These inside out chocolate chip cookies combine a rich and fudgy chocolate cookie base, the same we use for double chocolate chip cookies. Enjoy super soft and brownie-like centers, chewy edges, and sweet white chocolate chips in each bite. They’re as loved as my chewy chocolate chip cookies and as undeniably rich as my homemade brownies.
Hello and welcome back to 2013 when I initially published this recipe. Now with updated pictures, clearer instructions, and helpful success tips, there’s no excuse not to try the ONLY CHOCOLATE COOKIE RECIPE YOU NEED. Wow, that’s quite the statement.
In the past several years, these inside out chocolate chip cookies have climbed to the top of my most-loved cookie recipe list. Along with chewy chocolate chip cookies, drop sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and oatmeal raisin cookies, this is the gold standard of cookie dough recipes to try.
What Are Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies?
I know you’re looking at me cross-eyed wondering what, why, and how these are inside out cookies. Think of a regular chocolate chip cookie—buttery brown sugar base with chocolate chips, right? Well, the term “inside out” means that the cookie base is now chocolate and the add-in is white chocolate. Obviously white chocolate chips don’t taste like the buttery brown sugar base of a regular cookie, but I don’t think anyone’s complaining here.
Simply put, these are Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies. (Think of them like the cookie version of chocolate white chocolate cupcakes!)
Video Tutorial
These Chocolate Cookies Are:
- Easy to make with a basic recipe
- A personal and reader favorite
- Soft-baked with brownie-like centers
- Chewy on the edges
- Massively chocolatey
The recipe is also easy to double in 1 mixing bowl without overwhelming/overcrowding your mixer and the baked cookies freeze wonderfully.
How to Make Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
Even though it’s one of my favorite base cookie recipes, I’ve never walked you through the recipe process. We’ll do that real quick:
- Mix dry ingredients together. You need all-purpose flour, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Do you remember the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder? Use natural here.
- Beat wet ingredients together. You need butter, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Room temperature butter and egg will mix more evenly into each other, creating a uniform texture among all the cookies. Additionally, both whip into a greater volume when at room temperature, producing a softer-crumbed cookie.
- Combine all ingredients, then add milk. 1 Tablespoon of milk smooths out the dough. And don’t forget to add the white chocolate chips.
- Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator. The cookie dough is sticky and unmanageable, so chilling is necessary. I usually chill it overnight, but 3 hours is just enough. Chilled cookie dough is not only easier to handle and roll into balls, it also guarantees thicker cookies. See my tips on How to Prevent Cookies from Spreading.
- Roll cookie dough into balls. After chilling, scoop and roll the cookie dough into tall balls—a heaping 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie.
- Bake. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. If the cookies aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes.
Let them cool for a few minutes and experience a fudgy brownie in cookie form. I usually don’t like milk with cookies, but this recipe basically demands it.
Sticky Dough
This cookie dough is sticky, even if you’ve chilled it, so a cookie scoop is helpful. The medium size is perfect because each dough ball should be around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough. If you use your hands, expect to make a little mess as you shape the cookie dough balls. Have a kitchen towel or paper towel nearby. I usually wipe my hands clean after every few cookie dough balls. Clean hands make rolling easier.
Same Dough, Different Cookie
Though ultra soft-baked with chewy edges and fudge-like centers, these chocolate cookies aren’t anything new or groundbreaking. In fact, you might actually recognize the base dough because it’s been my go-to chocolate cookie for years. This is the same exact cookie dough as:
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Swirl Cookies
- Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Frosted Cookies
Note: The chocolate crinkle cookies and peppermint mocha cookies can over-spread as a result of the sugar coating and peppermint extract (respectively), so I leave out the milk in those versions.
Need cookies right NOW? If you don’t have time to chill the dough, try giant chocolate chip cookies, Nutella chocolate chip cookies, or even one giant double chocolate cookie.
And if you’re looking for cookie cutter chocolate cookies, here are my chocolate sugar cookies.
Interested in freezing the baked cookies or cookie dough?
- Here’s How to Freeze Cookie Dough
More of My Classic Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies & Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies & White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies (extra chewy!)
