McDonald’s Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Soft & Chewy!)

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

A satisfying crispy crunch on the outside…

leading to the softest fudgiest bite on the inside.

❤

These chocolate chip cookies are insane and…

I have no words…

You’ve found a new family favorite!

Just crispy soft doughy goodness all over filled with lots of delicious melty chocolate chips.

You’ll take one bite and become an instant fan.

These copycat McDonald’s cookies are exactly how chocolate chip cookies should be- with a crispy outside and a softtt chewy fudgy inside.

This recipe has officially become my favorite type of chocolate chip cookie. I always loved chocolate chip cookies that happened to be on the soft side and then I moved to the cakey type of chocolate chip cookies for a while.

And now, I adore this chocolate chip cookie with a crispy outside and soft lush inside. It’s the best of both worlds!

I love how those textures of crispy and soft work together giving us a rich tender buttery bite…

I can’t! I’m in love ❤.

It’s one of the best sweet treats in the whole world. Such an easy delicious dessert that just keeps giving.

Oh and this delicious cookie doesn’t just win in terms of texture. Here are a few more reasons why you’ll love it:

• It’s DELICIOUS. I WISH I could share some with you through the screen right now! This chocolate chip cookie has the most incredible flavors right from the caramelly butterscotchy brown sugar (that gorgeous natural flavor!), rich butter and gooey chocolatey chocolate chips. Everything is mixed together in the best possible proportions (we tried a bajillion different ingredients and proportions before settling down with this one!). You’ll be baking a tried and tested cookie that tastes just as good as it feels when you bite into it. Yum 😍!
• This delicious cookie uses pretty simple ingredients (no complex difficult to find ingredients here!)! You probably have all these ingredients at home already so YAY!
• I’ve made sure there are no complex processes involved when making this cookie. You don’t need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Just a whisk and spatula are enough. It’s super easy to make! Really easy cleanup too (who doesn’t love an easy cleanup?!).
• Oh and I don’t think you’re ready for this one…. This McDonald’s chocolate chip cookie copycat recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes (prep+baking)! I know, I know, when those cookie cravings hit, waiting is TORTUROUS! And that’s why I’ve made this recipe in a way that you don’t need to chill it, you don’t need to wait for very long either. Just mix all those super simple ingredients, make your cookie dough balls and pop them in the oven. Really easy steps too 💃🏻!
• It’s an easy copycat recipe of the McDonald’s cookies (even softer on the inside and crispier on the outside!) and doesn’t have any extra added ingredients such as sodium acid pyrophosphate for example (what even is sodium acid pyrophosphate?!). Just a delicious and hassle-free chocolate chip cookie recipe with simple ingredients that tastes… out of this world (I just can’t get over that soft chewy center!). What’s not to love?

I absolutely adore sweet treats! If you do too, check out our collection of absolutely lip-smacking Baked in the Oven, Desserts and Party/Special Day recipes.

WHAT IS THIS MCDONALD’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES RECIPE?

Mcdonald’s chocolate chip cookies are famous for being crispy on the outside and oh so soft on the inside.

They’ve literally got the words “soft baked” printed on that characteristic brown paper bag. And oh my goodness, I love the sound of those words when I connect them to cookies in my mind.

Soft. Baked.

When I first heard of the McDonald’s chocolate chip cookies, they sounded perfect.

Crispy on the outside with a soft and chewy middle.

I needed to try it.

I’ve always loved soft all over cookies and cakey cookies (I still love them but… there’s a new favorite in town!).

And now, this is my type of cookie.

I just NEEDED to replicate that at home cause we don’t find these cookies where I live (shame!).

I mean, we get other McDonald’s cookies here such as the oat and raisin cookie and the McDonald’s triple chocolate cookie.

But the chocolate chip cookies? Nope.

So I just had to bake them and try getting something as close to the original as possible.

Of course I could do a little more to make the cookie how I prefer it (just a little bit).

And that’s exactly what I did. I went ahead and used unsalted butter instead of margarine like McDonald’s apparently does because I wanted that buttery flavor (mmm!).

I also worked towards making this cookie even softer on the inside with slightly crisp edges. And of course, more chocolate chippy.

