Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Chewy chocolate chip walnut cookies made with rich brown sugar, melty chocolate chunks plus chocolate chips, crunchy walnuts and a sprinkle of flaky salt. The best bakery-style treat made at home!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.

Chewy Chocolate Chip and Walnuts Cookies

Warm, bakery-style chocolate chip walnut cookies are always a favorite at our house. This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten’s famous chocolate chunk cookies, but I use both chocolate chunks and chips so you get melty pockets of chocolate with nutty crunch in every bite.

The best part is there’s no chilling required, so you can mix, scoop, and bake a fresh batch in about 30 minutes. If you love my best chocolate chip cookies recipe, these are right up your alley, just a little thicker and chewier, though not quite as over-the-top as Levain bakery-style cookies.

Ingredients Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Baking staples: Butter, eggs, flour, baking soda, and salt form the base of the cookies.
• Sugars: Both granulated sugar and brown sugar are used. The brown sugar adds chewiness and a rich caramel flavor, while granulated sugar helps the edges crisp.
• Vanilla extract: This recipe uses 2 full teaspoons, which really boosts the flavor and makes the cookies taste like from a bakery.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks: The chips add little bursts of chocolate, while the chunks melt into rich streaks of chocolate throughout the cookie.
• Walnuts: Roughly chopped so you get a mix of crunchy pieces in every bite. Swap with pecans or skip if you prefer nut-free.
• Flaked sea salt (optional): I love to add a light sprinkle on top before baking to enhance all the flavors.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter with both sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step makes a big difference in creating that chewy texture.

Next, mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined, overmixing will make the cookies tough.

Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, chunks, and walnuts until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough (about 6 cookies per sheet). Slightly flatten each mound with damp hands so they bake evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look a little soft.

Let the walnut chocolate chip cookies rest on the pan for about 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Chunk Walnut Cookies

• These cookies are designed to be thick and chewy without any chilling, but if you want them even thicker, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
• Swap regular butter for browned butter to give the cookies a deeper, nutty flavor. Just make sure it cools slightly before mixing.
• A large cookie scoop (about ¼ cup) gives you those bakery-style cookies with crisp edges and soft, chewy centers.
• For a more tender cookie, you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the dry ingredients. It’s optional, but some love the way it creates a more delicate texture.
• For a crunchier cookie, flatten the dough a bit more before baking and add an extra minute or two in the oven.
• Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll finish setting up on the pan as they cool.