Santa's Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Santa's Chocolate Chip Cookies are crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. They're filled with two types of chocolate, which makes them the biggest and best chocolate chip cookies you'll ever eat in your life!
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What's Special About These Cookies?
It's that time of year when Santa shimmies down the chimney. I don't know about your jolly old elf, but ours won't leave any presents unless we make a plate of Santa's Chocolate Chip Cookies especially for him.
These aren't just any chocolate chip cookies. They're SANTA SIZED cookies! After one bite, you'll never be able to eat a regular cookie again!
I never knew cookies like this existed until I visited the Levain Bakery in New York City. After my cousin, Tracy, took me to this magical place, I was addicted. Mounds of ginormous cookies in 4 different flavors were being created in this enchanted little space (where I believe Santa and his elves work in the back).
After eating every type of cookie they made, I went on a quest to make Levain Bakery chocolate chip cookies at home.
I tweaked the recipe to my liking, and came up with a version that is as close to what I remember when I took a bite of the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever tasted. They're crispy on the outside, yet gooey and melted on the inside. Mine aren't quite as large as the original cookies at Levain Bakery, but they're equally as delicious.
Instructions
The secret to these amazing cookies is to use cold ingredients, and bake them at a high temperature.
- Start by cutting 2 sticks of cold butter into small cubes and placing in a mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and white sugar, then cream together until fully incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla, then beat until smooth.
- Mix together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, then add to the sugar mixture slowly. Continue beating on slow speed until all of the flour is absorbed, but try not to overmix.
Stir In The Chocolate
3. Now, it's time to add the chocolate chips and one large bar of Ghiradelli chocolate. I added the chocolate bar to make these cookies even more special for Santa. Crack the chocolate bar into chunks and mix it in with the batter along with the chocolate chips.
4. Add pecans or walnuts, and mix as best you can. Use a big spoon to make sure the nuts and chocolate are evenly distributed since the batter is really thick.
Roll and Bake
5. Roll the dough into large, irregular balls without compacting it, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. (ad) I was able to get 8 large scoops of cookie dough on my sheet, and made 2 batches for a total of 16 cookies. The original Levain Bakery cookies are twice as large as mine, but I wanted more to go around. That way, Santa got some, and I did too!
6. Bake cookies in a hot oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until just beginning to brown. Try really hard not to over bake!
7. Take out of oven and cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a serving plate. This allows the cookies to settle into their chocolatey-melty goodness.
Recipe FAQS
In order to get that quick dome that rises up high and leaves a molten chocolate center, the temperature needs to be at least 400 degrees. Because the dough is rolled into larger balls, the middle stays chewy and delicious.
Yes, chocolate chip cookies freeze really well when they are wrapped and stored in an airtight container. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight for best results, then heat for 7 to 10 seconds in the microwave on high to melt the chocolate.
More Holiday Treats
If you love this recipe, try some of my other holiday treats!
- Salted Chocolate Toffee Bars
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Bark
- Baileys Streusel Cheesecake Cups
- Nutella Cheesecake Brownies
- Aunt Julia's Cheese Biscuits
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Card
Santa's Chocolate Chip Cookies
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups White Lily all-purpose flour ad
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounce bar dark chocolate broken into chunks
- 2 cups pecans coarsely chopped (use walnuts if preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- With a mixer, cream the butter with both sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla.
- Add eggs and mix gently.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix gently on low speed until incorporated. Try not to over mix.
- Stir in chocolate chips, chocolate chunks and pecans. Mix with large spoon until evenly distributed.
- Roll batter into large, loose balls. Place 8 balls on an ungreased cookie sheet (ad) at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake in oven at 400 degrees for only 10 minutes on middle rack until slightly brown on edges.
- Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet (ad) until set before eating.
- Repeat process for a total of 16 large cookies.
Notes
- Use cold butter and high heat for best results.
- Ovens vary. You may need 1 to 2 more minutes of cooking time if your cookies are larger than mine. But do not bake until cookies are totally brown or they will be too hard.
- Cookies are best when eaten warm. After cookies cool completely, reheat in microwave for 15 seconds to achieve a melted center.
- This recipe makes 16 large cookies or 36 small cookies when using a 1 inch cookie scoop. If baking smaller cookies, reduce baking time to 7 minutes.
- I recommend using White Lily flour (ad) in this recipe, or a soft winter wheat flour that produces a better cookie.
- View the Google Web Story for Santa's Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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These cookies are delicious. My family and I were so amazed by them that we’ve made it a tradition to fix them on Christmas Eve. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Hi Kelli! What a wonderful thing to say! That really touches my heart that you have adopted my recipe as one of your holiday traditions! Thank you! 🙂
Could I make this batch as specified and cook in a cast iron skillet like a cookie cake?
Sure! You will have to cook it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I have a similar skillet cookie recipe here: Goblin Skillet Cookie.
Best chocolate chip cookie recipe
Thanks so much, Monique! It is my favorite cookie recipe too! 🙂
These cookies are amazing, my friends gave me some of the batch that they made. Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Is it better to keep the dough in the refrigerator before cooking?
Hi Eric! It's best to use unsalted butter when baking, but I have used salted butter and these have turned out the same. And, the colder you keep the dough the better. They will rise up and have a gooey center if kept cold.
I just made a batch of these amazing cookies! Fantastic recipe. I did not roll mine, I used an ice cream scoop instead. They are lightly crisp on the outside and soft & gooey on the inside. I love that they are Santa-sized!
Merry Christmas!
Hi Renee! So glad you tried these cookies and they turned out great for you! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you too!
Looking to add these to this Christmas’ goodies list.
You're gonna love 'em!
I've never been to New York, but you make me want to go there. If these cookies are as big as you say they are, I've got to try them!
Yes...those cookies are as big as you can imagine! And hot out of the oven...they're out of this world!
These look delicious!! If anyone can replicate and even improve Levain, it will be you!! Can't wait to try it!
Thank you Tracy! Those Levain cookies are amazing, aren't they? 🙂