These Kirkland-style chocolate chip cookies are oversized, golden-edged cookies with soft centers and plenty of chocolate, inspired by the generous bakery cookies sold at Costco. This homemade version uses brown sugar, butter, and a short chill to build a chewy texture, and it is easy to adjust with the chocolate you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (about 50 g without the shell), 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
- Flaky salt, 1–2 teaspoons (3–6 g), optional, for finishing
Instructions
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Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and fine salt until evenly combined. Breaking up any small flour or cornstarch lumps now helps prevent pockets of dry ingredients in the finished cookies. Set the bowl aside while you mix the butter and sugars.
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Cream the butter and sugars. Put the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or mix firmly with a wooden spoon until creamy and evenly blended. The mixture should look lighter and slightly fluffy, but it does not need to be whipped until very airy; too much air can make large cookies spread unevenly.
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Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl once. If the mixture looks a little curdled, continue mixing briefly; it should come together when the flour is added. The extra yolk gives the cookies a richer, softer center without making the dough too loose.
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Combine the dough. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until no broad streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate with a sturdy spatula. Stop as soon as the chocolate is distributed. Overmixing after the flour goes in can make the cookies tough, while a few small flour flecks will disappear as you finish folding.
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Portion and chill. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Portion the dough into 18 mounds, about 3 tablespoons or roughly 65–70 g each, leaving space between them. Press a few extra chocolate pieces on top if you want a bakery-style finish. Cover the sheets and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This brief rest firms the butter so the cookies hold a thicker shape as they bake.
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Heat the oven and prepare to bake. Near the end of the chilling time, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (177°C). If you have only one baking sheet, bake in two batches and keep the remaining dough chilled. A fully heated oven is important: putting cold dough into an oven that is still warming can lead to unpredictable spreading and uneven browning.
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Bake the cookies. Bake one sheet at a time for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are golden and set while the centers still look slightly soft. For a thermometer check, the center of a cookie should reach 160°F (71°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes. If the centers appear very wet or the cookies have not reached that temperature, bake for another minute and check again. Sprinkle with flaky salt as soon as they come out, if using.
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Cool before moving. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 8–10 minutes; they are fragile while hot and will finish setting as they rest. Transfer them to a wire rack with a thin spatula and let them cool until warm or completely cool. Repeat with the remaining dough. For a soft, warm cookie, serve after the edges have set rather than waiting for the centers to become firm.
Tips
- Measure flour carefully. Fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level the top, or use the gram weight. Scooping straight from a packed bag can add extra flour and produce dry, domed cookies that do not spread well.
- Use softened, not melted, butter. Butter should yield slightly when pressed but should not look shiny or oily. If it has melted, chill it until opaque and pliable before mixing; melted butter changes the dough’s structure and can make the cookies spread thin.
- Choose chocolate to suit your taste. Semisweet chips give familiar, tidy pockets, while chopped baking chocolate melts into larger pools. Milk chocolate makes the cookies sweeter, so you can use 1 ½ cups (255 g) milk chocolate and ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate to balance it.
- Keep the dough cool between batches. A warm baking sheet can melt the dough before it sets. Let sheets cool fully before adding more portions, or use a second lined sheet. If the dough becomes soft while waiting, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the cookies slightly warm, when the chocolate is soft and the center is tender. A glass of cold milk, coffee, or black tea makes a simple pairing, while vanilla ice cream turns one large cookie into an easy dessert. For an ice-cream sandwich, let the cookies cool completely first, then add a small scoop of firm ice cream between two cookies and press gently.
For a dessert plate, break a cookie into pieces and serve it with sliced strawberries or a bowl of berries. The fruit adds a fresh contrast to the buttery sweetness without changing the recipe. If you are serving a group, arrange the cookies after they have cooled enough to hold their shape; their generous size means one is often a substantial serving.
Variations
Make them extra chocolatey: Replace up to ½ cup (60 g) of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder, then use semisweet chips or chopped chocolate. The cookies will be darker and more chocolate-forward, with a slightly less classic buttery flavor. For the closest version to the original recipe, keep the flour amount as written and simply use a mix of semisweet and dark chocolate.
Add toasted nuts: Fold in ¾ cup (90 g) chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate. Toasting the nuts first in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, deepens their flavor; cool them completely before adding so they do not soften the butter in the dough.
Make smaller cookies: Portion the dough into about 30 mounds of 1 ½ tablespoons (roughly 35 g) each. Begin checking them after 9 minutes, since smaller cookies bake more quickly. Their edges should be set and lightly browned, and the centers should remain a little soft. Smaller portions are convenient for lunchboxes or a dessert spread.
Use a different chocolate mix: Try 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chips with 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate chunks, or use all milk chocolate for a sweeter cookie. Avoid adding substantially more chocolate than the recipe calls for: too many chunks can make the portions fall apart and interfere with even baking.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the cookies, then refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking in an airtight container. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Chilling firms the butter, so let a cookie sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before serving if you prefer a softer bite. Separate layers with parchment paper to keep the chocolate from sticking to the cookies above them.
To warm one cookie, microwave it on a microwave-safe plate for about 8–12 seconds, then check the center and add a few seconds only if needed. For several cookies, arrange them on a baking sheet and warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 4–6 minutes. Reheat only the portion you plan to serve; repeated warming can dry them out.
For longer storage, freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container, with parchment between layers, for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature while still covered to reduce condensation. You can also freeze portioned raw dough for up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F (177°C), adding about 2–4 minutes and checking that the centers are set and reach the safe temperature stated in the baking step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the exact Kirkland Signature bakery cookies?
No. This is a homemade, Kirkland-style recipe inspired by the large, chocolate-filled cookies sold at Costco, not an official brand formula. Bakery products and homemade versions can differ in ingredients, equipment, and portion size, but this recipe aims for a similar generous size, golden edge, and soft middle.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
The butter may have been too warm, the flour may have been under-measured, or the baking sheet may have been warm from a previous batch. Chill the portioned dough for the full 30 minutes, use accurately measured flour, and bake on a cool lined sheet. Also check that your oven is fully preheated before the first batch goes in.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Cover the bowl or portioned dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. The longer rest can deepen the brown-sugar flavor, and the dough may bake up a little thicker when cold. If it is very firm, let the portions stand for 5–10 minutes while the oven heats; do not leave dough with raw egg at room temperature for an extended period.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Use the same 1 cup (226 g) amount of salted butter and reduce the added fine salt to ¼ teaspoon (about 1.5 g). Salt levels vary among butter brands, so this adjustment keeps the cookies from tasting overly salty while still bringing out the chocolate flavor.
How can I tell when the cookies are done?
Look for lightly browned edges and centers that have lost their glossy, raw-dough appearance but remain soft. The cookies continue to set on the hot baking sheet, so do not wait for the centers to look completely firm. For the egg-dish safety check, use an instant-read thermometer in the center of a thick cookie and follow the temperature guidance in the instructions.
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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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