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These DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies bring all the cozy, familiar flavors of the hotel’s iconic welcome treat straight into your kitchen. They’re oversized, loaded with chocolate, and famous for their crispy edges with soft, chewy centers. If you love the warm-cookie-at-check-in tradition, this copycat version captures all the charm.
Try this next: If you love a good cookie, next make a batch of these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&Ms, or check out our Christmas Cookie collection!
5 Things That Make or Break This Recipe
- Use softened, room-temperature butter: If it’s too cold, the dough won’t cream properly. If it’s too warm or melted, the cookies will spread too much.
- Measure flour correctly: Too much flour will ruin the soft center. Use the spoon and level method or weigh the flour.
- Fold the mix-ins gently: Overmixing can make the cookies dense.
- Proper spacing on the sheet: Only place 5 to 6 cookies per baking sheet. This keeps the cookies from baking together.
- Low baking temperature: Baking at 300 degrees F allows the center to cook through without overcrisping the edges.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Ingredient Notes
DoubleTree cookies have a few signature ingredients that make this cookie so memorable.
- Oats: Old-fashioned oats are key for the classic DoubleTree texture. They add a subtle chew and help the cookies stay thick. Skip instant oats, which dissolve too quickly and change the structure.
- Walnuts: Chopped walnuts are traditional and add richness and crunch, but they can also be substituted for pecans. For a nut-free version, just leave them out or replace with extra chocolate chips.
- Lemon juice: A small splash of lemon juice adds acidity, which reacts with the baking soda to create lift and a chewier, bakery-style texture.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chips deliver that signature balance of sweetness and depth, but you can swap in dark, milk, or chunks if you prefer.
How To Make DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Serve these cookies warm with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee. For a simple dessert, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars.
Beat the softened butter with both sugars for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks pale, light, and fluffy. This step whips air into the dough, giving the cookies their signature lift and tender centers.
Step 2: Add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, starting on low and moving to medium speed until fully combined.
- The lemon juice might seem unusual, but its acidity helps the baking soda create a soft, chewy interior.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients separately.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Old-fashioned oats will look a bit coarse and rustic, which is the texture you want.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low just until the flour disappears, about 30 seconds. Stop as soon as there are no visible streaks; overmixing at this stage leads to tougher, denser cookies. A gentle approach keeps them thick and tender.
Step 5: Add chocolate chips and walnuts.
Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, using a spatula so you don’t overwork the dough. If you prefer a nut-free cookie, simply leave out the walnuts or swap them for extra chocolate; both versions bake beautifully.
Step 6: Scoop the dough.
Use a 3-tablespoon scoop to portion the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. If the dough feels sticky, a brief 10-15 minute chill makes scooping easier.
- Pro Tip: You can chill the dough for 1-2 hours to reduce spreading.
Step 7: Bake.
Bake at 300°F for 20-24 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden and the centers still look a little soft. The cookies will settle and firm up as they cool, so don’t wait for the centers to fully set in the oven. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
- Pro Tip: For picture-perfect cookies, gently “scoot” them into a round shape with a circular cutter while they’re still warm and soft.
Variations
- Nut-free version: Simply leave out the walnuts or replace them with extra chocolate chips.
- Smaller cookies: For mini DoubleTree cookies, use a 1-2 tablespoon scoop and reduce the bake time.
- Add-ins: Mix things up with dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or pecans for a richer, bakery-style twist.
- Holiday spin: Add an extra pinch of cinnamon or fold in festive chocolate chips.
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, Make Ahead
- Storage – Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Dough – Scoop dough balls onto a sheet pan and freeze up to 2 months. Once frozen, move the dough to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer; just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- Freezing Baked Cookies – Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then foil, and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Rewarm briefly in the oven for a “fresh-baked” feel.
- Make Ahead – These cookies can be made a day or two in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes DoubleTree cookies different?
They’re oversized, loaded with chocolate, and baked low and slow for crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. They also use a few unexpected ingredients for extra flavor.
What is the secret ingredient?
It’s really a combination: oats for texture, walnuts for richness, and a splash of lemon juice that reacts with baking soda to create lift and chew.
Do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling isn’t mandatory, but it does help the cookies stay thick and reduce spreading.
Can I skip the nuts?
Yes, just leave them out or replace with more chocolate chips for a nut-free version
Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
Both freeze well; portioned dough balls freeze beautifully and can be baked straight from frozen with a few extra minutes added.
How do I adjust the size?
Use a smaller scoop for smaller cookies (and reduce the bake time).
More Cookie Recipes
DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 sticks
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar 152 grams
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed 161 grams
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned & leveled 312 grams
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats 50 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups walnuts chopped
- 2½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300℉. In a large bowl add the butter, sugar and brown sugar and mix for about 2 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon juice and blend on low speed for 30 seconds then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl mix the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix them together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend for 30 seconds on low. Fold the walnuts and chocolate chips into the dough, make sure not to over mix.
- Using a 3 tablespoon scoop; portion out the cookie dough and place the scoops on a parchment lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. You may only be able to fit 5-6 cookies per tray if using 13×9” size. Bake at 300℉ for 20-24 minutes until the edges are just golden brown and the center a little soft.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool on sheet tray for 5 minutes before moving to baking rack to cool completely. Enjoy.
Notes
- Use room-temperature soft butter for the best creaming.
- Don’t overmix once dry ingredients are added.
- Lemon juice adds brightness and lift to the cookies once it reacts with the baking soda.
- For a thicker cookie and less spread, chill the dough for 1-2 hours.
- Only place 5-6 cookies per baking sheet. The cookies will spread during baking.
- Use a 3-tablespoon scoop for bakery-style cookies.
- Bake until edges are golden and centers are soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the sheet after baking for 5 minutes (this helps them set).
- Old-fashioned oats and walnuts give a traditional texture; feel free to omit the nuts or substitute with pecans.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
