The original Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookie, as featured in the NYTimes .
This recipe first appeared in my Vanilla Bean Baking Book, and was the inspiration for the ENTIRE CHAPTER of pan-banging cookie recipes in my 100 Cookies cookbook!
Originally I thought to include a different chocolate chip cookie recipe in this book. It was my go-to cookie, one I had made for years at Bordertown Coffee. I began working on a thin and crispy version, and along the way it evolved into this recipe.
The cookie falls somewhere in the middle of gooey and crispy, with edges that shatter in your mouth and a center that is soft and full of chocolate. My family loved it so much that my original recipe hasn’t seen the light of day since. Meet our new house cookie.
TROUBLESHOOTING
1. What are pan-banging cookies?
Bakers tapping their cookie pans in the oven isn’t new, of course, but the pan-banging technique I use here is unique in that the pan is tapped in the oven every few minutes, creating ripples on the edge of the cookie. This creates two textures in the cookie: a crisp outer edge, and a soft, gooey center.
2. Why won’t my cookies ripple/wrinkle? I’ve found that flour can often be the culprit, and it seems that high-protein flour won’t allow for as much spreading and wrinkling. I use Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour in my cookies, and find that works best.
3. Why are my cookie bottoms greasy? I prefer to think of the cookies as “exceptionally buttery”. There is extra butter in these cookies, which helps them spread, and crisp on the bottom. I remove my cookies from the pan when they are cool enough to handle, and let them continue cooling on a wire rack, which helps them stay crispy.
4. Can I use less sugar? The granulated sugar helps with spreading and also helps with crisping. If you decrease the sugar, you won’t have the same type of cookie. If you do want to play around with decreasing amounts, start with 2 or 3 tablespoons, and continue to decrease each time you make them until you find your sweet spot (pun intended).
5. Can I switch out some of the granulated sugar for brown sugar? You can, but your cookie won’t be as crispy – it will end up with a chewy texture.
6. Why should I use aluminum foil? I find that aluminum foil helps the cookies spread a bit more and creates a slightly crisper bottom. But parchment paper will work well, too.
7. Can I refrigerate pan-banging cookie dough?
Cookie dough can be refrigerated overnight before using. Shape the dough into balls and cover with plastic wrap before chilling, and then bring it to room temperature before baking (when the cookies are chilled solid, they won’t ripple as well). Cookies that spend a night in the fridge will also have a more developed flavor, but also have a bumpier finish.
8. Can I use European butter? Yes! But note that using European butter will make the bottom of these cookies even more buttery.
9. Can I add more ingredients to the dough (nuts, other chips, m&ms, etc)? Yes, but note a few things: too many add-ins (chocolate, toffee, nuts, etc.) will prevent the dough from spreading as it should.
10. Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate? Yes, but note that chopped chocolate spreads much better than chocolate chips.
11. Can I use alternative flours (i.e. almond, oat, buckwheat, etc)? You can’t swap out all equal parts all-purpose flour for an alternative flour. If you would like to substitute some alternative flour for the all-purpose, start with 1/4 cup (about 50 grams) and slowly increase each time you make it, until you find your perfect ratio.
12. Can I make these gluten-free or vegan? Yes, my friend Amanda has used my recipe to create Gluten-Free Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies! I haven’t played around with a vegan recipe, but I have seen many people on Instagram successfully do so (sorry, I know that isn’t helpful). If you do make it successfully either way, comment below on what worked for you!
13. What ingredients are best for making pan-banging cookies?
I use Land O’Lakes unsalted butter and Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, almost exclusively. I use a variety of grocery store brand granulated sugar, brown sugar, large eggs, and pure vanilla extract. For chocolate I use a mix of brands: Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet baking bars and Trader Joe’s bittersweet baking bars are great grocery store brands. Valrhona feves (I like Caraibe) and Guittard baking wafers are wonderful higher-end options. I use a mix of all of them.
14. Why are my cookies burning on the bottom? Make sure your batter is completely combined – doing a final few stirs with a spatula will help make sure everything is evenly combined and mixed. Having a medium-weight baking sheet makes for even baking (I use these from Nordic Ware). Sometimes your oven temperature can be the culprit – using an oven thermometer each time you bake will help you make sure it is correct.
15. How do I get my chocolate to pool on top? Place a piece of chopped chocolate directly on top of each cookie dough ball before going into the oven (Vahlrona feves work well for this) will make a nice pool as they bake.
