flour is added.
Finish the dough. Add the flour mixture in two or three additions, mixing on low speed or folding by hand until only a few dry streaks remain. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly scattered. Stop as soon as the flour is incorporated; prolonged mixing can make the cookies tougher.
Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This firms the butter so the cookies are less likely to spread too far, and it makes the large portions easier to handle. While it chills, the oven can finish preheating.
Portion the cookies. Scoop the dough into 42 portions, about 3 tablespoons (roughly 50 to 55 g) each. Roll each portion loosely into a ball and arrange 14 on each prepared sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between them. If you have no scoop, use a spoon and a kitchen scale to keep the portions similar. Keep the remaining dough chilled while a tray bakes.
Bake in three batches. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 13 minutes, rotating the sheet once if your oven browns unevenly. The edges should look set and lightly golden while the centers still appear a little soft; they will finish setting on the hot pan. USDA FSIS lists 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for egg dishes; if checking a thick cookie with a food thermometer, check its center. Bake a minute or two longer if the centers still look wet, keeping in mind that a thermometer may be awkward to position in a cookie.
Cool and repeat. Let each tray stand for 10 minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Bake the remaining sheets for about 13 minutes each, returning the dough to the refrigerator between batches if the kitchen is warm. The cookies will be delicate when hot, so give them the full pan rest before transferring them.

Tips

Measure flour lightly. Scooping directly with the measuring cup can pack in extra flour and produce dry, cakey cookies. Fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it, or weigh 656 g for the most consistent batch.
Use softened, not melted, butter. Butter should yield when pressed but still hold its shape. If it is oily or nearly liquid, refrigerate it briefly before creaming; warm butter can make the cookies spread excessively.
Adjust for salted butter carefully. You can substitute salted butter, but reduce the added salt to about 1 teaspoon. The exact salt level varies by brand, so taste the baked cookie before changing the amount further on a future batch.
Keep portion sizes even. Uniform portions bake at the same rate, which matters when making 42 cookies. If you make smaller cookies, begin checking them several minutes early; smaller portions will yield more than 42.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cookies slightly warm, when the chocolate is soft, or let them cool completely for a neater platter. For a gathering, arrange them on two or three plates rather than stacking them while warm; this helps preserve their shape and makes it easy for guests to reach them. They pair well with cold milk, coffee, tea, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you are setting out other desserts, their classic chocolate flavor works alongside fruit, brownies, and simple cakes without needing extra toppings.

For a self-serve dessert table, put out a small plate at a time and replenish it as needed. That keeps the whole batch from sitting uncovered for hours and leaves the rest available for later. If serving them warm, heat only the number you plan to serve right away, since repeated warming can dry the cookies.

Variations

Use a different chocolate. Replace some or all of the semisweet chips with dark, milk, or white chocolate chips. Chopped chocolate bars also work and create irregular pools of melted chocolate, though the pieces may spread more unevenly through the dough. Keep the total at about 3 cups (510 g) so the dough still holds together.

Add nuts. Replace up to 1 cup (170 g) of the chocolate chips with chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. Toasting brings out a nuttier flavor; cool them completely before stirring them in so they do not soften the butter in the dough. For a nut-free batch, simply leave them out rather than adding another ingredient.

Make them a little less sweet. Use 2 1/2 cups (about 425 g) chocolate chips instead of 3 cups, or use darker chocolate. Avoid cutting the sugar substantially: sugar affects spread, browning, and texture as well as sweetness. The cookies may be less crisp at the edges if you make a major reduction.

Finish with flaky salt. Sprinkle a small pinch over each dough portion just before baking. Use it sparingly, especially if you used salted butter. The added salt gives a pleasant contrast to the chocolate, but it is optional and does not change the baking time.

Storage and Reheating

Let baked cookies cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keep them away from direct sunlight and heat. If stacking, place parchment between layers to reduce sticking; a piece of bread in the container is sometimes used to soften cookies, but it can make crisp edges less crisp, so omit it if you prefer a firmer bite. Refrigeration is not necessary for plain cookies and can make them seem firm or stale.

For longer storage, freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag for up to 3 months, with parchment between layers. Thaw them, uncovered, at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes. To refresh a cookie, warm it in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or microwave one cookie for about 8 to 12 seconds. Let warmed cookies stand briefly before eating because melted chocolate can be very hot.

You can also freeze the portioned, unbaked dough for up to 2 months. Freeze the dough balls on a lined tray until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F (177°C), adding roughly 2 to 4 minutes and checking for set edges and soft—not wet—centers. Refrigerate baked cookies or dough if your room is very warm, and do not leave perishable ingredients or prepared dough at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this recipe really make 42 cookies? Yes, when you divide the dough into 42 portions of about 3 tablespoons each. Because scoops and measuring methods vary, a kitchen scale is the most reliable way to keep the portions consistent. Smaller portions will produce more cookies and bake faster; very large portions will produce fewer and need additional time.

Can I mix the dough by hand? Yes. A sturdy spoon and a large bowl work, though creaming nearly 400 g of butter with the sugars takes more effort than using a mixer. Make sure the butter is soft enough to press, and add the flour gradually so it is easier to incorporate without overworking the dough.

Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. Cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before scooping and baking. Chilled dough may be quite firm; let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes if it is too hard to portion. For longer make-ahead storage, freeze shaped dough portions and bake them from frozen as described above.

Why did my cookies spread too much? Common causes include butter that was too warm, flour that was undermeasured, dough that was not chilled, or a baking sheet that was still hot from the previous batch. Chill the dough for the full 30 minutes, measure flour by weight if possible, and use a cool lined pan for each batch. Also check that the oven has reached 350°F (177°C) before baking.

Can I bake two sheets at once? You can, but the cookies may brown unevenly unless your oven heats consistently. If baking two sheets together, place racks in the upper and lower thirds, switch and rotate the pans halfway through, and watch closely because the timing may differ. For the most predictable results across all 42 cookies, bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven.

How can I tell when the cookies are done? Look for edges that are lightly golden and set, with centers that are soft but no longer wet or shiny with raw dough. They continue to cook on the baking sheet during the 10-minute rest, so taking them out while the centers look slightly underdone helps keep them tender. Oven temperatures and pan materials vary, so use the visual cues along with the stated baking time.

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

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