And here we have it, my version of the McDonald’s chocolate chip cookie! One of the best cookie recipes ever in my opinion… It’s just so good I can’t ❤!

McDonald’s cookies have always been on the popular side. Especially McDonaldland cookies introduced by the fast-food chain back in 1974.

McDonaldland cookies aren’t sold anymore (while researching I think they’re still sold in Australia but I can’t say for sure).

There are a few more cookies sold by this fast-food chain out there such as the McDonald’s triple chocolate cookie, for example. The cookies sold by McDonald’s vary by state and country.

I’m not going into all that here though. We’re here to appreciate this gorgeous cookie.

And yep, this is one of those really really good cookie recipes out there and I hope you love it as much as we do ❤. I just know it’ll become a family favorite, it’s just that good!

What’s a perfect chocolate chip cookie for you?

Love quick and easy recipes? Check out our collection of absolutely lip-smacking Sweet Treats, Quick & Easy Recipes and Nut-Free recipes.

RECIPE VARIATIONS YOU CAN TRY

This McDonald’s chocolate chip cookie recipe is the absolute best ❤! One of the most delicious sweet treats ever.

It is the perfect chocolate chip cookie and there’s so much you can do with it.

If you want to change things up, here are a few ideas:

• We underbake our cookies in this chocolate chip cookie recipe for that soft chewy texture. You can always bake your cookies a little extra if you want them to be crispier though.
• You can make different shaped chocolate chip cookies using fun-shaped cookie molds too!
• You can add some extra extract such as almond extract for added flavor. Almond extract goes well with chocolate chip cookies!
• You can add some nuts to your chocolate chip cookie batter as well. You can reduce some of the chocolate chips and replace that amount with chopped nuts of your liking!
• And you can do the same if you want to add any of the following ingredients such as marshmallows, M&M’s, raisins… dried cranberries, sprinkles, peanut butter chips… whatever you feel will go well here.
• You can also use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to make this cookie a triple chocolate delight.
• You can add some spices like cinnamon or cardamom to your chocolate chip cookie dough before baking to add a hint of warmth to your cookies. Super awesome during holiday season!
• For an absolutely delicious texture and super gooey chocolate in every bite, use chopped chocolate instead of chocolate chips. You can use a bit of both too!
• To give your chocolate chip cookies that gorgeous look, you can stuff some chocolate chips on top before baking it. Or you can also put some chocolate chips in after the cookies are done baking if you prefer. Maybe both before and after for a chocolate extravaganza!
• You can also sprinkle just a little sea salt over your cookie dough balls before popping them into the oven. That sea salt will just make the cookie even better making those flavors pop.

Note- If you think you have an ingredient that you feel is suitable as a substitute for a certain ingredient in this recipe, according to your dietary preference, you can use it and let us know how it works as a substitute in the comments below. I’ll then add it in as an adaptation suggestion here. This will help so many others with the same diet preference as yours.

HOW TO MAKE MCDONALD’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES RECIPE [Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos]

For exact ingredient measurements and instructions without photos, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips and tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I always want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking ❤.

STEP 1: GET YOUR INGREDIENTS READY

It’s a good thing to have a kitchen scale here. I would always suggest it. I find measurements in grams to be super accurate.

If you don’t have a kitchen scale though, be careful when measuring your ingredients, especially the all purpose flour.

When measuring your all purpose flour, use the spoon and level method. Don’t scoop the entire measuring cup into the flour or scoop your flour from the bag into the measuring cup.

Instead, spoon your flour into the measuring cup you’re using. Then, level it with the help of a knife to get any excess flour out.

Take a whisk or wooden spoon and mix everything well together.

Set the whisk or wooden spoon and dry mixture aside.

Use a regular whisk and mix that melted butter and sugars for up to 2 to 3 minutes until everything turns nice and liquidy paste.

Now add the whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract.

Whisk for another minute until it’s just mixed, not too long.

And now, take a spatula and start folding the flour mixture and wet mixture very gently until a few white streaks of flour remain. We don’t want to overmix this dough.

This will take about a minute or two… not more.

Make sure you scrape the bowl as you do this in case too much is stuck to the sides of the bowl.

When there are a few white streaks of flour remaining, add in your chocolate chips and gently fold again until the chocolate chips are mixed into the dough. Please DON’T OVERMIX.