16. What kind of baking sheet should I use? I use a medium-weight half sheet pan (12 by 16 in [ 30.5 cm by 40.5 cm]). I find heavier-insulated baking sheets don’t ripple as well.
17. What if I can’t fit my baking sheet in my freezer? It’s okay! You can put the dough balls on a small plate and freeze them, then transfer them to the baking sheet when you are ready to bake.
18. Will this technique work with other cookie recipes? Not necessarily, and not in the same way. Cookies that are made to be thick and gooey won’t ripple when tapped in the oven, although doing so may help to set the edges.
19. Do I have to bang the pan outside the oven? No, you don’t! As stated in the recipe, I lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 in [10 cm] and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down.
20. Do you have more pan-banging cookie recipes in your 100 Cookies cookbook? Yes, I have a whole chapter dedicated them! Purchase my book, 100 Cookies. (affiliate link)
More Pan-Banging Cookie Recipes:
- Pan-banging Sugar Cookies
- Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Pan-Banging Espresso Cookies with Chocolate
Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups (297 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 ounces (170 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite-size pieces averaging ½ inch with some smaller and some larger
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil, dull side up.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and water and mix on low to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the chocolate and mix on low into the batter.
- Form the dough into 3½-ounce (100g) balls (a heaping 1/3 cup each). Place 4 balls an equal distance apart on a prepared pan and transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. After you put the first baking sheet in the oven, put the second one in the freezer.
- Place the chilled baking sheet in the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and gently let it drop down against the oven rack, so the edges of the cookies set and the inside falls back down (this will feel wrong, but trust me). After the cookies puff up again in 2 minutes, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Repeat a few more times to create ridges around the edge of the cookie. Bake 16 to 18 minutes total, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are golden brown but the centers are much lighter and not fully cooked.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.
220 Comments
Ankara sohbet
Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 4:24 pmThanks, goood.
Kristen Shields
Friday, April 23, 2021 at 9:08 pmI just made tonight. I saw these recipes referenced in an article about best tricks to bake cookies and I have had a stressful couple of days so baking on a Friday evening was cathartic. I decided to give these a try…even went out to the grocery to get some fresh baking soda and bar of chocolate lol. My poor husband was sleeping as I was banging so I am going to pray I did not wake him ha ha.
Follow the recipe step by step worked and the ripple effect was pretty good. Not as good as Sarah’s but good. I will be honest that I did not really wait for them to cool to try a piece of one and it was crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. Very tasty and just nice twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie.
Gwyneth
Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 5:07 amGreat! So informative to me. Thank for sharing this post much!
Kenny
Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 5:31 amYou must do the pan bang at 10 minutes or it doesn’t work. 18 min is perfect. They are wonderful. I did a gluten free flour and used the crock butter sticks for a dairy free gluten free version and it is very tasty.
Lisa Perry
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 3:25 pmAfter taking your class with WS, I have tried 3 versions in one week. I am obsessed! Am I the only one who tries to compete to see how much stuff I can get accomplished in those 2 min increments? It should be an Olympic sport. ?
Erin B
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 9:31 amHi Sarah, thanks fo this wonderful recipe. I’ve made it to rave reviews many times but this time around I want to use cultured butter or browned butter (that has been cooled in the fridge and brought to room temp before using) in these to give a little bit of a different flavor. Which do you think would work better? Also, I would like to try adding small chunks of pistachio halvah over the top instead of chocolate discs. I’m not sure if the halvah will pool but I hope so! Do have any experience with halvah pooling?
Becca
Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 12:39 pmThese did not turn out for me. They would not wrinkle, no matter what I did. After the first batch came out as flat as a pancake, I tried adding more flour, upping the temp, and banging them sooner, as some had suggested. There was a slight ripple that time, but not much– and the taste is a little flat to me. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but it’s not worth the time investment for me to have them turn out just meh.
April Little
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 10:19 pmMade these last night using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour and they came out completely perfect!! Absolutely amazing cookies and, I’m with everyone else who says they’ll never need/use another recipe! My GF son was in heaven and no one else in the house could even tell the difference! 🙂
fAKHAR
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 10:38 amHere’s a great recipe we’ve made at home. Best and full of pleasure.
LC
Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 10:03 amYes! I did it yesterday and they came out great!
