NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies Recipe

If you’ve ever wandered into a legendary Manhattan bakery and instantly fallen in love with the perfect cookie—crisp on the edges, ooey-gooey in the middle, and packed with chocolate you can actually sink your teeth into—get excited. With this recipe for NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies, you can create that iconic New York experience right in your own kitchen. They’re as thick as they are chewy, deliciously buttery, and positively loaded with chocolate, making each bite feel like a treat that’s both nostalgic and next-level decadent.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There’s something truly magical about the simplicity of great ingredients coming together just right. For NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies, each one plays its part—whether creating the unforgettable brown butter flavor, achieving that signature gooey middle, or building those bakery-worthy chocolate puddles. Here’s what you’ll need (plus a helpful tip for each!):

• All-purpose flour: The backbone of your dough, giving structure while allowing that just-right chew.
• Baking soda: Adds lift, helping those cookies puff up with perfect, thin ripples.
• Cornstarch: A secret weapon for softness, making the centers extra tender and gooey.
• Salt: Essential for balancing sweetness and making chocolate notes really sing.
• Unsalted butter: Browning it first gives you a deep, nutty, unforgettable flavor—totally worth the extra step!
• Granulated sugar: Creates crisp edges while letting the center stay soft.
• Brown sugar: Adds that caramelly, rich undertone and helps lock in moisture.
• Egg: The classic binder, making sure everything holds together for the perfect bite.
• Egg yolk: Gives extra richness and creates that irresistible gooeyness.
• Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out all the flavors, adding a bakery-style aroma and warmth.
• Milk: Brings just a little extra moisture to help the dough come together and stay tender.
• Bittersweet chocolate (chopped): The star of the show—choose good-quality bars so every chunk is melt-in-your-mouth magic.

How to Make NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies

Step 1: Brown the Butter

Set the tone for deep, nutty flavor by melting your butter over medium heat. Swirl and stir until it turns a gorgeous golden brown and releases a dreamy aroma—that’s the magic moment! Once you’ve reached that nutty sweet spot (about 5–7 minutes), move it into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes. This step is transformative, delivering bakery-level flavor to your NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies.

Step 2: Prep Your Baking Sheets and Oven

Slide your oven rack to the middle and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Not only will this keep things from sticking, but it also gives your cookies those beautifully defined, bakery-thin edges.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, quickly whisk up the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Even distribution here is key—it means every cookie comes out with perfect texture and flavor, no surprises.

Step 4: Cream the Sugars and Butter

Add your cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, then pour in both sugars. Beat for 2–3 minutes until the mixture gets pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides often—those little bits want to be part of the party, too!

Step 5: Incorporate Eggs, Vanilla, and Milk

Now’s the time to add richness. First, mix in the whole egg, and then the extra yolk, beating between each addition. Follow up with vanilla and a couple spoonfuls of milk. The batter should turn smooth, glossy, and totally tempting (try not to sneak a spoonful… or do!).

Step 6: Combine Wet and Dry

Gradually add your dry mix into the wet, using the lowest speed. Don’t overwork it—just mix until a soft, dreamy dough forms. This gentle approach ensures you get NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies with maximum melt-in-your-mouth chewiness.

Step 7: Add the Chocolate

Time for the fun part: folding in heaps of bittersweet chocolate chunks. Make sure every bit of dough gets its fair share of chocolate so you’re guaranteed those swoon-worthy puddles in every cookie.

Step 8: Shape and Chill the Dough

Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out your dough. For that show-stopping, bakery look, press two dough balls together and roll into one big, chunky, bakery-style ball (about a heaping ⅓ cup each). Place four dough balls per sheet, spaced apart. Freeze the first tray for 15 minutes before baking for those signature gooey centers, and keep the others chilled until their turn.

Step 9: Bake and Bang

Bake your first tray for 10 minutes. Then, remove and bang the pan on your counter three times to form those NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies’ classic ripples. Slide them back in the oven for 3–4 more minutes: 3 minutes for gooey, 4 for a crisp edge. Watch for golden edges and pale centers—they’ll set as they cool.

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the pan so the centers finish setting to fudgy perfection. Once they’re ready, eat them warm or move to a rack. Serve as soon as possible for the ultimate gooey-in-the-middle experience!

How to Serve NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies

Garnishes

For the true bakery vibe, press a few big chocolate chunks onto the tops of your cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. You can even sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt for an instant upgrade—instant gourmet! That hit of salt highlights every layer of chocolatey flavor in NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies.

Side Dishes

You can’t go wrong with a big glass of cold milk—classic, right? These cookies also pair beautifully with vanilla ice cream for an effortlessly indulgent dessert. To really capture the New York bakery feeling, serve them alongside coffee or espresso for a warm, cozy afternoon pick-me-up.

Creative Ways to Present

Arrange the cookies on a marble slab or a rustic wooden board for an Instagram-worthy display. Stack them tall in a glass jar for a bake-sale moment at home, or tie them with bakers’ twine for a truly heartfelt homemade gift. You could even serve NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies warm, straight from the oven, with all the chocolate puddles on show—a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

To keep your NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies at their best, store any extras in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and chewy for up to 3 days. If they start to firm up, a quick, gentle reheat brings that gooey texture right back!

Freezing

Want cookies on demand? Freeze individual dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag. You can bake cookies directly from frozen—just add a minute to the bake time. You can also freeze baked cookies once cooled; they’ll keep for up to 2 months for a sweet treat whenever the craving hits.

Reheating

For freshly baked-warmth, pop a cookie into the microwave for 10–15 seconds or heat it in a low oven. That’ll bring back all the gooey glory of a just-out-of-the-oven NYC Thin and Gooey Cookie!

FAQs

Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate bars?

Absolutely! While chopped chocolate bars create larger, velvety puddles, high-quality chocolate chips also work well and melt beautifully, so feel free to use your favorite.

Why do I need to bang the baking sheet on the counter?

Banging the pan creates those iconic thin, rippled edges and helps the chocolate swirl throughout each NYC Thin and Gooey Cookie—giving them their “bakery look” and texture.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Definitely. You can portion and chill the dough overnight or freeze the scooped balls for future baking. Longer chilling deepens the brown butter flavors and results in slightly thicker cookies.

How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much?

Make sure your brown butter is fully cooled before creaming it with the sugars, and always chill the portioned dough balls before baking. Parchment-lined pans also help maintain the perfect shape for NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, this recipe doubles easily. Just be sure to work in batches to avoid crowding the mixer, and space the cookies well on each baking sheet for even results.

Final Thoughts

If you crave bakery-style cookies with that perfect combination of thin, crispy edges and molten, gooey centers, there’s simply nothing like these NYC Thin and Gooey Cookies. Give them a try—your kitchen will smell irresistible, your friends and family will be wowed, and you’ll have a new go-to cookie whenever comfort food calls. Enjoy every melty, chocolate-loaded bite!

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