Doubletree Hotel Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy and absolutely delicious, these Doubletree Hotel chocolate chip cookies are easy to make and delicious warm out of the oven!

Thanks for being patient with me last week! In over eight years of blogging, I don’t think I’ve gone a full week without posting a recipe or three.

Many of you checked in to wonder if everything was ok – thank you!

I didn’t fall down a hole or get stuck in my pantry shoving chocolate chips in my mouth (although that wouldn’t be a bad way to go).

The truth is, I had full intentions of having posts scheduled and ready to go up as we made our way to California (cousin’s wedding + first time trip to Disneyland), but the weeks leading up to our departure were insane. In.Sane.

And I was running on empty when we left and didn’t have the time to get recipes posted. I’m sorry! I really am.

But it felt good to {mostly} disconnect for a week. And here we are! Back at it again.

The trip was fabulous and I had a blast meeting so many of you randomly at Disneyland and in the Fresno area – thanks for grabbing me to say hi. So fun!

So now, let’s talk about how Instagram’s making me feel super lame with their front and center timestamp. I swear I didn’t realize it was 20w ago that I promised you this recipe.

I’m pretty sure I was in the middle of this and also this and this.

Lame excuses, I know, but ones I’m obviously trying to pass off anyway to rationalize my negligence in empty promises.

Let us not focus on the past and instead talk about these dreamy chocolate chip cookies.

Is there room in your heart for one more chocolate chip cookie recipe? I say yes. And here’s why: mini chocolate chips, for one.

Perhaps you use them exclusively (hi, mom), but if not, mini chocolate chips belong in these cookies. I’ve made them with regular ol’ semisweet chocolate chips and they aren’t the same. Really.

I think it has something to do with this next reason: these cookies, as you can see, are not thick and puffy and cakey and chewy, they’re thin and soft and buttery and just super yummy.

Sidenote: the cookies will probably be a bit thicker if you aren’t a slacker like me and actually chill the dough – insert eye rolling emoji here.

I’ve made these cookies at least a dozen times over the last few months and they continue to be a favorite.

That very, very light hint of cinnamon is fab, and if you’ve made one of my favorite cookies of all time, you’ll know already I’m a huge fan of cookies where the dry mixture is made partly from blending the oats.

I’ve never stayed at a DoubleTree hotel nor have I had the original DoubleTree hotel chocolate chip cookies, but these cookies stand alone in their deliciousness.

No high falutin’ hotel reputation needed, if you ask me. Make them and you’ll see! (Also, check out the notes in the recipe for a few additional tips.)

One Year Ago: My Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies
Two Years Ago: Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Three Years Ago: Thai-Style Chicken and Quinoa Salad

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Doubletree Hotel Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 mins (includes chilling time)

Cook Time: 11 mins

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1.75 ounces) old-fashioned oats
• 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (see note)
• 2 large eggs (about 3.5 ounces)
• 2 cups (12 ounces) mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (optional, but delicious)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
2. In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until finely blended. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and pulse a few times until evenly combined.
3. In a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix until creamy and light in color, 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until it starts to come together but there are still a lot of dry spots. Add the chocolate chips (and pecans, if using) and mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
5. Portion the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon (or so) size mounds (I use my #40 cookie scoop), lining them up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to two days. If you are rolling your eyes about refrigerating, I get it and so I will say you CAN bake them right away but they will be a little thinner and the flavor won’t be quite as good (but I do it all the time, let’s be honest).
6. Before baking, I like to roll them in my hands quickly to form uniform balls. Place a couple inches apart on the baking sheets.
7. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are set but the cookies are still soft in the center. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

These cookies freeze beautifully! As with almost all my drop cookie recipes, I bake them and let them cool completely – then put them in a large tupperware-like container (with sheets of waxed paper between each layer) and freeze.

Since I know you may be wondering the same thing, I have no idea what the little bit of lemon juice does or does not do in this recipe. I haven’t tried a side-by-side comparison without it because we love the version below (and yes, bottled juice works just fine).

I mention this in the recipe below but these cookies are a teensy bit better if the dough is chilled. Except for a handful of recipes, I’m usually the one rolling my eyes at chilling cookie dough (come on!) but sometimes you get what you pay for. I admit, I bake these cookies right away a lot, but when I chill the dough, I’m always a tiny bit happier with the outcome (even though I’m a total grump about doing it).

All images and text ©Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from The Little Kitchen by way of Food Geeks (I added weights, changed the leavening and a few amounts just a little)