Evonne
Monday, October 12, 2020 at 2:45 pmI made these gluten free and they’re great! I did a mix of two all purpose flours, caputo and sensations.
Giftbasketworldwide
Friday, October 9, 2020 at 12:50 amAmazing Job!! Keep up the good work.
Latia
Friday, October 2, 2020 at 7:36 pmI just made these as written AND a batch of using the same amount of gluten-free flour (Bob’s) by weight. The GF cookies came out a little thinner and more fragile but my husband and I thought the flavor was better than the ones with gluten. They tasted almost like sugar cookies initially. However, we both thought the cookies with gluten had a better texture. I made each batch using a 3 1/2 oz blob of dough and a 2 1/2 oz blob because 3 1/2 is just too big for us. The 2 1/2 oz cookies did have fewer wrinkles but that’s okay with us. The flavor is fantastic and they’re a lot of fun.
Amy
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 3:37 pmI replied on another comment above, too; I didn’t make them first without changes, so I can’t compare, but I added 1/4 c flour and added 2 more Tbsp water, and reduced the baking soda by a pinch, and they came out soooooo perfect!!! I didn’t adjust the baking temp.
Amy
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 3:35 pmI live at 7000 ft in NM and just tried this recipe with typical altitude baking adjustments (didn’t try it first without the adjustments, so I can’t say how it compares to a control!). I added 1/4 c extra flour, and a full 4 Tbsp water (2 extra Tbsp), and a pinch less baking soda.
Dandre
Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 9:02 pmOnly tried this recipe because it is from you the best chocolate chip cookie baker out there. Just made some and they came out crispy, chewy, super buttery. Thank you for another great chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Rosemary McDougal
Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 7:16 pmI tried making it and follow the instruction down to the tee – frozen over half an hour and it didn’t even come close to the picture. Made quite some banging but it didn’t even budge much. Only spread thin. I wish you had a live video that I could see. Taste great.
Lisa
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 10:30 pmHonestly I prefer follow imagine. But I did try to read every step to make it done. And finally it came out so great. more than what I expect. Thank your sharing!
Pat
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 8:26 pmQuestion about the recipe: you said it is ok to put the dough in the fridge overnight but then went on to say, “ then bring it to room temperature before baking (when the cookies are chilled solid, they won’t ripple as well).”. So it seems it is not quite as desirable to chill the dough but then the instruction went on to say to put them in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to baking with no mention of the need to bring them to room temperature. I am confused. I would love to try the recipe but not sure how to proceed. Thanks
Laura
Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 1:02 pmI’ve tried this recipe two times, one with chopped chocolate chunks and one with regular chocolate chip cookies – both turned out delicious and perfect! Very easy recipe if you just follow it as written.
Lezanne
Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 11:31 pmAnyone ever try making these egg free? My son has an egg allergy
Beth
Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 3:51 pmThese are perfect. 100%, without question.
Dara
Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 8:02 pmCan you make the dough ahead of time, portion and store in the refrigerator? Then, when ready to bake, freeze before baking? Also, can portioned dough be frozen for a few weeks? Would you say the portions are around 108 gram scoops?
Audrey
Monday, July 6, 2020 at 9:50 amShe mentioned above that you could put the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight before baking. I’ve also freeze portioned dough even a few months and they still turn out good, I think you should take the cookie to the fridge the night before baking. I found that baking the cookie from frozen solid would not make the wrinkle as fast. She also mentioned each dough should be around 100 gr. But I made this and eventually end up with 7 cookies and they’re already big.
Sohbet
Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 1:11 amLove blog
Bonnie
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 11:02 pmI brown the butter first. I also use Authentic Foods Classic GF flour blend. And Theo’s 70% Dark Chocolate baking bar. They are so amazing. It made one GF friend weep with joy. Thanks for the detailed info on technique. It really helps replicate this recipe to perfection.
Rani
Monday, June 15, 2020 at 12:09 amAbsolutely delicious
Chanchal Rani
Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 1:50 amYour post is very nice thanks for sharing your thoughts with us
Ghulam Mohyudin
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 5:11 pmIt was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Daniela
Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 11:53 pmCan I place the whole dough on a pan and make a cookie cake with this recepie??
Kyle
Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 1:16 pmI am embarrassed to admit that I’ve made these cookies at least 5 times in the last 2 months…quarantine baking…but I will never make another CCC recipe as long as I live. These are everything I want in a cookie: chewy, crunchy (chunchy??), buttery, amazing.
