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Pan banging chocolate chunk cookies baked and garnished with flaky sea salt.
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Pan Banging Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These Pan Banging Chocolate Chunk Cookies have crisp, rippled edges and soft, gooey centers with melty chocolate in every bite. They're easy to make at home, but look like they came straight from a bakery!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pan banging chocolate chunk cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 13 large cookies
Calories 414kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1⅛ cups granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 8 oz. chopped chocolate bars It’s important to use bars, not chocolate chips. They won’t spread if using chips. I like to use a semi-sweet Ghirardelli bar, and then roughly chop some of these chocolate discs, plus a little more for garnishing the tops of the cookies prior to baking to get those chocolate puddles on top.
  • Maldon flaky sea salt for finishing
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep: Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. cornstarch, 3/4 tsp. baking soda, 3/4 tsp. fine salt
    Side-by-side image of whisking dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Cream butter & sugars: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes Start Timer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    1⅛ cups granulated sugar, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
    Three images side-by-side of beating sugar and butter together in a bowl.
  • Add wet ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and water. Mix until smooth and fully combined, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp. water
    Side-by-side image of adding the eggs, vanilla, and water and mixing to combine.
  • Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just a few times, the flour won’t be fully incorporated yet.
    Side-by-side image of adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mixing to combine.
  • Add chopped chocolate: Fold in the chopped chocolate.
    8 oz. chopped chocolate bars
    Side-by-side image of adding the chopped chocolate to the cookie dough and folding to combine.
  • Scoop & chill: Scoop the dough into large balls (I use a 3 Tbsp. cookie scoop) and place on a large plate or a small baking sheet that will fit in the freezer. Freeze for 15-30 minutes. Start Timer
    11 chocolate chunk cookies rolled into balls and placed on a parchment lined plate to chill in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before baking.
  • Preheat: During this time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add to baking sheet: Place 4 cookies per baking sheet (these are big cookies, so it’s important to give them the space they need!)
    Four chocolate chunk cookie dough balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Bake (pan-banging method): Bake for 8 minutes Start Timer, then
    Remove the pan from the oven, lift the pan a few inches, and bang it firmly on the counter.
    Return to the oven for 3 minutes Start Timer.
    Remove and bang again.
    Bake another 2-3 minutes Start Timer (total bake time should be around 14-16 minutes).
    Final bang! That's it! The cookies will look rippled with golden edges and soft centers.
    The cookies will puff up between bangs, totally normal.
    Keep the other cookie dough balls in the freezer between batches.
    Three images showing the cookies after taking out of the oven each time to ban.
  • Cool and finish: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Cool on the pan for ~2-3 minutes Start Timer, then carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. ENJOY THE BEST COOKIE EVERR!!
    Maldon flaky sea salt
    Side-by-side photo of chocolate chunk cookies cooling on a wire rack garnished with flaky salt and then three cookies stacked on top of each other on a plate.

Notes

  • Keep the other cookie dough balls in the freezer between batches: Keeping your cookie dough cold before baking slows the spread, allowing the cookies to puff first and then collapse when pan-banged. This creates those signature rippled edges with thick, chewy centers instead of flat, greasy cookies.
  • Do not crowd the baking sheet: These cookies are large, so I only like to bake 4 cookies at a time to make sure to give them the space they need. Overcrowding the cookies can lead to them baking into each other and creating wonky shapes. We want the heat to circulate evenly around the cookies, so if you find your cookies are spreading too much, bake fewer cookies on your sheet at one time. 
  • Store: Store these cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
  • To freeze: Scoop the dough into 3 Tbsp. sized balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can bake the frozen cookie dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so to your bake time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg