There are cookies, and then there are Crumbl chocolate chip cookies. If you’ve ever had one, you know exactly what I mean—the giant size, gooey middle, crispy golden edges, and melty chocolate chips that feel like a hug wrapped in dough.
The best part? You don’t need to spend $5 per cookie at Crumbl when you can make a spot-on copycat version right in your kitchen. And here’s the kicker: it only takes a bit of time, some pantry staples, and the willingness to make your house smell like a bakery.
Grab your apron. Let’s make magic.
What Makes Crumbl Cookies Special?
Here’s the truth: not all chocolate chip cookies are created equal. Some are crispy like crackers, others are soft but thin. Crumbl takes a different approach:
- Size: Each cookie weighs around 5.5–6 ounces (basically the weight of two average cookies combined). These aren’t snacks; they’re an experience.
- Texture: Gooey middle, chewy edges, and enough structure to hold together. Think half-baked perfection.
- Chocolate Chips: Instead of dainty little chips, Crumbl uses milk chocolate chunks—creamy, rich, and more dramatic in every bite.
- Flavor: Deep buttery base with caramel notes from brown sugar.
The secret? It’s not magic—it’s ingredient ratios, chilling, and bake time precision. And yes, I’ve tested this more times than I care to admit (my jeans will confirm).
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Before you even touch a mixing bowl, let’s talk ingredients. If you want your cookies to taste like Crumbl’s, you can’t cut corners here.
- All-purpose flour – The backbone. Gives cookies structure. Too much flour = cakey. Too little = puddle cookies.
- Cornstarch – The secret to softness. It lightens the flour mixture and keeps cookies tender.
- Baking soda – Helps cookies rise and spread.
- Salt – Never skip. Enhances sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature, softened. Use high-quality butter—this is where a ton of flavor comes from.
- Granulated sugar + Brown sugar – The combo gives you sweetness plus moisture. Brown sugar also adds caramel undertones.
- Eggs – Bind everything. Room temperature eggs whip better into the dough.
- Vanilla extract – Go pure, not imitation. Cookies are only as good as their vanilla.
- Milk chocolate chunks – Skip the regular chips. Buy a good-quality bar and chop it up for thick, melty pools of chocolate.
Pro tip from my kitchen: don’t skimp on chocolate. The magic of Crumbl comes from biting into actual chocolate puddles instead of tiny scattered bits.
Step-by-Step Recipe – Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies
Alright, let’s get to the fun part. Follow this closely, and you’ll have bakery-style cookies cooling on your counter in under an hour.
Ingredients (makes 10 giant cookies):
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
- 1 cup brown sugar (200 g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups milk chocolate chunks (roughly chopped)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter + sugars: Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until fluffy. This traps air = lighter cookies.
- Add eggs + vanilla: Beat until just combined. Don’t overmix—nobody wants rubbery cookies.
- Combine dry and wet: Slowly add flour mix until just incorporated. The dough should be thick.
- Fold in chocolate: Use a spatula. Don’t beat—it’ll break chunks.
- Shape cookies: Scoop dough into 6-ounce balls (about the size of a baseball). Place spaced out on tray.
- Bake 10–12 minutes: Edges should look set, centers still soft. Remember—they’ll keep baking as they cool.
- Cool on tray: Let them sit 10 minutes before transferring. This keeps centers gooey but not raw.
Pro baker trick: If you want those picture-perfect bakery swirls, take a glass, place it over the cookie immediately after baking, and swirl in circles. This reshapes the cookie into a neat round.
Why Size Matters
Crumbl cookies are big for a reason. The larger dough balls allow the edges to cook faster than the center, giving you that signature gooey-but-structured texture.
If you try to shrink them to standard cookie size, you’ll lose the gooey center magic. So yes, you may only get 10 cookies instead of 30, but one Crumbl-sized cookie is like three regular ones—so your portioning is actually honest.
The Science of Perfect Cookies
Let me geek out for a second. Understanding cookie chemistry will make you a better baker, not just for this recipe but for life.
- Butter temperature: Softened butter creams with sugar better, incorporating air. Cold butter = dense dough. Melted butter = greasy cookies.
- Brown vs white sugar: Brown sugar has molasses, which adds chewiness and flavor depth.
- Cornstarch: Softens flour proteins, prevents toughness. It’s the secret to “pillow” cookies.
- Eggs: Provide moisture + structure. Too many eggs = cakey texture.
- Chilling dough: Optional here, but if you chill for 30 minutes, you’ll get less spread and more flavor development.
Think of it like this: baking cookies is like conducting a tiny orchestra. Butter is the violin, sugar is percussion, eggs are woodwinds, and flour is the brass section. If one section plays too loud, the whole song is off. Balance is everything.
Common Mistakes People Make
I’ve ruined enough batches to save you the trouble. Watch out for these pitfalls:
- Overbaking: Pull cookies out while centers look underdone. They finish baking on the tray.
- Skipping cornstarch: Don’t. It makes the texture.
- Using chocolate chips instead of chunks: You’ll miss that Crumbl signature gooey chocolate pool.
- Not measuring flour properly: Always spoon and level, don’t scoop with the measuring cup—it packs too much flour.
- Crowding the tray: These cookies spread. Give them breathing room.
Variations to Try
Once you’ve nailed the classic, experiment:
- Dark chocolate + sea salt: Sprinkle flaky sea salt right after baking.
- Stuffed cookies: Place a caramel square or Nutella in the center before baking.
- Peanut butter twist: Replace half the butter with peanut butter.
- Mini Crumbls: Make them half size for parties, but watch bake time—7–9 minutes.
Storage and Freezing Tips
These cookies stay fresh 3–4 days in an airtight container. If you want that fresh-baked gooeyness later, pop them in the microwave for 8–10 seconds.
Freezing tip: Scoop dough balls, freeze on tray, then transfer to a zip bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Nutritional Breakdown
Brace yourself: one Crumbl chocolate chip cookie packs around 600–700 calories, depending on size and chocolate load. That’s basically a small meal.
But here’s the thing—these cookies are about indulgence, not calorie-counting. Nobody eats Crumbl daily (unless you work there). Think of it as a treat, not a routine.
Why Homemade Beats Store-Bought
Sure, you can buy a Crumbl cookie for $5, but making them at home wins every time:
- Cost: A batch of 10 giant cookies costs around $8 total in ingredients. That’s 80 cents a cookie versus $5.
- Customization: Want dark chocolate instead of milk? Easy. Want them smaller? Done.
- Freshness: Straight from your oven beats cookies that sat in a display case.
- Bragging rights: Nothing impresses friends like saying, “Oh, these? I made them.”
Personal Anecdote – The First Time I Tried
The first time I attempted Crumbl-style cookies at home, I underestimated the size. I thought, “No way a cookie needs to be this big.” So I made them half-size. Result? Decent cookies, but not Crumbl. The magic didn’t happen until I committed to the baseball-sized dough. That’s when I understood—the size isn’t gimmick, it’s science.
And when I shared them with my neighbors, one of them literally asked, “Did you buy these?” That’s when I knew I’d cracked the code.
Final Thoughts
Making Crumbl chocolate chip cookies at home is one of those rare kitchen projects where the payoff is immediate and ridiculously satisfying. You don’t need fancy gear, just patience, quality ingredients, and a willingness to eat cookies the size of your hand.
Remember, the secret is in the butter-sugar ratio, the milk chocolate chunks, and the size of the dough balls. Follow this, and you’ll have cookies that rival—or even beat—what Crumbl serves.
Bake a batch, share with friends, and enjoy the compliments. Just don’t tell them how easy it really was.