Pro tip – pop these into the fridge or freezer once they are cool. They tase just as good straight out of the freezer as they do warm and gooey.
Sarah
Sunday, April 19, 2020 at 10:23 pmHello, I just made these tonight, I don’t know if my oven was too hot but they seemed much more oily than they should be? enough that they were bubbling in the oven. They also turned much darker than expected so I had to bake tithe second bath for 13 minutes so they wouldn’t overcook, and they’d been in the freezer longer than the first batch. Any tips for what I did wrong?
Lisa
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 8:15 pmOMG! made these today and followed everything on the recipe exactly and the taste came out perfectly! Thank you Sarah! It almost taste like Toll house cookies!
My first batch , I over baked so it was too hard. However, the next ones came out perfect, however I did not get as perfect wrinkles as Sarah’s but still pretty!
phuong Mai
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 1:08 pmI made the cookies it turned out amazing right out of the oven, but it became soft the next day??
I follow exactly the recipe, just my freezer is too small for the cookie sheet, so I only freezed the cookie dough. Any tips?
Thank you!
Chen
Monday, April 13, 2020 at 12:48 amI made these and it turned out awesome!
Question, have you ever made these in a chocolate cookie version? If so what are the modifications needed..
Thank you 🙂
Maria Angela Streeter
Monday, March 30, 2020 at 4:45 pmI tried the cookies today, they ended up “caky” not crispy or flat 🙁
What dod I do worng ?
Claire
Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 1:22 pmThese didn’t really work for me which is so so sad! I will say that I had to use Gluten Free flour because that is all the store had due to the pandemic. I did reduce the butter by 2 TBSP, and they are still plenty greasy. I don’t know how it would be possible to fit 4 of these cookies on a tray (I would love to see more step by step pictures). I put 3 on the tray to bake and they still hit each other. Then I did 2 at a time and they didn’t touch while cooking. But wow, so time consuming to cook 2 cookies at a time. The other commenter who said she made 50 cookies, bless her, I think 12 cookies took me 2 and half hours. I also feel like all the chunks of chocolate are in the middle and nothing towards the edges at all. I would try these 1 more time with regular flour to see if that works better. I am a decent baker and did weigh out the balls of cookie dough on a scale.
TN
Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 6:45 pmI’ve made this recipe several times, each time to delicious results! I just tried a variation where I took 1/4 of the flour by weight and replaced it with buckwheat flour, and the cookies turned out INCREDIBLE, with an even lacier edge. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Shai
Friday, January 31, 2020 at 9:29 amWowwwww. These are simply incredible. Thank you for the recipe.
Rolando
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 10:10 pmBest cookies I’ve ever had, and I don’t like sweets!
dizzy
Friday, January 10, 2020 at 10:55 amthis recipe did not work for me. how disappointing and what a shameful waste of callebaut chocolate
ankara sohbet
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 2:26 amvery good thanks
Cindy Arnow
Friday, October 18, 2019 at 2:42 pmI just made this recipe. WOW! they came out perfect & delicous! I didnt have bittersweet chunk chocolate so I used Godiva bittersweet chips. I did a few extra bangs at end for more ridges. Last week I did a tollhouse recipe on the back of the chips bag & it didnt work. I think its because I left butter out too long & you dont freeze or refrigerate for recipe. But I knew a good recipe requires cooling the batter down so I was glad I saw your recipe. The banging was actually fun : ) Thank you for sharing!
Justin
Friday, September 27, 2019 at 12:52 pmHi there can’t wait to try this recipe! Quick question: my freezer is too small to fit baking sheets. Can I put the cookie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes as a workaround?
Kate B.
Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7:56 pmI didn’t see it mentioned anywhere, so I will ask – any idea if these will work with a GF AP blend with a white rice base? I can’t help but wonder what they’d turn out like! If no one has tried them, I’ll be happy to take 9ne for the team and report back. ?
Shan
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 9:40 pmHello! I’m so pumped to try these. I live alone and don’t like to bake a whole batch of cookies for myself. Does this dough freeze well? I know you instruct to put them in the freezer for a bit before baking, but would they be too frozen if I stored the dough in the freezer longer term? Thank you in advance!
Mary Cate
Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 3:38 pmYou could try making a half batch?
