Best Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪 Austin, Texas

The one thing I am the most passionate about in life (sadly or sweetly?) is cookies…chocolate chip to be exact. It’s the one thing I am always in search for wherever I am living or traveling. They can be just as disappointing as rewarding, and there really is an art to them depending on the ratio of sugar to butter, amount of salt, type, and even cut of chocolate. Just to get things straight, while I do love ice cream equally, it’s much harder to find a promising cookie. If not for anything, at least CVS and Whole Foods carry Talenti ice cream when you are desperate, but you can’t always count on finding a cookie.

I am always in search of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in Austin. One week, I did a taste test with 5 cookies side by side all in one day- actually all in one minute to find the best chocolate chip cookie available in this town (plate below). I have since added a few more as more chef’s have rolled into town. Here is my checklist: I look for a little sweetness and richness in the dough followed by melted chocolate chips that are spread out enough so that chocolate is in every bite– but not the ONLY bite. I want doughiness in the middle and sea salt on top. Plus maybe a little crisp around the edges. I fooled myself with my findings, and I bet you will, too!

#1 Underrated Chocolate Chip Cookie in Austin is EPICERIE

It’s the biggest surprise to me, too! This is a restaurant and not even a dedicated cookie bakery. I can’t be the only cookie connoisseur in town, but I will say, I haven’t heard anyone talk about these cookies and they looked perfect upon arrival. A doughy rise right in the center that is higher than the rest of the cookie and full of melted chips through out each bite. It tastes more gourmet than a homemade cookie, and it’s a mix of little fluffy to a little crumbly ratio. Each pillowy bite is full of happiness and the only thing I could possibly alter would be to have the edges cooked one second longer. Other than that, I am sold on looks, taste, and performance! Another tip is to try their Sprinkle/ Funfetti looking sugar cookie. It’s the same consistency but without chocolate.

Best Sea-Salt Cookie: Carpenter Hotel

I’ve discovered that my favorite cookies always and must have sea salt sprinkled on top. It’s the golden ingredient. It just makes every bite that much better. This cookie is a little flatter than some of my usual gooey cookies, it has some crunch around the edges, and the chocolate is perfect. I talk about this cookie as soon as someone asks me where to go, and it’s in the hotel’s coffee shop.

Best Gooey Cookie: ThoroughBread

I love this tiny local bakery tucked away in Zilker. I’ll never forget my first bite of these cookies. I tried the Peanut Butter & Jelly, Banana Nutella, and Chocolate Chip after a boxing class and was in heaven. The thickness of the cookie mixed with the melted chocolate inside is a combination we can only dream of when searching for the best cookie. Every person I give these to loves it and everyone has a different favorite. The Banana Nutella is fascinating, but of course, I’m a classic chocolate chip lover. These are pretty dense, but so good you’ll fool yourself into thinking you can’t eat the whole thing in one sitting. (Pictured above and below)

Best Giant Cookie: Henbit

This was the first “Levain Bakery” like cookie to hit the market in Austin a few years ago. I had been desperately waiting for a giant gooey cookie to be birthed here, and Chef Tavel did it! It’s nutty which I usually don’t love, but I can handle it for this big boy! Also, speaking of Levain, they are now selling their cookies in Central Market’s frozen section!

Best Gluten-Free Cookie: Teddy V. Patisserie

I love how hard baker Elisia works and promotes her brand. She sells at the Texas Farmers’ Market at Mueller every Sunday. Her cookies are also gigantic like Henbit and ThoroughBread yet she is the only one that offers a gluten-free option. I think her chocolate is different though and that is what stands out to me! She is doing delivery now

Best Everyday Cookie: Tiny Boxwood

Tiny Boxwood is a place I discovered in my hometown Houston. While I wish I could give this spot to a local only spot, this chocolate chip cookie is perfect for all ages and sizes. It’s the right amount of gooeyness to melted chocolate, and it makes for a nice everyday cookie- not too intense or large. It’s more buttery and sugary than Epicerie and tastes like it just came out of the oven. This cookie is addicting and falls apart in your hand. Think of it as more of an upscale Nestle Tollhouse version and intsy bit thicker. I do need to say that their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is INSANE.

Best Food Truck: The Bearded Baking Company

This cookie is WILD! It’s located at a food truck at Still Austin Whiskey distillery in the St. Elmo neighborhood. It’s so random, and I love it so much. I first tried this when I was hanging out with a friend here and she ran into a group of 10 men who had every cookie at their table. I was so distracted why there were cookies at a whiskey place, and when he offered me one my heart sank. You bet I took this from a stranger. I loved this cookie which has a million chocolate chips in it as you can see, but it’s baked to the perfect texture.

Most Creative: Kellies’s

Kellie’s is for the person that loves crispy edges and bars. The signature Suffed Cookie is soft inside with explosions of your choice of peanut butter chocolate, s’mores with melted chocolate chunks and marshmallow, or Twix. It’s heartier than a cookie and offers all kinds of textures. If you like the ends of things, or a cookie that is a little gooey but also chewy this is for you. They also have a Cornflake Marshmallow Chocolate Chip that is sticky, crunchy, and yum!

Best Trail Mix Cookie: June’s all day

While not a traditional bakery, June’s All Day is a neighborhood cafe and bar that has an incredible bakeshop counter with items such as bialys, coffee cake, crueller doughnuts, and my little gem–the Monster Cookie. Loaded with M&M’s, pretzels, peanuts, and chocolate chips, I love this cookie as much as a traditional chocolate chip for a day when you want to mix it up. The soft M&M’s matched with the crunchy pretzels give those who aren’t dying for a sugar bomb a smile.

Not a Chocolate Chip Cookie: Paper Route Bakery

Paper Route Bakery which is an all organic delivery shop wins the Lemon Cookie Game. It has just enough lemon zest tartness and a light coating of icing to really cut the sweetness of their Chocolate Scandal cookies. Yes, I recommend alternating between bites. The chocolate chip is missing a tad of sweetness but their imported chocolate chunks are great. Also, go for the rich brownies.

The OG Austin Cookie: Tiff’s Treats

A note about our on demand local delivery cookie shop! I over indulged on these almost everyday in college. I used to love their M&M and Snickerdoodle, but I do have the say, the best thing they make are their Chocolate Chip Brownies!