These copycat Gideon's Bakehouse cookies are decadent and delicious. Gooey and loaded with chocolate chips, they look like inside-out cookies!
You might also like our copycat Levain chocolate chip cookies, our copycat Subway chocolate chip cookies, or our copycat Chick-fil-A chocolate chunk cookies!
Many have marveled over the half-pound cookies sold at Gideon's Bakehouse in Florida. The lines are long, but the cookies are so unique that there is never a shortage of customers. The chocolate chip cookie is packed inside and out with a variety of chocolates, infused with vanilla and vanilla paste, and has the texture of cookie dough. With my home-baker version, you can have Gideon Bakehouse-style cookies at home for a fraction of the price.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Large cookies. The biggest cookies I've ever made are the 6-ounce Levain chocolate chip cookies, and as delicious as they were, they were a bit too big for me to make regularly. Super fun to make and share as a gift, but for the everyday baker I prefer my jumbo cookies to be around ¼ cup of cookie dough. My version of Gideon's bakehouse cookies is made with 3 tablespoon of dough and another tablespoon or two of chocolate chips pressed onto the cookie dough ball. Still a big cookie, but not half of a pound.
- Loaded with chocolate chips. These cookies incorporate mini and regular semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use any variety that you'd like. There are a few chocolate chips mixed into the cookie dough, but the majority are pressed into the outside of the cookie dough balls before baking, giving them their signature look.
- No chilling required: I bake mine immediately without chilling the dough.
What Others Are Saying
I made these this weekend! They were a HUGE hit!! I just added some extra vanilla, vanilla paste and mixed light and dark brown sugars together. Everyone absolutely loved them!---Heather on Pinterest
This was the best cookie I have ever made!---Cindy on Pinterest
These came out great my kids loved it---Naomi on Pinterest
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Tips and Tricks
- Bake at a higher temperature. This is KEY. The higher temperature (400 degrees) allows the outer edge to bake quickly, keeping its shape and holding the moisture inside.
- Bake on light metal baking sheets. I bake with LIGHT colored baking sheets. I prefer light baking sheets to dark ones because they bake more evenly, and the bottoms of the cookies don’t brown as quickly.
- Do not overbake. These cookies finish baking AFTER they come out of the oven. The time spent in the oven cooks the outer edge of the cookie. The cookies won't be completely set, straight from the oven, but trust the process! Let the cookies cool COMPLETELY on the baking sheet. As the cookies cool, they will continue to bake. The chocolate chips will set up too.
Ingredients
- Butter: You can use unsalted butter if you prefer, but I always bake with slightly softened salted butter.
- Sugar: a combination of white and brown sugar, with a higher portion of brown sugar, creates a softer cookie that doesn't spread as much.
- Eggs: for richness and texture.
- Vanilla extract: have you tried making your own vanilla extract before? It's easy! You can also add a bit of vanilla paste if you want them to really be like the original.
- Baking soda, and salt: for leavening, flavor, and texture.
- Flour: many bakeries use a combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour. You can totally do that if you'd like (half and half). I used all-purpose flour.
- Chocolate Chips: semisweet chocolate chips work perfectly to cut the sweetness of the cookie, but you can use milk chocolate chips. I used a mixture of mini and regular-sized chocolate chips to completely coat the cookies.
- Sea Salt Flakes: these totally elevate the flavor of the cookie (these are the ones I use).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Copycat Gideon's Bakehouse Cookies
Step 1: Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed with a paddle attachment.
Mix in eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy and smooth.
Step 2: Add baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix until dough forms.
Mix in 1 cup of regular-sized chocolate chips.
Step 3: Combine the remaining mini chocolate chips and regular-sized chocolate chips together in a separate bowl.
Scoop dough using a 3 Tablespoon-sized scoop and press each dough ball into the chocolate chips. Cover the dough COMPLETELY with chocolate chips, except for the bottom.
Step 4: Place the cookie dough balls onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
Step 5: Bake 6 cookies at a time at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies should be golden.
Use any leftover chocolate chips to add to the cookies after they are baked, to fill in any empty spots.
Sprinkle cookies with sea salt flakes.
Step 6: Let cookies cool COMPLETELY on the baking sheet.
Once the cookies have set up and the chocolate chips have hardened you can store them in an airtight container.
Cookies are best eaten within 2-3 days for freshness.
Copycat Gideon's Bakehouse Cookies FAQs
No, this recipe was inspired by the large chocolate chip-coated cookies sold at the famous bakery. They are not an exact replica nor the exact recipe.
This copycat version is a no-chill recipe. Simply mix and bake the cookies.
Many have marveled over the half-pound cookies sold at Gideon's Bakehouse in Florida. The lines are long, but the cookies are so unique that there is never a shortage of customers. The chocolate chip cookie is packed inside and out with a variety of chocolates, infused with vanilla and vanilla paste, and has the texture of cookie dough. This copycat version is smaller, but it is still loaded with chocolate chips and a gooey center.
More Chocolate Chip Cookies To Make
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💛 Please leave a STAR rating and COMMENT below! Post it to Facebook or Pinterest to easily share with friends!
Copycat Gideon's Bakehouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened, but still slightly cold
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed with a paddle attachment.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Add baking soda, salt, and flour and mix until dough forms.
- Mix in 1 cup of regular-sized chocolate chips.
- Combine the remaining mini chocolate chips and regular-sized chocolate chips together in a separate bowl.
- Scoop dough using a 3 Tablespoon-sized scoop and press each dough ball into the chocolate chips. Cover the dough COMPLETELY with chocolate chips, except for the bottom.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet.
- Bake 6 cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies should be golden.
- Use any leftover chocolate chips to add to the cookies after they are baked, to fill in any empty spots.
- Sprinkle cookies with sea salt flakes.
- Let cookies cool COMPLETELY on the baking sheet.
- Once the cookies have set up and the chocolate chips have hardened you can store them in an airtight container.
- Cookies are best eaten within 2-3 days for freshness.
Notes
Nutrition
Brandy says
These cookies stayed soft for several days and are yummy warmed in the microwave and eaten with a fork!
Cary says
It's tasty but definitely not a copycat for Gideon's. Not even close. While it does have a good shape it is too light and crispy, nowhere near the denseness of a Gideon's cookie. Also noticed while I was making them that the recipe is almost identical to the recipe on the chocolate chip bag.
Brandy says
I'm not sure I've ever seen a chocolate chip recipe on the bag with 3 eggs or 3 cups of flour! I don't think I would classify these as crispy. Maybe they were baked too long? They should be gooey and soft. Either way, I'm glad you liked them.
Cary says
Thanks for responding! FYI I found in a comment section on someone else's recipe a recommendation from someone who used to work at Gideon's. She said they chill the dough, shape it, freeze it for 8 hours, then bake at 325 until just baked. I actually had some of your dough left so I refrigerated it for a day and baked at 325 until set as they advised. The texture was much much closer to Gideon's.
Mimi says
Did you get my emails about ingredient amounts missing?
Brandy says
Hi, Thank you for letting me know! I imported them, but not sure what happened. They should be visible now. Thanks again!