Damien yae
Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 11:08 pmI really want to try this recipe but it seems like a lot of sugar for me, what do you think happens if we reduce the quantity by half? Is the texture going to be different? So yummy
Suzanne
Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 9:51 amHi Sarah,
Can these cookies be stored in the freezer after baking and not change their texture? Also, how long do they last in the fridge if we go that route? 🙂
Liz
Friday, June 14, 2019 at 7:14 pmI made a version of these for the first time. I screwed with the recipe a bunch, using a mixture of whole wheat pastry flour and cake flour, a mix of cane sugar with jaggery and truvia, and mixing fats to coconut oil with a little butter and avocado oil. Added candied walnuts as well. I’m weird, so all the mix and match was from stuff I had hanging around, but they turned out so good I had to share. Really awesome cookies, perfect texture. Thanks for the starting point!
Corey Shoemaker
Monday, April 1, 2019 at 12:51 pmI’ve made these cookies a few times now and I’ve really impressed myself. It’s definitely one of those recipes that will always be right, just as long as you follow the directions. I made them once for a baby shower and they were a huge hit. Over this past weekend, I decided I was going to use up some extra ingredients that I had in the cabinets. I had purchased some semisweet chocolate in bulk… this was the first recipe that came to mind. I bake up over 50 of these giant cookies to take to my office. I will admit, it took an extremely long time, as I only have two cookie sheets and although I did bake both in the oven at the same time, it still took over 4 hours to make these. This recipe is amazing. I have to admit though, this won’t be my “go to” recipe, only because the amount of time it takes. However, I will definitely keep this around for special occasions and for when I have extra time on my hands for a chocolate chip cookie that is over-the-top delicious. Everyone at work loved them, by the way. Many people couldn’t believe that I actually baked them. They said “they’re so professional” or “they look like they’re from a bakery”. Definitely a hit. Try this recipe!!
Jody
Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 3:02 pmI made them slightly smaller and got 13 cookies out of the batch. These are the best cookies I’ve ever made! Thank you!!!
Paola
Friday, March 8, 2019 at 2:23 amAt the NYTimes website, it says 284grams of apf. Meanwhile, it’s 256grams here. I’ll try this but will follow the 256grams.
rebecca
Friday, November 30, 2018 at 10:13 pmI am going to make these however I don’t have any room in my freezer to stick trays. Can I either put the dough in on its own or just put them on a plate and then transfer them to a tray?
Claire
Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 11:49 amHi does anyone know what happens if you freeze the fough longer than 15 minute? Can i put them staright in the oven? Or do they have to thaw?
Celine
Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 10:19 amHi, those cookies look delish I was wondering if you could lessen the sugar in the recipe? Will it make a difference? Thx
Pamela
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 5:36 pmHas anyone created a gluten free version of these yet? I am SO tired of having to miss out on everything all because science just had to stick their noses in the farming business and create GMO wheat. That’s the entire root of the problem for anyone who doesn’t know about Celiac Disease.
Marni
Saturday, October 13, 2018 at 3:11 pmTechnically, butter is not considered dairy, it is from milk fat, but contains no milk. If u need them vegan, I’d suggest butter flavour crisco –start by using 1 Tblsp. Less fat, but, ADD — 1 Tblsp. Water = 3T. in total. If they don’t spread nicely, try replacing 2Tblsp. of the fat with an oil.
Other options to try: coconut oil(using same guidelines for crisco) – colour will be paler;
OR – substitute straight across for a vegan hard margarine(pay attention to salt content & reduce amount in recipe accordingly).
Hope this helps, GOOD LUCK!
Rachel
Thursday, September 6, 2018 at 12:12 pmSWEET BABY MOSES IN A BASKET.
Made these yesterday. OH MY WORD I can’t even tell you the deliciousness.
Kids took turns pan banging. SO WORTH THE EFFORT.
Thanks for sharing.
Amanda R
Monday, September 3, 2018 at 6:54 pmI just made a batch today. I used chocolate chips so I followed the instructions to make them 2.5 oz each. I froze them but they still spread out and became one uniform cookie on one side of the pan. They were delicious and chewy and crisp at the edges, but did not look pretty. They were also a bit greasy, so maybe I’d use less butter as one commenter suggested. The pan-banging method is more work, baking one sheet at a time, babysitting the oven for banging every 2 minutes. If mine turned out prettier I would say the extra work is worth it.
