The BEST Copycat Subway Cookies!
(Soft centres, chewy edges, bakery-style size) If you’ve ever walked past Subway and thought,
“I don’t even need a sub… I just want the cookie,” this copycat subway cookies recipe is for you!
These Subway-style cookies are…Thick but soft, Chewy on the edges, Slightly underdone in the centre, Rich with brown sugar flavour, Perfectly oversized, And honestly? They’re better homemade
The Secret to the Perfect Copycat Subway Cookies
These aren’t just your average chocolate chip cookies. I swear it took me about 100 million attempts to get this recipe right, but I finally cracked it!
The secret to getting that classic Subway cookie texture comes down to a few key ingredients:
- Melted butter and oil: The combination gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavour while keeping them lovely and soft.
- Extra egg yolk: Adds richness and helps create that chewy centre.
- Molasses: Gives the cookies a deeper, almost caramel-like flavour.
- Cornflour: Helps keep the cookies tender rather than cakey.
- Milk powder: Adds that delicious bakery-style flavour.
- Slightly underbaking: The trick to getting those soft, gooey centres without drying the cookies out.
The result? Thick, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with slightly crisp edges and that classic Subway-style centre. Honestly, I reckon they’re even better homemade!
My Top Tips for Soft, Chewy Cookies
Don’t skip chilling the dough. I know it’s tempting to chuck them straight in the oven, but chilling helps stop the cookies from spreading too much and gives you that thick, chewy centre.
Don’t overbake them. This is probably the biggest secret to getting that classic Subway cookie texture. The edges should be set, but the centres can still look slightly underdone when you pull them out. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
Make them BIG! We’re not making tiny little biscuits here. If you want that proper Subway-style cookie, go for generous portions of dough.
Let them cool on the tray. Give the cookies a few minutes to firm up before moving them. They’ll be pretty soft straight out of the oven, and you don’t want them falling apart!
Subway Cookie Flavour Variations
Once you’ve nailed the base recipe, there’s no reason you can’t switch things up a little!
- Double Chocolate: Replace a small portion of the flour with cocoa powder and use a mixture of milk and dark chocolate chips.
- White Chocolate & Macadamia: Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate chunks and chopped macadamia nuts.
- Chocolate Chunk: Instead of chocolate chips, use roughly chopped blocks of chocolate for those big melted chocolate pockets.
- Triple Chocolate: Mix dark, milk and white chocolate chunks through the dough.
Just keep in mind that changing the ingredients can slightly affect how the cookies spread and bake.
How to Keep Copycat Subway Cookies Soft
The best thing about these cookies is that they stay lovely and soft even after they’ve cooled down.
Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid leaving them uncovered on the bench, as they’ll start to dry out.
If you want that freshly baked texture again, pop one in the microwave for about 10 seconds. The chocolate will soften, and the centre will be nice and chewy again.
You can also freeze the cookie dough in individual portions, which means you’ve always got a batch ready to bake whenever a cookie craving hits!
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To refresh them put in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. They’ll taste freshly baked again.
Watch How I Make The BEST Copycat Subway Cookies!
Share Your Copycat Subway Cookies!
Made this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Share your creation and tag @Sara_elcock on Instagram or Tiktok. #OldMateEats
The BEST Copycat Subway Cookies
Ingredients
- 120 grams butter melted and slightly cooled
- 50 grams vegetable oil
- 120 grams brown sugar
- 60 grams white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp molasses (or golden syrup)
- 200 grams all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp milk powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 180 grams chocolate drops or M&M's White chocolate macadamia option: 100g white chocolate drops + 80g chopped macadamias
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, molasses, egg, and egg yolk until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and thick.
- Add flour, cornflour, milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined.Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in chocolate chips (or white chocolate + macadamias or M&M's). Again.. don’t overmix!
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preferably 2 hours. This step is important!! It stops the cookies from spreading too thin and helps create that thick Subway-style texture. While chilling, preheat oven to 160°C fan bake.
- Scoop 1½ tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and place on a lined baking tray. Leave space between them.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes. They should be golden on the edges, Slightly pale in the centre, Soft and slightly underdone in the middle. Do not overbake.They will firm up as they cool.
- Leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. Or don’t. And eat one warm. I won’t judge.
Notes
Chilling for at least 30 minutes helps control spreading and gives you that thicker, Subway-style texture. Warm dough = flat cookies. • Don’t overbake
The centres should look slightly underdone when you take them out. They will continue cooking on the tray as they cool.
Overbaking = dry cookies. • Want thicker cookies? Chill longer (up to 1 hour), Roll slightly taller dough balls & Don’t flatten before baking If your cookies spread too much Oven may not be hot enough, Butter may have been too hot when mixed or Dough wasn’t chilled long enough • Milk powder matters
It adds that subtle bakery flavour and improves browning…don’t skip it if you can help it. • Freeze for later
Roll into balls and freeze. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes. Perfect for emergency cookie situations.
FAQs
Why did my cookies spread too much?
Dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or oven was too cool.
Why are they cakey?
Overmixed or overbaked.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Roll into balls and freeze. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes.
Love this Recipe? Share your creations on Instagram, or TikTok and tag me so I can see your delicious results! #OldMateEats
Looking for another yummy homemade treat? Check out my Chocolate Coconut Rough Cookies! They’re another delicious option when you’re craving something sweet.