Remember once again to scrape the sides of the bowl while folding.

This is a moist-ish dough and that’s perfectly fine ❤.

Now, using a cookie scoop (or even a regular tablespoon if you don’t have a cookie scoop) go ahead and scoop some cookie dough. Each cookie for me uses about 1 and a half to 2 tablespoons of dough.

Now, time to get your hands into it! Wash your hands and place the dough on the palm of your hand and roll it into a pretty ball.…

Place the ball over the parchment paper of your prepared baking sheet.

Leave about 3 to 3 and a half inches between each cookie dough ball. These cookies don’t spread too much but I still like to be on the safer side!

I can bake about 5 to 6 cookies at a time. This depends on the size of your baking tray though!

Now, gently press down each dough ball just a little with your fingers to flatten the top a little. Not too much though.

You can top your cookie dough balls with more chocolate chips if you want.

STEP 6: BAKE THOSE COOKIES 💃🏻

Now pop the baking tray into the preheated oven and bake your cookies for 9 to 11 minutes.

My baking tray is dark so my cookies are done sooner (in about 9 minutes). If your baking tray is lighter, your cookies may take about 10 to 11 minutes to bake.

Just keep an eye on your cookies from the 8 minute mark.

You’ll know your cookies are done if they start turning a little brown on the edges.

They’ll still be light on top though. Don’t worry, they’ll continue to cook even after you take them out.

We’re underbaking our cookies so they get that characteristic crisp on the outside but stay soft and chewy on the inside. Please do not overbake the cookies!

Take your baking tray out once you see those edges turning brown and let your cookies rest in it for about 15 to 20 minutes (you can wait for 10-12 minutes as well if you’re in a hurry).

They’ll look a little underbaked and will be soft to the touch (I was shocked by how soft and floppy cookies can be when they’re fresh out of the oven the first time I baked some cookies!), leave them be.

They’ll cook and turn a more delicious light brown and will firm up over the baking tray.

They’ll deflate a little as they cool too.

Once 15-20 minutes are up, transfer your chocolate chip cookies on to a wire rack.

They’ll finish cooling over the cooling rack.

Now bite into that soft baked goodness. How good is that huh 😍? And you baked it all on your own!

Also, if you have any questions about this recipe, make sure to check out our FAQs section below to maybe find your answer there, or leave a comment and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible, I promise 😊.

TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST MCDONALD’S COOKIES EVERY SINGLE TIME

You’ve probably read the super simple steps above already but it’s best to go through these extra tips as well to make sure you don’t get… a flatter cookie, for example.

That doesn’t happen with our cookie recipe at all but it’s best to be on the safer side!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to get the best cookie every time:

• Read through the recipe, the ingredients needed and the easy steps too before getting started so you know what to expect and get all your ingredients ready beforehand. Also, follow the recipe exactly as I’ve given it here. When it comes to cookies, things can change with the tiniest change made to the recipe.
• Always measure your ingredients properly and very carefully. I always suggest a kitchen scale but if you don’t have one, it’s alright. Just be careful, especially with the flour. To measure your flour, use the spoon and level method. Rather than scooping your entire measuring cup into the flour, go ahead and spoon your flour into the measuring cup. Then level it with a knife to get any excess flour out.
• It’s really important to make sure your oven temperature is correct before popping your cookies in. You can check your oven temperature with the help of an oven thermometer. Every oven is different and having an oven thermometer can be super helpful.
• Always make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh. We usually think these powders won’t go bad because they’re… powders. But they can and do go bad sometimes so keep a check on that.
• Please don’t overmix your cookie dough. This can lead to the gluten developing way too much giving you a super chewy (not in a nice way) and flatter cookie. We don’t want tough cookies!
• Always scrape your bowl when mixing so you get all those ingredients in and nothing is left behind.
• You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer as well if you like. Use medium speed when mixing the wet ingredients and low speed when mixing mixing the dough together.
• Our chocolate chip cookie dough here doesn’t need to be refrigerated (woohoo!). But hey, you can always refrigerate it. If you choose to refrigerate this dough, it’ll make your cookie even more flavorful (if that’s even possible!). That’s because all the ingredients have the time to really mix well with one another. Your cookie will also be a little thicker and chewier (in a super awesome way!).
• I love using a cookie scoop because it makes sure all my cookies are the same shape and size. This makes those cookies look really good and helps in even baking too! The best thing for me is scooping some dough and making a round ball using my hands.
• How your cookies bake and come out depends on so many factors, your oven, the altitude you’re living at, the temperature of your kitchen, the ingredients you’re using, your baking tray… And let’s not get into how you’re mixing your ingredients and things. This is a mostly fool-proof recipe, I’ve made it lots of times but if something ever goes wrong, comment below and we can figure it out together ❤!
• Bake only one batch of cookies at a time. This will reduce the risk of one batch of cookies being overbaked and the other being underbaked since every oven has hot and cold spots plus the lower rack, middle rack and upper rack have different temperatures. Unless you know your oven really well and are ready to rotate the baking trays halfway, don’t bake multiple batches at the same time.
• Please don’t overbake the cookies here. Our chocolate chip cookies will look a little light and underbaked (they’ll be very soft too, be careful) when they first come out and that’s perfectly fine. This is needed to have the best results- that perfect soft center (literally worth going crazy about ❤). They’ll continue cooking and will firm up more once they’re out. Just baking until you see the edges turn golden brown is enough.
• And you need to leave your cookies on the hot baking tray once they’re out of the oven for at least 15 to 20 minutes. The cookies will continue cooking on the baking tray and will turn into the softest most delicious cookie in the world with slightly crispy edges and a chewy center. Love!