Tina
Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 5:40 pmThese barely lasted 24 hours in my house. They were GONE! I was impatient and did not refrigerate them, so I got none of the cool ripple effects. However, what I got was the most amazing, thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies that my european husband loves. I’ve been trying to find this type of recipe and found it by messing up yours! Will definitely keep this as my go to chocolate chip recipe.
Elaine Cobb
Monday, June 25, 2018 at 11:17 amThis cookie looks amazing. You deserve all the credit and attention it brings to you. Don’t pay any attention to your daughter. ?
I pre-ordered your new cookbook. It came last week. What great recipes! Thank you.
Genine
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 8:53 pmHello Sarah! I noticed that in the NY Times, your recipe called 256g of flour (instead of 284g). I followed that one before I discovered this recipe. They’re still freezing. Is it too late to add that extra 28g of flour? So excited to eat them!!
denyse
Monday, April 2, 2018 at 1:14 amThe cookies look so delicious! I’m a fan of chocolate chip cookies and will surely give this a try. Maybe I can share my version of Pistachio Chocolate Chip recipe another time for you to improve on it. Can”t wait to try this recipe!
Sharon
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 11:17 pmOMG these are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve made! Unbelievable! Amazing! Delicious! I am so amazed by how this works. I can’t wait to tell everyone. Yum yum!!
Holly
Friday, March 9, 2018 at 9:03 pmQuestion, if I want to have frozen dough balls in my freezer all the time, then would you bring to fridge temp and then bake as directed? Or would you bring to room temp and then do 15 min freeZe? Another option, perhaps? Has anybody experimented with this? (Ps I just made the dough- yum- and made some smaller cookies immediately without freezing to appease kids who couldn’t stay awake for 15 extra mins and they still worked quite nicely!)
Jen
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 5:49 amI dont have room in the freezer for a baking sheet, would putting the pan in the fridge for an hour work to chill the dough? Excited to try these!!
Allison
Monday, March 5, 2018 at 8:30 pmYes! Bought the cookbook, made the cookies, loved them. I made them with my two-year-old and he is now a big fan. Didn’t get the ridges just perfect on this first batch, but I will definitely be making them again!
So good. And I can’t wait to try the other recipes in the book. Thank you! Thank you!
Mary
Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 8:34 pmI felt like a rock star making these–I’m no baker, but they were so exciting to make and the recipe was so thorough. They turned out great! Making them a second time tonight. We enjoyed them with a little sprinkle of sea salt on top as well.
Paul Dwight
Monday, February 12, 2018 at 8:43 amI have never used this recipe, but I have been banging my cookie sheets for over 50 years, for ALL my different types of cookies. I do not make them big enough to make wrinkles, but it this them out and makes the edges crispy even when the middle is not done…creamy, just the way I like them. Try it on ALL your cookie recipes, and start banging approximately HALFWAY through the recommended cooking time, and at least 2 more times before you take them out. NEVER bake them too long, because they will get hard in the center, which eliminates the different textures and really ruins the cookie IMO.
Alex
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 2:14 pmDid the “bigger” post you mentioned ever come? I did a search but couldn’t find it. Just curious! Making these today.
Jodi L
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 4:47 amOh my goodness!!! I just pre made some dough and realized I forgot to add the tablespoons of water. Do I need to remake the dough? Or can I add the water at this point? If I leave it out will it make a big difference ?!!!
Christina
Monday, February 5, 2018 at 11:39 amHi Sarah! I’ve now made both these and your ginger molasses pan banging cookies and I have to say as someone who’s been searching for the perfect recipe for years, these ones sure do take the prize! I’m celiac and so both recipes I’ve swapped out with Bob’s cup 4 cup GF flour, and while I’m sure there are better combos for a gluten free cookie, it works! I made a batch of the choclate chip cookies GF for a Super Bowl party and everyone agreed you couldn’t even tell, and they were the cookie winner of the night by far! They don’t get as golden brown as a regular flour cookie, but no one cared 🙂
Thank you for developing such a great recipe, I’ll be using this one for years to come!
Maria
Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 1:46 pmAbsolutely delicious! I was hesitant to leave my tried and true recipe but these are great. They are different and I will definitely make them again.
