I perfected my Million Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookies by stuffing ultra-chewy dough with crushed potato chips, walnuts, coconut flakes, and dark chocolate for a no-chill, no-mixer treat that begs you to read on.

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I call these Million Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookies my guilty pleasure. Picture a soft, chewy cookie that surprises you with crunchy potato chips and pockets of molten dark chocolate chips, the kind that make you pause and then go back for another.

They’re loud, a little messy, and honestly probably too addictive, but that’s the point. I bake them when I want friends to actually stop texting and taste something wild, and nobody complains about crumbs.

They’re not perfect and sometimes a bit uneven, which I kinda love, because perfect cookies are boring. Try one, if you dare.

Ingredients

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Flour: Mostly carbs, gives structure and chew, low fiber, not very nutrient dense.
Butter: Adds richness and tender crumb, lots of fat so use sparingly, super tasty.
Brown sugar: Sweet, moist and caramel notes, mostly carbs, helps cookies brown nicely.
Potato chips: Surprise crunch and salty hit, mostly starch and sodium, oddly brilliant.
Walnuts: provide protein and omega 3s, nutty bitter bite, add texture and some health.
Dark chocolate: Deep cocoa, bittersweet balance, antioxidants, adds richness and real chocolate punch.
Coconut: Sweet chew and tropical flavor, some fiber and fat, makes cookies more interesting.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 to 1 1/2 cups (about 85 to 120 g) crushed plain potato chips

1 cup (120 g) chopped walnuts

1 cup (80 g) sweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups (255 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside. Let the eggs sit out a few minutes so they reach room temperature.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt.

3. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar until the mixture is lighter in color and mostly smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes by hand. Scrape the sides often.

4. Beat in 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Don’t worry about air, we are not using an electric mixer.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, folding gently until just combined. Overmixing will make the cookies tough so stop when you still see a few streaks of flour.

6. Fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups (about 85 to 120 g) crushed plain potato chips, 1 cup (120 g) chopped walnuts, 1 cup (80 g) sweetened shredded coconut and 1 1/2 cups (255 g) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate. Leave some potato chip crumbs a bit chunkier for texture.

7. Scoop dough into roughly 2 tablespoon size portions and place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. Slightly press the tops so they bake evenly. Press a few extra chips or chips of chocolate on top if you want them to look pretty, and sprinkle flaky sea salt if using.

8. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still look a bit soft. If you make bigger cookies bake closer to 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven runs hot on one side.

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be soft and chewy, resist the urge to overbake.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or freeze for longer. If they firm up, warm a cookie for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to bring back that just‑baked chew.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Two baking sheets, plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Medium bowl and large bowl (keep one for dry, one for wet)
4. Whisk for the dry ingredients, and a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula for creaming — wait, dont use that mark; instead: use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula for creaming and folding
5. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want precise weights
6. 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a tablespoon plus a small spoon for leveling
7. Rubber spatula and/or bench scraper to scrape and lift dough from the sheet
8. Wire cooling rack to cool cookies completely
9. Cutting board and sharp knife for chopping walnuts, plus a small bowl for crushed potato chips

FAQ

Q: Can I skip the potato chips? A: Yes, but chips are what give these cookies the salty crunch that makes them "million dollar." If you skip them, try 1/4 cup crushed pretzels or add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt to the dough to replace that pop of salt. You can also use unsalted chips if you want less salt.

Q: Do I have to use walnuts and coconut? A: No. Walnuts and coconut add texture and flavor, but you can swap toasted pecans or almonds, or leave one or both out. If you remove both, the cookie will be less complex but still good.

Q: How do I get gooey centers and crisp edges? A: Bake at 350°F (175°C) and pull them when edges are set but centers still look a little soft, usually 10 to 12 minutes for medium scoops. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting. For thicker, chewier centers chill the dough 30 minutes to 2 hours before baking.

Q: My cookies spread too flat. What went wrong? A: Likely butter was too soft or dough was warm. Chill the dough 30 minutes, measure flour properly (scoop and level or weigh 280 g), or add an extra tablespoon of flour. Check your oven temp with a thermometer, ovens often run hot.

Q: What's the cornstarch for? A: Cornstarch makes the cookies tender and a bit cakier, so they hold shape and stay soft. That small 1 tablespoon really helps the texture.

Q: Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies? A: Yes. Scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze until firm, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time. Baked cookies keep in the freezer up to 3 weeks, thaw at room temp.

Million Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter: swap with solid coconut oil, same weight as the butter (about 170 g). Chill slightly so it creams with the sugars, you’ll get crisper edges and a faint coconut note. Or use unsalted margarine at equal volume, though the cookies may spread more because margarine has more water.
Eggs: replace two eggs with two tablespoons ground flaxseed plus six tablespoons water, stir and let sit five minutes until gelled. Its a good vegan binder but the cookies might be a touch denser. Alternate: use half cup unsweetened applesauce for a softer, moister cookie.
Crushed potato chips: use crushed pretzels or crushed cornflakes, same amount (one to one and a half cups). Pretzels give the same salty crunch, cornflakes give a lighter crisp, just crush coarsely so you still get texture.
Walnuts: swap for pecans or chopped toasted almonds, equal volume. Toast nuts in a 350 F oven for about five to seven minutes to deepen flavor, then chop and fold in.

Pro Tips

1) Toast the walnuts and coconut quick in a skillet or in the oven until theyre just golden. It brings out way more flavor, makes the cookies taste nuttier and less flat. Dont burn them though, they go from perfect to bitter fast.

2) Chill the scooped dough for 20 to 30 minutes if you want thicker, chewier cookies. If you prefer thin and crisper skip the chill. Either way, keep the potato chip crumbs chunky in places for crunch, but fold gently so they dont turn to dust.

3) Use an oven thermometer and rotate the pan halfway through baking, especially if you bake multiple sheets. Ovens lie, and uneven heat will give you some cookies overbaked and some underdone. If the edges brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last minute or two.

4) Finish with flaky sea salt right after they come out of the oven, and store at room temp in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them soft. If they firm up, zap one for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to get that just-baked chew back.