Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (2024)

posted by

Jump to Recipe

SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

This recipe for chocolate chip cookies uses a special trick to create those crispy, golden ridges on the outside while keeping the centers soft and chewy.

Fun fact about Ashton: this is MY kind of chocolate chip cookie, y’all. I’m completely and utterly helpless to those golden, crinkly edges and those big melty pools of chocolate in the middle. Also– I can never resist a chocolate chip cookie the size of my face. Just saying.

Want your chocolate chip cookies to have crispy, golden ridges and an ooey, gooey center? I gotcha covered.

A FEW THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

This recipe gets its name from the technique used to created those gorgeous ridges around the edge of the cookie. After about 10 minutes of baking, you “bang” the pan to deflate the cookies every 2 minutes for the remainder of baking. It feels strange at first, but it ends up being a lot of fun once you get into it! I just lifted the entire pan straight up a few inches and dropped it (as level as possible) back on the baking rack. Word of the wise: don’t do this after the kids are in bed– it’s LOUD!
Chopped chocolate is the way to go in this recipe. Avoid using chips when possible. If you must use chips, that’s okay, just be prepared for the cookies to not spread as much.
These cookies are BIG, so they do bake longer than all the other cookies on my blog. They really do need to stay in the oven for 15-16 minutes.
Also, big = fewer cookies on a baking sheet. You can only bake about 6 at a time, and even then they’ll still run into each other a bit. If you don’t want ANY run-ins between cookies, only bake 4 at a time.
The 15 minutes in the freezer before baking is non-negotiable. Otherwise you’ll have a runny mess in the oven.

Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 16 large cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp water
2 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 3 baking sheets with foil, dull side up.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
On low speed: mix in the egg, vanilla, and water.
On low speed: mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until dough forms.
Fold in the chocolate by hand.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the dough and roll into a ball. Place 4-6 dough balls on a baking sheet at a time to allow for spreading.
Before baking: place cookie sheet with dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Baking

Bake for 10 minutes. Then open the oven and lift the baking sheet a few inches and drop it (keeping it as level as possible) back on the rack.
Bake for 2 minutes. Lift and drop again.
Bake for 2 minutes. Lift and drop again.
Bake for 1-2 minutes, remove from oven and tap lightly on countertop to release any remaining air in the cookie. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling with a large spatula as soon as cookies are set enough to move.

Repeat with all remaining dough.

You can find the original recipe on The Vanilla Bean Blog