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. Austin’s cookie game has stepped up since 2017, when I did a taste test with 5 cookies side by side all in one day to find the best chocolate chip cookie available in this town. Now in 2025, I have plenty more to add, so I have updated the list. Here is my checklist: I need sweetness and richness in the dough, followed by melted chocolate chips that are spread out evenly enough so that chocolate is in every bite. I desire softness or doughiness in the middle, paired with a little crisp around the edges to give it some texture. Read on to see the Austin cookies that fit the bill. For even more recs, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my Substack!
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in Austin, Texas
épicerie – This is a restaurant, not even a dedicated cookie bakery, and it does in fact have one of the best cookies in Austin. I can’t be the only cookie connoisseur in town, but I will say, I haven’t heard many people 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 a 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.
Swedish Hill and June’s All Day – Swedish Hill has some of the best chocolate chip cookies in town, but they are not always consistent at the end of the day. There’s nothing like splitting one with your lunch date after a yummy meal from their fresh menu. If you’re lucky and arrive at Swedish Hill when they come out of the oven, every bite is gooey with the perfect amount of chocolate and topped with sea salt. If you didn’t know, June’s serves the same cookie and since I can be a vibe eater, I actually like ordering it here more as they’ll offer to warm it up for you so it oozes out a bit, and then you can pair the cookie with your bubbly June’s Rosé at the end of the meal.
Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop – I first tried Amanda Rockman’s Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie when she made it for my 5-year business anniversary, and I’m so glad that it’s now available for everyone to try at her bake shop. The different types of chocolate come through in every bite, and you get a unique flavor from Amanda’s sourdough starter that’s mixed into the dough. Her cookie is not doughy, but it’s soft, and the chocolate is melted so it hits that criteria. Pair it with a spritz for my ideal chocolate chip cookie happy hour in Rockman’s vibrant dining room.
Lyoness – I found home baker Karla’s cookies on Instagram, and I could tell they weren’t chasing a trend and that she cared about ingredients and what flavors mattered to her. The cookies are plump, but not too outrageously big and enjoyable enough that you’d want this treat regularly. I love the chocolate chip and the amount of sea salt she applied, but her other flavors are just too unique to not share! While the homemade strawberry jam in the Matcha Cookie knocked my socks off, I think the Biscoff Cookie really took home the number one prize for me. If I were you, I’d just go ahead and order them all to try. You’ll have a hard time picking a favorite, and you’ll feel so much joy between each bite.
ThoroughBread – I love this tiny local bakery tucked away in Zilker, and I’ll never forget my first bite of these cookies. I’ve tried all of them: the Peanut Butter & Jelly, Banana Nutella, Chocolate Chip with and without pecans, Strawberry and Chocolate Chip, and Trail Mix specials. The thickness of the cookie mixed with the melted chocolate inside is a combination I can only dream of when searching for the best cookie. These are definitely the thickest cookies at any brick-and-mortar in town. Every person I give these to loves them, 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 that you’ll fool yourself into thinking you can eat the whole thing in one sitting. As someone that does not prefer nuts in their cookies, the Pecan and Chocolate Chip converted me. Maybe it’s because the cookie is so big that it’s nice to have a little nut texture to break up each bite. Grab these for a friend’s birthday or after a swim at Barton Springs.
Local Foods – One of my lunch favorites, Local Foods, revamped their chocolate chip cookie recently, and it definitely belongs on this list. With loads of 60% and 70% Valrhona chips throughout, it is very chocolate-y and much improved from their previous version. This cookie is now a winner for me – see it in real life HERE! Side note – don’t miss the Cowboy Cookie with oats, Valrhona white and dark chocolate, and pecans.
Spread & Co. – I came to Spread & Co. specifically for their cookie (thanks Margaret), and I’m happy to report that I devoured it. It reminds me a bit of All Day’s cookie (more on that later!), and I appreciate the crunchy edges, melty chocolate, and house vanilla bean salt sprinkles on top. It’s super dark in color, which signals brown butter. Sink your teeth in, and it’s soft and crunchy on the outside. Honestly, I think I need to do a blind taste test with All Day to see which is better because they look so similar.
Four Seasons – Giant and wide, but thin enough that you won’t get a stomach ache, this Four Seasons cookie really caught me by surprise. With great flavor, a melty interior, and sea salt on top, this is a thinner cookie than my typical favorites, but it’s making me really lean toward the thin guys lately. What really wins me over is the chocolate-to-salt ratio. It also feels like these cookies hold mini chocolate chips because with each bite, you get the cookie base, chocolate, and salt. It breaks so easily like a little cracker, and it’s fun to have a different style cookie than the chunky ones. Thicker doesn’t always make it better I have learned! I also appreciate the softness, while still being thin and maintaining its crunchy edges. Pro top: add a scoop of Amy’s Mexican Vanilla ice cream for the win!
