Chewy Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies get a warm boost from cinnamon folded right into the dough. The edges turn crisp while the centers stay soft and chewy, and the chocolate stays gooey in the best way.
They come together in one bowl without a mixer, and the dough needs just a few minutes of chilling while the oven heats. You get a batch of bakery-style cookies that taste like a cozy afternoon, no fuss.
Why This One Stays in the Rotation
A little cinnamon transforms a classic. The spice isn’t loud, it just makes the butter and chocolate taste deeper and richer. You notice it in the first bite, like the warmth of brown sugar but with a gentle kick.
The texture is my favorite part. Using melted butter and an extra egg yolk guarantees a dense, chewy middle that holds for days. They stay soft even after cooling completely, which means they never turn into those hard, crumbly cookies you regret by day two.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped, to keep the cookies tender.
- 1/2 tsp baking soda: gives just enough lift.
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt: balances the sweetness.
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon: use a fresh jar for the brightest flavor.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter: melted and cooled slightly.
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar: packed, for that caramel chew.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: plus a few extra for pressing on top.
A Few Easy Swaps
- Dark chocolate chips: chips with 60-70% cacao make the cookies feel a little more grown-up and balance the cinnamon’s sweetness.
- Chopped milk chocolate: you get uneven puddles that melt differently than chips, and the cookies taste sweeter and creamier.
- Brown butter: swap the melted butter for browned butter, cooled until just warm. It adds a toasty, nutty note that loves cinnamon.
- Add nuts: fold in 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Dairy-free: use a good plant-based butter stick and dairy-free chocolate chips; the texture stays nearly identical.
For a thicker, gooier cookie with browned butter notes, try our Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
How to Make Chewy Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Whisking aerates the flour and spreads the cinnamon evenly so you don’t end up with one overly spiced bite.
The mixture will look pale tan with tiny speckles of cinnamon. That even color tells you it’s mixed well and ready to go.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
Pour the 1/2 cup melted butter into a large bowl. Add the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. It won’t look fluffy like creamed butter, just thick and uniform.
Then whisk in the 1 egg yolk, the whole egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Keep whisking for another 30 seconds or so, until the mixture lightens a shade and no streaks of egg remain.
Step 3: Combine the Dry and Wet Mixtures
Switch to a rubber spatula. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and stir gently. Stop the moment the white streaks disappear, the dough will be soft and a bit greasy looking.
Overworking the dough here builds gluten, which makes cookies tough. A few faint flour specks are better than a stiff, dense batter, so err on the side of under-mixing.
Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Pour in the 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Fold with the spatula just until they are evenly scattered. The dough will be loose and sticky, this is exactly right for chewy cookies.
If you like the bakery look, press a few extra chips onto the surface of each dough ball right before baking so they poke through the top.
Step 5: Scoop the Dough
While the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C), line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should get roughly 24 mounds.
Slide the trays into the fridge for 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating. This quick chill firms the butter and stops the cookies from spreading too flat, so you get thicker centers and slightly crisp edges.
Step 6: Bake and Cool
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers look puffed and pale, and still a little underdone. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot sheet for 5 minutes, they’ll finish baking from the carryover heat.
Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve them warm when the chocolate is still molten. That warm, cinnamon-scented moment is the one you’ll remember.
A Few Notes for the Best Chew
- Don’t over-measure the flour. Spoon it into the cup and level it with a knife. Too much flour makes dry, cakey cookies instead of chewy ones.
- Use a light-colored baking sheet if you have one. Dark pans brown the bottoms faster and can make the cookie edges tough before the center is done.
- The 10-minute chill is just enough to control spreading. If you want even thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes instead.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for the full 5 minutes before moving them. They’re fragile right out of the oven and will fall apart if you rush.
Bake times by cookie size (for rounded scoops, not flattened):
| Scoop size | Bake time at 350°F |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 8 to 10 minutes |
| 2 tablespoons | 10 to 12 minutes |
| 3 tablespoons | 13 to 15 minutes |
Storing Leftover Cookies
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature with a slice of bread tucked inside. The bread adds just enough moisture to keep the cookies soft for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead and bake later?
Yes. Scoop the dough, freeze the balls solid, then store them in a bag for up to 2 months. Bake frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes.
Why did my cookies come out flat?
The butter may have been too hot when mixed, or the dough didn’t chill long enough. If the butter is still steaming when added to the sugars, it melts the sugar and creates a thin, pancake-like cookie.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
You can swap up to half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. The cookies will be slightly denser and nuttier, but the cinnamon still carries the flavor.
I don’t have an egg yolk. Can I use two whole eggs?
One extra yolk is what gives the cookies their chewy center. Using a second whole egg makes the dough wetter and the cookies more cake-like, so I’d reduce the flour by 2 tablespoons if you go that route.
Chewy Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in egg yolk, whole egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Switch to a spatula and stir in the flour mixture until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, spacing them 2 inches apart. Chill the trays for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look underdone. Let cookies rest on the hot sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
