Welcome to the ultimate guide for recreating the legendary DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies right in your own kitchen! These aren’t just any chocolate chip cookies; they are an experience, renowned for their perfect balance of crisp edges, a soft and gloriously chewy center, and an irresistible combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips, crunchy walnuts, and a whisper of cinnamon that makes them truly unforgettable. You don’t need to check into a Hilton DoubleTree hotel to savor this world-famous treat anymore – the secret recipe is out, and we’re here to help you master it.
The tradition of welcoming guests with a warm, freshly baked DoubleTree cookie began in 1986. What started as a VIP amenity quickly became an iconic symbol of hospitality for every guest, a practice that continues today. According to DoubleTree by Hilton’s official website, a staggering 65,000 of these comforting cookies are served daily across their hotels worldwide. This humble chocolate chip cookie has grown into a global phenomenon, creating a moment of warmth and welcome for millions. Now, you can bring that same magic home.
If your heart beats for warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies, you’re in for a treat. Beyond this iconic recipe, be sure to explore our delightful pizookie recipe for a giant cookie baked in a skillet, and our classic chewy chocolate chip cookies that are always a crowd-pleaser.
DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies Video Tutorial
Mastering the Official DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
For years, home bakers and culinary enthusiasts tried to crack the code of the DoubleTree cookie, resulting in countless copycat recipes. The anticipation finally ended when DoubleTree by Hilton generously released their official recipe. And we couldn’t be more thrilled! While there are many fantastic chocolate chip cookie recipes available, there’s an undeniable charm and deliciousness that sets the DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies apart, making them a true benchmark for cookie perfection.
What Makes These Cookies So Uniquely Delicious?
The magic of DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies lies in their carefully balanced composition and ingenious use of “secret” ingredients. They consistently deliver a tantalizing texture: wonderfully crisp around the edges, transitioning into an incredibly soft and chewy middle. A subtle hint of cinnamon adds a layer of warm spice that truly elevates the flavor, making these cookies stand out from typical chocolate chip varieties. The inclusion of old-fashioned rolled oats is another brilliant touch, contributing significantly to that signature chewy texture without making them taste overtly like oatmeal cookies. And, of course, they are generously loaded with an abundance of semi-sweet chocolate chips and hearty walnuts – a combination that is universally loved and deeply satisfying.
DoubleTree Cookie Ingredients: A Closer Look at the Magic
Each ingredient in the DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe plays a crucial role in achieving its legendary flavor and texture. Understanding their purpose will help you bake perfect cookies every time:
- Butter: For optimal creaming with the sugars, ensuring a light and airy dough, your butter should be at a true room temperature. This means it’s soft enough to indent with a finger without melting.
- Granulated Sugar: This provides sweetness and contributes to the cookie’s spread and crispiness around the edges.
- Light Brown Sugar: The secret to that deep caramel flavor and remarkable chewiness. Brown sugar also adds moisture, which is key for a tender cookie. Be sure to pack it firmly when measuring.
- Lemon Juice: This might seem unusual for a chocolate chip cookie, but it’s a brilliant “secret ingredient.” Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. Its primary role is to react with the baking soda, creating a chemical reaction that provides lift and an enhanced chewy texture. Don’t worry, the amount is so small you won’t taste any lemon!
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is essential for adding a rich, aromatic depth that complements the chocolate and cinnamon beautifully.
- Salt: A crucial flavor enhancer. It balances the sweetness and brings out the complexities of the chocolate and other ingredients. We prefer sea salt for its clean flavor.
- Cinnamon: The subtle yet distinctive spice that sets DoubleTree cookies apart. It adds a warm, inviting aroma and a hint of intriguing flavor without overpowering the chocolate. Any ground cinnamon will work perfectly.
- Eggs: Large eggs act as binders, providing structure and moisture to the dough, contributing to the cookie’s richness and chew.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundational dry ingredient, providing the main structure for the cookies. Measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: These rolled oats are vital for the unique, substantial chewiness of the DoubleTree cookies. Avoid quick oats, as they will alter the texture.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent works in tandem with the acidic ingredients (brown sugar and especially lemon juice) to help the cookies rise and achieve that desired soft, chewy interior.
- Chocolate Chips: The original DoubleTree recipe specifies semi-sweet chocolate chips. They melt perfectly and offer a classic chocolate flavor that isn’t too sweet. Feel free to use a combination if you like!
- Walnuts: These add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with the chocolate and cinnamon. You can buy them pre-chopped or easily chop them yourself. If you have nut allergies or preferences, they can be omitted or swapped for pecans.
How to Make DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Prepare Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). A properly preheated oven ensures even baking from the start.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using either a sturdy spatula or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Cream these ingredients together for approximately 3-4 minutes until the mixture becomes visibly light, fluffy, and pale in color. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Slowly add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until just combined. Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, and baking soda. Whisk thoroughly to ensure the leavening agent is evenly distributed.
- Gradually Add Dry to Wet: With your mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry flour mixture into the wet butter mixture. Mix just until combined. It’s important not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl one last time to ensure no pockets of unmixed ingredients remain.
