Joanna Gaines’ Chocolate Chip Cookies

Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies come from her bestselling cookbook, Magnolia Table, and this popular cookie recipe truly lives up to the hype! Thick, chewy, buttery, and packed with chocolate chips, these bakery-style cookies have become a go-to in our house.

A few years back, my mom gifted me the Magnolia Table cookbook for Mother’s Day, and it has been one of my favorite recipe books ever since. Every recipe I have tried has been a hit with my family, including these Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies.

So, what makes Joanna Gaines' chocolate chip cookies special? For starters, this recipe uses less butter than most traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes and calls for a "heaping" teaspoon of baking soda. Those two small changes help create thick, chewy cookies with soft centers and perfectly crisp edges.

What Makes Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies So Special?

Joanna Gaines’ chocolate chip cookies from Magnolia Table are known for their thick, chewy texture and buttery flavor. Made with brown sugar instead of white sugar, less butter than traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes, and plenty of semisweet chocolate chips, these bakery-style cookies stay soft with perfectly crisp edges.

One of my favorite things about Joanna Gaines’ cookbook is how relatable she is throughout each recipe. She shares that these cookies were inspired by baking Toll House cookies with her dad as a little girl. After experimenting with different recipes over the years, she created a thicker, chunkier cookie using less butter and a heaping teaspoon of baking soda.

Honestly, I think that's exactly what makes this cookie recipe so good. They're soft, chewy, bakery-style cookies that feel nostalgic, homemade, and completely irresistible.

If you love baking Joanna Gaines recipes, be sure to try her famous Joanna Gaines Silo Cookies too!

Ingredient Notes

These simple pantry staples come together to create thick, chewy bakery-style chocolate chip cookies every time. See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts and full recipe directions.

• Brown Sugar: Joanna Gaines uses only brown sugar in these cookies, which helps create a richer flavor and soft, chewy texture.
• Baking Soda: Be sure to use a heaping teaspoon. This helps give the cookies their thick, bakery-style shape.
• Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter for the best results. These cookies use less butter than many traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes, which helps prevent them from spreading too much while baking.
• Chocolate Chips: I use semisweet chocolate chips, but dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even chocolate chunks work great too.

How to Make Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick baking sheet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy using a handheld electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Step 3. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips until evenly combined.

Step 4. Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. TIP: Leave a little space between each cookie as they will spread slightly while baking.

Step 5. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Step 6. Enjoy!

Baking Tips

• Use a HEAPING teaspoon of baking soda. I get lots of comments about this! When scooping, it should be rounded. Not quite 2 teaspoons, but close.
• Use unsalted butter. Salt is already added to the recipe, so unsalted butter works best.
• Start with room-temperature ingredients. Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature so the cookie dough mixes together smoothly. Avoid overly soft or melted butter, as this can cause the cookies to spread too much.
• Don’t overmix the dough. Mix until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
• Change up the chocolate chips. Once you’ve tried the original recipe, have fun experimenting! I love using a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips together.
• Don’t overbake. If anything, pull the cookies out a minute early. Overbaked cookies become hard and crispy instead of staying soft and chewy.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Whether you enjoy these cookies fresh from the oven or save them for later, they stay soft and delicious! Here are my favorite storage tips:

• Room Temperature: Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Pop one in the microwave for a few seconds to make it ooey gooey again!
• Freezer: Once cooled completely, store cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
• Freeze the Cookie Dough: Scoop the cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe directions.

Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe FAQs

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

For a more loaded twist on a classic, check out my Laura Bush cowboy cookies recipe filled with oats, chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans.

Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and let me know what you think in the comments! You can also follow me on Pinterest for even more easy, family-friendly recipes.