Domenica
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 6:45 pmThese cookies are absolutely amazing!!!!! I used miniature chocolate morsels and made 24 fairly large cookies. I baked them for 15 minutes. I will definitely be using this recipe from now on! Thank you so much for sharing! ???
Edwina
Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 7:42 pmI really must try this pan banging technique. They look so good (and tasty!) It does seem wrong to be banging that pan down in the oven but I love what the end result looks like. Time for me to give it a try!
Jen
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 12:00 pmOhmygosh! My daughter and I made these this morning and they are delicious! We left the first pan in a little too long, but had the timing down for the rest. I’ve never made an ice cream scoop sized cookie! These will forever be in regular rotation! Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Mn
Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 5:17 pmIs there a substitute for the butter if I need to make them dairy free?
patty
Friday, January 5, 2018 at 8:38 amI made these Dec. 28th and they turned out great! I over baked the first pan, but they were still good! I did throw in peanut butter chips along with the chocolate chips. I will definitely make these again and again!
Katie
Friday, December 22, 2017 at 7:48 pmI found that my fancy insulated cookie sheets did not produce the ripple look near as well as the cheap, thin baking sheets do. They are still super delicious!!!
Darla
Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 10:27 amIadequate these and they are awesome. A little too sweet but texture, crispness of the edge and chewy I side is spot on. I cut the balls in half so they were smaller. Put in for 8 minutes, and banged them every 1 minute 30 seconds until brown on the outside. They were still larger cookies but more easy to eat.
ashley
Friday, December 8, 2017 at 9:43 amIs there a video or images that follow along for directions?
Ami Baron
Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 3:26 pmHas anyone tried making these at high altitude? I made them today but they don’t look anything like the photos, and I had very little center “puffing” before doing the banging of the pan. My residence is over 5,000 ft, so not sure if there needs to be ingredient adjustments to get these to work?? If anyone has suggestions please let me know! Thanks.
Miranda
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 12:16 amHi! I live at 6300 feet and made this recipe as is a week ago, and tried again tonight with better results (both were delicious though!). The first time, I followed the recipe exactly as written and my cookies browned quickly and spreadout a little too much. This time I added an additional 2 tbsp flour and subtracted 1 tbsp sugar. I also cooked them at 365 degrees, did my first bang at 8 minutes, and did bangs at 1.5 minute intervals x3. They didn’t spread or brown as much, and look and taste wonderful. I think the next time I try I am going to add 1 more tbsp of flour to see if it helps with the cookies combining (or maybe investing in slightly bigger baking sheets to spread out more!) Good luck!
Geni
Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 7:51 pmThank you sooo much for the recipe! However although I followed the recipe strictly to a t, after 10 minutes in the oven they melted and spread so much that the cookies turned into a ‘pool’ and became barely recognizable lol. Can you help me identify which step I might have screwed up? Thank you so much ! PS they smell amazing regardless of the form.
Jodi
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 1:34 pmSame thing just happened to mine! Not sure what went wrong, I followed the recipe exactly!
Sarah
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 1:38 pmWhat kind of butter did you use? And flour? A higher fat butter (like a European-style) will make these spread. Also, some chocolates will as well – Paleo chocolate does not work, and I’ve found Hershey’s also to make the cookies spread terribly.
Tally
Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 9:58 pmIf you don’t freeze them long enough, this tends to happen. Maybe try 20 min in your freezer?
Callie
Friday, December 1, 2017 at 12:08 amI just made them and they look amazing!!! Cooling now, so we shall see what they taste like . I wish I could send a photo.
Reni
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 8:14 pmcan I use nuts instead of choc?
Eva
Friday, November 10, 2017 at 8:26 pmMy cookies won’t “fall” the centers still puffy and they have been cooking longer than in recipe…Help!
ashley
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 11:50 pmA trick if your cookies aren’t flattening- instead of dropping the pan on the oven rack, take it out and drop it on a hard surface (ie a table or a countertop covered with a bath towel so the hot pan doesn’t crack it!) Hope that helps
Celeste
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 10:55 pmDo you have any recommendations on how to alter the recipe for high altitude baking? I live in Colorado and am dying to try these. Thanks!!
Jonell
Friday, December 7, 2018 at 3:27 amTHIs is my question! I just moved to Montana and my cookies now have been disastrous. Did you get a reply?