- Fold in Chips and Walnuts: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts using a spatula. Mix only until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop and Place: Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them with cooking spray. Using a cookie scoop (a 1¼-inch scoop works perfectly for consistent sizing), roll the dough into uniform balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for proper spreading.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges are golden brown, but the centers still appear slightly soft and gooey. Slight underbaking is key for a truly chewy cookie.
- Cool and Enjoy: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. This brief resting period helps them set without becoming crumbly. After 2 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Then, it’s time to enjoy your homemade DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Expert Tips for Your Best DoubleTree Cookies
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing flour develops gluten, leading to tough, cakey cookies instead of chewy ones. Mix just until ingredients are incorporated.
- Accurate Measuring: Especially for flour, use the spoon and level method (spoon flour into the measuring cup, then level with a straight edge) to avoid adding too much, which can dry out your cookies.
- Chill the Dough: While not strictly required, chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight) can deepen flavors, reduce spread, and result in a chewier cookie.
- Ingredient Temperature Matters: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature. Cold ingredients don’t cream or emulsify properly, affecting texture.
- Bake Until Just Set: The key to chewy cookies is pulling them from the oven when the edges are golden, but the centers still look slightly underbaked. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet.
- Parchment Paper is Your Friend: It prevents sticking, ensures even baking, and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Invest in a Cookie Scoop: For consistently sized cookies that bake evenly, a cookie scoop is invaluable.
Frequently Asked Questions About DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is one of the “secret ingredients” that truly makes DoubleTree cookies stand out! When baking soda is present in a recipe, it needs an acidic component to react with. This reaction creates carbon dioxide gas, which helps the cookies rise and contributes to their light, airy, and ultimately chewy texture. Often, baking powder or the slight acidity in brown sugar is sufficient. However, a small touch of fresh-squeezed lemon juice provides that extra boost, ensuring a perfect lift and an exceptionally chewy result. The amount used is minimal, so you won’t taste any lemon flavor in the finished cookie.
To keep your DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their quality for up to 3 days. If you wish to extend their freshness, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, though they are always best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warmed.
Yes, absolutely! We highly recommend freezing the cookie dough rather than the baked cookies for the best results. To do this, portion your dough into balls as directed in the recipe. Place these dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze them for at least 30 minutes until solid. Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to freezer-safe bags or containers and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen cookie dough balls directly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven. There’s no need to thaw them first; just add an extra 2-3 minutes to the total baking time.
For the best texture that mimics the original DoubleTree cookie, old-fashioned rolled oats are highly recommended. Quick oats are cut into smaller pieces and cook faster, which will result in a different, less chewy texture. While you *can* use quick oats in a pinch, be aware that the final cookie won’t have the same characteristic chewiness.
Excessive spreading can be caused by several factors:
- Warm Dough: If your dough is too warm before baking, the butter will melt too quickly, causing the cookies to spread. Chilling the dough can help.
- Too Much Butter/Not Enough Flour: Incorrect measurements can throw off the dough consistency. Ensure you’re measuring accurately, especially flour (spoon and level method).
- Over-Greased Pans: If your baking sheet is too greasy, cookies will slip and spread. Use parchment paper or lightly grease.
- Oven Temperature: An oven that’s not hot enough can cause cookies to spread before they set. Ensure your oven is accurately preheated.
DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 2/3 cups chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cups walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160°C).
- In a large bowl with a spatula, or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and mix to combine. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides after each addition.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, and baking soda and whisk well. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated, but do not overmix.
- Add chocolate chips and walnuts and mix gently, just until all ingredients are combined.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly with pan spray. Scoop and roll 1¼-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared trays.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown, but the center is still soft.
- Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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Notes
Freezing Cookie Dough: Prepare and scoop the cookie dough into balls as directed. Place the dough balls on a baking tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes until solid. Once solid, transfer them to freezer-safe bags or containers and store for up to 3 months. To bake, simply pull the frozen cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper or baking mat-lined baking sheet and preheat your oven. Bake as directed, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the total baking time.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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Beyond DoubleTree: More Favorite Cookie Recipes to Try
Love cookies as much as we do? Here are some of our other top picks that are sure to become new favorites:
- Crunchy Heath Toffee Cookies
- Irresistible Crushed Oreo Cookies
- Classic Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Quick Nutella No-Bake Cookies
- Loaded Monster Cookies
- Soft and Spicy Molasses Cookies
- Crispy and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
- Fun Reese’s Pieces Cookies
- 3 Best Edible Cookie Dough Recipes
There’s nothing quite like the experience of biting into a warm, freshly baked DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie. With their perfectly crispy edges, incredibly soft and chewy centers, and a generous medley of rich chocolate chips and crunchy walnuts, these cookies truly live up to their legendary status. Now that you have the official recipe and all the expert tips, you can recreate this iconic hotel treat anytime you desire. Bake a batch, share the warmth, and enjoy the delicious magic!