Boni’s Bar Next Door – A chocolate chip cookie at a bar? You better believe it when it’s from the Lenoir team. This South 1st neighborhood bar is baking up an incredible cookie with dark chocolate, white chocolate, and candied orange zest. Made with buckwheat, the cookie tastes a little heartier and nuttier in the best way, and the fact that I can get a cookie at a bar really makes the end of my night special. I also have to say that I am not an orange zesty kinda gal, but the cookie base and mixed chocolates are so good I don’t even care. End your evening with a cookie and their carajillo night cap. (Photo by Chad Wadsworth)
Palm Pizza – The Palm Pizza ice cream sandwich includes one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had, full of Valrhona chocolate and salt on top, which is a non-negotiable for me! This is so big and heavy that you MUST split it and yes, with a knife, especially if you’re eating pizza first. The thickness is not too big and not too thin, and it’s soft and not too frozen, while tasting like it would be a perfect cookie without the ice cream. You can buy it separately, but the ice cream swirled with berry adds such a fresh flavor to the cookie sandwich.
Kurty’s Cookies – Twin brothers Eric and Kurt launched Kurty’s Cookies as a side hustle because they’re so passionate about their 4.5 oz. cookies that really are soft throughout with great flavor. When you heat them up for 14 seconds like Eric told me I should, you pump up that doughiness and perfectly melty chocolate on the inside. The cookies come in pizza boxes, and they are at the SFC Farmer’s Market downtown and in Sunset Valley every Saturday. They also launched on DoorDash! The guys change their flavors often, and so far, I’ve had Red Velvet with cream cheese, Lemon Tart, Cookies and Cream, and Mexican Hot Chocolate to name a few, but they always have the chocolate chip and also a gluten-free chocolate chip, which I do like. They use Kirkland chocolate from Costco, and even though I say I’m a Valrhona snob, it works!
Tiny Boxwoods – Tiny Boxwoods is a place I discovered in my hometown of Houston, and 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 that’s a bit thicker. I do need to say that their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is INSANE.
Better Half – This coffee shop cookie is softer than it looks, and I really appreciate great-sized chunks of chocolate in each bite.
All Day Pizza – Yes, this is a pizza spot, but the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie really steals the show for me. The cookie costs more than their Classic Cheese Slice, and respectfully so. Brown butter and flaky sea salt are my essential cookie ingredients, so this checks all the boxes! You can pick it up without it falling apart, yet it’s still soft and creamy inside. You can bite your teeth into it for a crunch, and again, it’s still soft, which is really hard to do! A match made in heaven when paired with their slices, or just go for the cookie and Caesar Salad.
The Bougie Foodie – The Choco Chip Cookie Mountain here reminds me of Levain thanks to its peak high 6-ounce size, with a slightly different texture. The Bougie Foodie’s dough is soft and melty with the perfect amount of large semi-sweet Guittard Maxi chocolate chips and a little crunchy on the outside, while Levain’s cookies represent more of a scone with melted chocolate chips inside. The chips themselves are bigger than you typically see, covering more surface area, so they really set this cookie apart! Even though there is no sea salt on top, it does not need it as the dough is salted enough.
Celeste’s Best – I first had Celeste’s Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie at Bouldin Creek Cafe. I originally discovered it exploring the aisles of Tiny Grocer (they sell the edible cookie dough), so I had to try the baked version! This cookie somehow tastes buttery (but no butter), and is the midweek treat I’m looking for when I don’t want to overindulge.
Bake Box – These half-pound cookies are gooey with crisp edges and full of semi-sweet chocolate. Theresa drops four flavors weekly, so I tried Chocolate Chip, Confetti Sugar, Salted Peanut Butter, and Cookies and Cream. My favorite of the pack was the Peanut Butter with milk chocolate chips, PB chips, and a homemade filling. Another home baker, you can order a box of four cookies for $28 during the week and pick them up on Saturdays.
Scull House Sweets – I love this little cottage bakery because the founder, Ryn, started during the pandemic and makes such incredible desserts. While you might think the salted chocolate chip would be my favorite, the Norma Jean is my fave—it’s filled with coconut and corn flakes. She also makes cookie cakes which is a game-changer, perfect for a birthday party. (P.S. Her cookies are the ones on my website homepage). You can find her treats at Texas Farmer’s Market at Mueller on Sundays, and she also offers custom orders.
Oseyo – Don’t miss the Brown Butter + Miso Chocolate Chip Cookie after lunch or dinner at Oseyo. Wth a gooeyness and just the right amount of chocolate, I love the added flavor of the miso to round out the cookie!