- Snickerdoodles
- Shortbread Cookies
Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 20-22 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These inside out chocolate chip cookies combine a rich and fudgy chocolate cookie base, super soft and brownie-like centers, chewy edges, and sweet white chocolate chips. Easy to throw together, this is my base chocolate cookie recipe. This cookie dough requires at least 3 hours of refrigeration.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (any kind, dairy or non)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) white chocolate chips, plus a few more for optional topping*
Instructions
- Preliminary note: This cookie dough requires at least 3 hours of chilling, but I prefer to chill the dough overnight. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour into the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the milk, then the white chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be sticky and tacky. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this sticky cookie dough.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the chilled cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop and roll dough, a heaping 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each, into balls. (I like using this medium cookie scoop.) To ensure a thicker cookie, make the balls taller than they are wide (almost like a cylinder or column). Arrange 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheets. The cookie dough is certainly sticky, so wipe your hands clean after every few balls of dough you shape.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Tip: If they aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven to continue baking.
- Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. During this time, I like to press a few more white chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies. (This is optional and only for looks.) Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (step 3). Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Larger Batch: The recipe is easy to double in 1 mixing bowl without overwhelming your mixer. Simply double all of the cookie dough ingredients. Dough chill time remains the same.
- Other Add-Ins: Instead of white chocolate chips in the dough, you can use the same amount of peanut butter chips, regular chocolate chips, M&Ms, chopped nuts, or butterscotch chips.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These are so delicious and easy to make! I subbed chopped up Andes mints for the white chocolate chips and my boyfriend (who doesn’t really like sweets) told me when I make cookies from now on, it would be okay if I only made these ones. Thanks for another great recipe!
Sally I love the taste of this cookies. one question, what is the difference between packed light sugar ? and dark brown sugar?
And what is the difference between butter and margarine?
This is my new favorite cookie recipe. I didn’t add the milk and didn’t refrigerate them and they turned out perfect. I used a squeeze-handle disher and had no issues with stickiness!
I did not add the milk and mine were a little crumbly. Thanks Sally! Let’s not forget altitude and humidity does things to ingredients. It’s impossible to be able to write a recipe that encompasses every situation. I love all the pointers Sally gives and have been baking since a teen. I love all of the advice Sally!
Loved this recipe! I did not add the milk nor refrigerate them and they were a tad crumbly but absolutely delicious. Reminds me of an Oreo. Next time Ill add the milk and once baked put pieces of Oreo Cookies on top. Excellent recipe.
I made these this evening and besides not being able to chill them long enough (and really flattening probably due to the shorter chill time) they still tasted really good! My family really enjoyed them!
awesome!!!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh these cookies were AMAZING followed it exactly and it tastes better than a subway cookie
Hands down the best chocolate cookie I’ve ever made! Came out looking super chunky and they were so fudged, chewy and delicious. I did however replace the white chocolate chips with Oreo bits but honestly will make this recipe over and over again ! Thank you!
These are awesome. Very chocolatey and browny-like.
Mine spread more than in your picture and were flat. I’m surprised because I froze mine into balls and baked from frozen. But regardless they were great and this recipe is going to be added to my repertoire!
(I used both dark chocolate and white chocolate chunks because more chocolate = better).
This recipe is the best! I did it a while ago and it was AMAZING! I’m chilling my dough right now and this time I add some peanut butter chips together with the white chocolate chips, let’s see how it goes, but I’m already drooling!!!
Hi Sally! I have a question, is it ok to roll the dough into balls before chilling? and if so, the next day when preparing to the bake the cookies, can they be put in the oven right away or does it have to come to room temp?
Hi Ana, this cookie dough is too sticky to form into balls right after you mix the cookie dough. I recommend chilling for at least 1 hour, then shaping, then chilling for another 1-2 hours. Bake them from being cold– don’t bring to room temperature first.
These were awesome! Great idea. Shared with friends. I will try again with butterscotch chips!
Hi, Sally. I made this recipe, and they came out moist. However, they are too crumbly, may I know what made my cookies too crumbly? They fell apart when I transferred or about to eat them. Otherwise, they tastes great!
Hi Ms. Sally! I tried this recipe but my cookies ended up flat and irregular shapes though I chilled my dough for 6hours and roll them into a ball.
We made these and they were amazing. Our family loved them so much so I was curious if you knew how these would be as a cookie cake or what I could change to make that happen? My father in law was a huge fan of them so I was thinking of trying a cookie cake with this batter for his birthday. Thoughts???
I’m thrilled they were a hit, Stacy! For a cookie cake you can skip chilling the dough and follow the assembly and baking instructions for my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake.