Edna
Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 1:03 amHI, I know it is a bit too late to reply your questionm it is in the year of 2020, but I would recommend you or anyone who come to this blog and find the same question to find any help from this site. https://highaltitudebakes.com/high-altitude-baking/
Nancy
Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 11:05 amI frequently form cookies and then freeze them so they can be baked, straight out of the freezer, at a later time. Is the 15 minute freeze in your recipe a “must-do” or do you know if this would work with your recipe? These cookies are fabulous by the way and a great version to have in anyone’s chocolate chip cookie arsenal. Thank you!
Rebecca
Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 12:11 pmAny answer to this? I’d like to know also
Priscilla Davenport
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 12:26 pmCan you add nuts to the recipe?
Sharon
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 5:13 pmWhy are my cookies greasy on bottoms???
amina el hadidy
Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 7:30 ammine too 🙁
Vanessa
Monday, January 15, 2018 at 5:11 pmMine too!! Seriously greasy!
K
Monday, January 22, 2018 at 9:28 pmMine too! The texture was great but they were really greasy on the bottom and super sweet 🙁
G
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 11:32 amI used 2 TBSP less butter and a lot less greasy!
Marianne
Monday, October 30, 2017 at 5:28 pmIf using a convection oven, 325 degrees and fan on low?
Caroline
Monday, October 30, 2017 at 4:04 pmDo you use light brown or dark brown sugar?
Monique
Monday, October 30, 2017 at 3:58 pmI made these last night and they are the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever had in my life. I sprinkled a little sea salt on top after baking and oh my gosh. This will be my go-to recipe for forever. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Anna
Friday, January 22, 2021 at 11:33 pmI was planning to do this to a few myself – now I definitely will! Mine are in the oven right now.
Aurélia
Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 4:04 amI really want to try this recipe but it seems like a lot of sugar for me, what do you think happens if we reduce the quantity by half? Is the texture going to be different?
june2
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 2:01 pmConsider using coconut sugar…it’s less refined and even more delicious imo!
Casey Elmore
Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 6:33 pmDid you end up making it with this?
Michelle
Friday, October 27, 2017 at 10:49 pmThank you Sarah! I found the article on the Web but didn’t take down the recipe, then I couldn’t find it for the longest time. Finally I found it and have since made them. Everyone I shared them with loved them. They are amazing and the pan banging makes all the difference. Thanks again.
emmy h
Friday, October 27, 2017 at 12:03 pmI should also say, the standard version of these cookies is brilliant! It’s now my favorite chocolate chip cookie, and usually I’m more of a chewy cookie girl. But the crispy edges of these caramelize, the center still has near-gooey tenderness, and the range of texture is delightful. The ratio of bittersweet chocolate is also perfect for me.
I think the sesame oil will make them even more sublime.
emmy h
Friday, October 27, 2017 at 11:54 amHi, Sarah! I own your book and am happily baking my way through it. We have kindred tastes!
A question about the toasted sesame oil variation for these cookies: is it correct to simply add it to the recipe, or should the oil be substituted for the water?
Jenel Farrell
Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 1:14 pmI made Sarah Kieffer’s Chocolate Chip Cookies last week and they are BY FAR the best chocolate chip cookies I have had! I’m making them again this weekend.
Monta
Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 9:32 amI’ve actually been banging-the-pan for years… and horrifying my friends and family (albeit none of them ever ever ever passed up a cookie).
Glad you made it trendy to do so. I can stop defending myself so vociferously.
Kyle
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 8:11 pmWhere it says, “(a heaping ? cup each)” what is the ? mark supposed to say?
Sarah
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 8:51 pmSorry about that! It should be 1/3 cup.
Ellie
Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 1:35 amI’ve had my eye on these cookies and I’m sooooo excited to try them!!! It’s been a super long time since I’ve even attempted to make someone else’s recipe because of time, but for this one I need to make an exception ?
Cassie Gerhardstein
Monday, October 23, 2017 at 3:10 pmThese looks amazing! I can’t wait to try the recipe out tonight. Question, if you don’t have a 3.5 oz. cookie scoop, what size measuring cup is accurate for scooping the dough?
Sarah
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 8:51 pmIt is 1/3 cup. Let me know how they turn out for you!
Marjorie Nawrocki
Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 10:18 pmYes- i tried this recipe and a friend said they were the best ! Timing of the banging is important! Good recipe but timely!!!
dale streier
Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 1:09 pmDoes anyone know if Sarah’s recipe can be doubled?