Go Back Email Link
+ servings
A close-up of a chocolate chip-studded cookie broken in half, revealing a soft center.

Copycat Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookie Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Indulge in this Copycat Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookie Recipe, featuring butter, brown sugar, cake flour, three types of chocolate, and toffee bits. These thick, bakery-style cookies boast a chewy center, crispy edges, and an irresistible salty-sweet finish.
6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt reduce if using table salt
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup Heath milk chocolate English toffee baking bits
  • Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

Prepare the Chocolate Mixture

  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, and toffee baking bits. Stir well to ensure an even distribution of ingredients. Set aside.

Melt the Butter and Mix the Wet Ingredients

  1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and allow it to cool for approximately 10 minutes. This step is crucial, as incorporating butter that is too warm may result in excessive cookie spread. Once cooled, add the brown sugar and stir until fully combined. Next, add the egg and vanilla bean paste (or extract), whisking until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.

Incorporate the Dry Ingredients

  1. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture, stirring thoroughly to ensure even distribution. Gradually introduce the cake flour and all-purpose flour, folding gently until just combined. The dough should be thick and slightly dense. Avoid overmixing, as this may result in a tougher texture.

Add the Chocolate and Shape the Dough

  1. Gently fold 1¾ cups of the prepared chocolate mixture into the cookie dough, ensuring the chocolate is evenly distributed. Using a ½ cup measuring cup, pack the dough firmly to achieve uniform portions. Alternatively, weigh each portion to approximately 155 grams (5½ ounces). This recipe yields six large cookies.

Coat the Dough Balls and Chill

  1. Take the remaining ¼ cup of the chocolate mixture and press it generously onto the tops and sides of each dough ball, leaving the bottoms free of chocolate to prevent burning. Arrange the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 hour. For an enhanced flavor and texture, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, as done at Gideon’s Bakehouse.

Bake the Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (do not use foil). Arrange two to three cookie dough balls per baking sheet, allowing sufficient space between them to expand. Bake for 15–23 minutes, adjusting the baking time based on desired doneness. Cookies are ready when edges are slightly golden, and the tops appear dry but not overbaked.

Final Touches and Cooling

  1. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use the back of a metal spatula to gently press in the edges, creating a slightly rounded, bakery-style appearance. If desired, press any additional chocolate chips or toffee bits onto the surface while the cookies are still warm. Allow the cookies to cool directly on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
  2. For a salty-sweet finish, lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the cookies are still warm.

Notes

To make these Copycat Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookies gluten-free, replace both cake flour and all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose baking blend that includes xanthan gum for proper texture. Ensure that all other ingredients, including chocolate chips and toffee bits, are certified gluten-free. The texture may be slightly more delicate, but the result will still be rich, thick, and chewy.
Bitty