Hi Sally,
I was looking at your chocolate chip cookie cake recipe and I noticed in the comments that someone asked about adding cocoa powder to make the cookie cake chocolate, and you referred them to this dough recipe instead, using the same baking time. I’m assuming I would also use the same temp (350))? Also, would I still need to chill the chocolate cookie dough like you instruct when making the normal cookies? Thanks!
Hi Mary, It should be a similar bake time as the cookie cake, but keep your eye on it as I haven’t tested it. No need to chill the dough if you are baking it in a cake pan!
Hi Sally – after starting to make the dough for these yesterday, I realized my white chocolate chips tasted disgusting! Has that ever happened to you? Maybe they should be kept in the fridge if you don’t use them right away? So I ended up scrounging around and found some mint Hershey Kisses and chopped those up and threw them in the dough and refrigerated over night. I’m sure they aren’t as good as your mint version, but the texture and taste was still pretty great! I have loved all your cookie recipes and when I tasted cookies my dad made recently I could tell right away that he got the recipe from your site!
Just made these and they’re sooo good, chocolatey and brownie texture with crisp edges!! Delish thanks for another great recipe
Hi sally,
Tried this recipe and it came out really, really nice (especially when you eat them warm!). Definitely gonna try some more of your recipes!
Hi, is it okay to add an extra yolk for this recipe? Really liked your Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies 🙂
I don’t recommend it for this recipe, Sab. These cookies are super soft and moist as written!
Oh my oh my are these tasty!!! I started them last night without knowing today is national chocolate chip day!! I subbed the white chocolate for peanut butter chips.. so delicious!!!
Guess it’s time to celebrate by digging in!!!
Ohhh heaven these are good. I made these double chocolate (with Ghirardelli 60% baking chips) per your recommendation and I did not regret it! They are absolutely delicious. I was amazed at how much difference 1 tbsp milk made (I used unsweetened soy milk because that’s what I always have). Before the milk I was looking at the dough like, I don’t know about this… then after I added it, the dough mixed into this beautiful, silky smooth chocolatey-ness. These are a new go-to recipe!
Hi Sally! I made this recipe today, but unfortunately the cookies spread way too much when cooking, to the point where the edges were burnt and the middle remained uncooked. I chilled them for 4 hours, made the balls and froze them for 15 minutes before baking. Could this be solved with adding more flour? I don’t know what else could have gone wrong. Pd: at least the raw dough was DELICIOUS haha
Hi Vicky, You can check out my post 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading to help troubleshoot!
I made this recipe the other day and I loved it and so did everyone else!! I did make a few additions/changes, I added some espresso powder and switched the white chocolate chips for vanilla chips and I boy oh boy were these cookies so crazy good! Thanks for such a great recipe!!
Great recipe! Loved them and will be making them again
So easy to make and they taste great! I cut the granulated sugar and brown sugar down and used 85g for each instead of 100g, and the sugar level was perfect!
I baked them in two batches, with the first one in the oven for 10mins and the second batch in the oven for 10mins 30secs because they looked quite solid from the outside. However, they ended up being a bit too soft and the texture seemed a bit more like cake.
I popped them in the oven for a second time for 1min 15secs, but perhaps that was not enough so the texture didn’t change much.
I then popped them in the oven for a 3rd time for 3mins, and it was slightly chewier which was better, but the middle was still cakey.
Is the texture meant to be like that or should I have left it in the oven longer to begin with?
Other than that, I still think the cookie is great!
Hi Sally! Can the sugar be replaced with artificial sweeteners like splenda?
Hello Sally!
I’ve been trying out lots of your cookie recipes and they’re all FABULOUS – but I’m really interested in the nerdy chemistry side of baking (loved your posts on baking soda, baking powder, and dutched cocoa powder, never knew about that!) so I was wondering – why are these cooked at a higher temperature (177C) to your ordinary chocolate chip cookies (your salted caramel ones cook at 167C I think I remember correctly). I’ve made both and they’ve both turned out beautifully at the temperatures you advised – so why is it that the double chocolate ones require a higher temp? Is there some nerdy explanation as to the cocoa powder changing the cookie structure chemically or something?
Thanks for your utterly smashing recipes!
Hi Lucie! Thank you so much for asking and I’m happy to help. I bake my chewy chocolate chip cookies at a slightly lower oven temperature because they are very large and thick cookies. The tops and edges would cook much faster than the centers, so that’s why I lower the temperature. I hope that helps!
Bakers verdict- These are delicious. Sally you are my inspiration.