These are my idea of the perfect chocolate chip cookie – superior crispy outsides, soft baked inside with excellent chew, buttery with butterscotch tones and a milk-dark chocolate combo that's just right. And they're BIG (2.5cm/1" thick, 11cm/4.5" wide) – intended for high impact!

Inspired by Australia's famous Butter Boy milk choc cookies, it took me 48 attempts to perfect these. do not skip the 12 hour dough chill, but see note 5 for reducing the time. See Trouble Shooting accordion below recipe card for extra tips.

PS You will make me very happy and guarantee success if you use scales. If you don't, please read Note 1 for measuring flour!

PPS Yes it's over 4 cups of chocolate chips. I told you, these are BIG and OUTRAGEOUS! I still think I use less chocolate than Butter Boy though 😅

 without scales – don’t guesstimate using packet markings!! Melt butter and measure 235ml using a jug (or 1 cup then remove 1 tablespoon), THEN brown the butter (once browned, butter is 180 – 190g). And yes, it’s 235ml, not 225ml (1g butter = 1.043173 ml).

– not applicable to you, just use 2 sticks!

Scales best (and efficient). If using cups, spoon flour into cups then level surface. Do not dunk cup measure into flour tub or bag (flour settles = 2 cups will be more than 300g = your cookies will puff more). *I am not usually this pedantic, only when a recipe is more sensitive than usual*

(bi-carb) – don’t substitute with more baking powder if you don’t have baking soda, it will make the cookies puff up into rock-cake form. You need baking soda!

Milk choc chips are considerably sweeter so I like a combination of dark and milk so it’s not overwhelmingly sweet. Feel free to use more or less of either (I realise 400g is a neat 2 x standard Australian 200g packs!) or cut your own chocolate, for larger melty pools of chocolate (I prefer the littering of smaller chips all throughout, plus it’s more convenient – and I plan to make these cookies a lot, forever!)

– Cool enough so it won’t melt the sugar or melt the choc chips, but not so cold the edges solidify (if it does, re-melt and cool again).

This recipe works great for smaller cookies too but roll them into  instead of forming fat discs. Here are the bake times:

= flour hydration so dough doesn’t melt into a thin cookie, and flavour development = tastier, more golden, chewier and crispier edges/base, and nicer shape (ie less spreading). See post for description of what you lose with shorter chill times.

• 3 – 5 days – Diminishing returns and risk of ball drying out. Better to freeze at 24 hours, than thaw on demand.
• 5 hours – My minimum. If I can’t do this, I make Oatmeal Browned Butter Cookies (no chill time, oats gives these instant chew whereas these need chill time).

Cookie emergencies (it happens):

• No chilli time – Doesn’t work, cookie spreads way too much
• 1 hour minimum chill time – increase cornflour by 2 teaspoons. Cookie has less chew, less crispy, less golden colour, and faint thin crackly surface (only I notice, apparently) compared to 12hr fridge. Still an above average “need it now!” chocolate chip cookie, nobody who got these complained!
• Emergency choc chip cookies, regular size, easier, no chill time here.

7. Oven temp is only 10°C different here for fan v conventional. See FAQ.

8. for standard Australian ovens (60cm) though if you have a large one (90cm) you can bake 2 trays at the same time. 

9. Decorate choc chips – lightly press in to the surface or just rest on surface (chocolate will melt and adhere).

– exceptional shelf life. Excellent for 2 days, still near excellent on day 3, still great days 4 and 5. Store in an airtight container in the pantry.

Uncooked dough discs can be frozen after the 12 hour fridge time. Bake from frozen per recipe (cookies are a bit thicker) but I prefer to thaw overnight in the fridge than bake per recipe (they come out exactly as pictured). See FAQ for more details and tips.

Let’s just say it’s more than water, less than a Big Mac Meal (I hope!😂). Will update shortly.