FUN SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This delicious cookie is SO good on its own, it’s crazy.

BUT HEY, there are lots more fun ways to serve it.

Here are a few ideas:

• Go ahead and pair your McDonald’s chocolate chip cookies with some cold milk (or any milk of your choice such as oat milk, almond milk or whatever milk you prefer), such a classic! Dunk those cookies with that perfect texture (so soft and chewy!) into the milk and enjoy all that creamy chocolate goodness!
• You can pair these chewy cookies with other flavored milks too, such as our Easy Dalgona Chocolate Recipe (you can make hot chocolate or cold chocolate with it!). Chocolate with creamy milky chocolate, can it get any better? Or maybe even our Korean Strawberry Milk with Fresh Strawberries for some chocolate strawberry fun! Or a chocolate milkshake or any flavored milkshake you like!
• Or maybe with some warm tea (like this Homemade Japanese Royal Milk Tea Recipe) for a cozy afternoon pick-me-up? Or hot coffee (our Easy Oat Milk Coffee Recipe)? Maybe even iced coffee (check our Oreo Iced Coffee Recipe). Perhaps even with black coffee, black tea, herbal tea or green tea for a touch of sweetness? These soft golden brown cookies go so well with literally any drink out there.
• You can make some cookie ice cream sandwiches with these delicious cookies. Go ahead and use whatever flavor ice cream you prefer (I love some vanilla or chocolate ice cream here). Add a scoop of ice cream on one cookie and then sandwich it with another cookie. So good. This chocolate chip cookie works so well here with ice cream thanks to its slightly crisp edges and chewy texture in the center.
• I love these cookies nice and warm and I feel that’s the best way to enjoy them in my opinion. If you’re serving them a couple of hours or days after baking them, I suggest you go ahead and reheat them in the microwave for a couple of seconds until they’re just warmed through. Be careful they don’t get too hot. About 10 to 15ish seconds is usually enough for me.
• When they’re fresh out of the oven, wait for about 15 to 20 minutes for them to set just a little. Then when they’re still a little soft, add those cookies to a bowl and top them up with some vanilla or chocolate ice cream (or any flavor you prefer) and some of your favorite toppings for a soft-ish warm cookie sundae!
• If you’re serving these McDonald’s cookies at a party, go ahead and serve them in a platter with toppings such as marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, fun sprinkles, chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups… whatever you prefer for some customizable fun!
• Serve your delicious chewy cookies with some fun cookie dips such as creamy rich peanut butter (or any other nut butters you like!), Nutella… chocolate sauce, a white chocolate dip… whatever cookie dips you prefer.

❤❤❤

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Would you like to explore more such recipes? Check out our collection of absolutely lip-smacking Snacks, Vegetarian Recipes and Summer recipes.