Have you ever been to the Metropolitan Market (aka the Met Market) in Seattle? It’s a great, local grocery store in the Seattle area with eight different locations. Think similar concept to Whole Foods *organic, natural, and locally-sourced groceries) with a more local, neighborhood market type of feel. That’s the Met Market.
Groceries aside, the reason you’ll want to make a stop at any Met Market next time you’re in Seattle isn’t necessarily for their produce. It’s for their famous chocolate chip cookie, known to many Seattleites as “The Cookie”. Yep– it’s that good.
The Met Market has proclaimed this baked good “Seattle’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie” and, although a lofty claim, we don’t disagree. It’s an extra-large cookie made with both semisweet and bittersweet Callebaut chocolate, toasted walnuts, and the perfect little sprinkle of fleur de sel. New cookies are made hot nearly every hour at the Met Market, so you can experience them at their prime, with a crispy, golden exterior and a gooey, warm interior. #swoon
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This (almost) Metropolitan Market cookie recipe is the closest thing we’ve been able to create in a home kitchen to The Cookie. It’s simple, decadent, and a step (or two or three) above your pedestrian chocolate chip cookie.
Metropolitan Market Cookie Recipe: Ingredients
You’ll need a few key ingredients to make a great replica of The Cookie:
- Belgian chocolate. The Met Market makes their cookies with two kinds of high-quality chocolate, which makes this the ultimate chocolate lover’s cookie: Callebaut semisweet and bittersweet chocolate. You can purchase the chocolate used in the cookies if you’re actually shopping at the Met Market, or, we were able to find semisweet Callebaut chocolate at Winco (check their bulk section in the back of most locations), and used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips (found at most regular grocery stores). If you can only use one type of chocolate go with semisweet.
- Toasted walnuts. These are key to getting that amazing crunch and texture in your cookies. You’ll toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, coarsely chop them, and then gently mix them into your cookie dough at the very end. The texture of the toasted walnuts are truly the perfect complement to the sweetness and soft texture of this cookie.
- Fleur de sel. No great cookie is made without SALT. You’ll want to use some regular kosher salt or sea salt within the actual cookies, but a sprinkle of this finishing salt will enhance all of the amazing flavors you already have in this cookie.
“The Cookie”: Methodology
The key to making cookies that so closely replicate those at the Met Market is baking them at a high temperature to achieve a beautiful deep golden brown color on the outside. Once your oven has preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, let it sit for 20-30 minutes before baking your cookies to ensure it’s nice and stable at that high temperature.
This recipe makes 12 very large cookies. Happy baking!
MAKE NEXT: PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
The (Almost) Metropolitan Market Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1 cup butter, slightly softened*
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips**
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips**
- fleur de sel for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread walnuts onto cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until aromatic and have a slightly toasted appearance on top. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let walnuts cool completely and chop coarsely.
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour, salt, and soda all at once and mix until just combined- it's okay if there are some streaks of flour left in the dough. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until incorporated- just a few seconds. Do not overmix.
- Scoop slightly heaping cookie dough balls using a 12 cookie scoop***, and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, 4 per sheet. Flatten cookie dough balls slightly with palm and sprinkle each cookie dough ball with a pinch of fleur de sel.
- Bake cookies one sheet at a time for 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are a deep golden brown on the top and edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.
Notes
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Dani M
This recipe was spot on! No more trips to Seattle – I can just make these at home. Take the extra step and buy good chocolate and the fleur de sel, it made all of the difference. This recipe is one that I have already shared with family and friends. It will be on repeat for quite some time!
Brooke Eliason
Thank you so much Dani- so happy to hear that you liked it. And totally agree- the good salt and chocolate are a game changer!
Sydney
Made these for a party and LITERALLY EVERYONE that had one was like, “who made these?!?! These are the best cookies I’ve ever had!!” 🙂 also, I didn’t have fleur de sel so I just used a sprinkle of regular sea salt, so I bet they are somehow even more delicious with the real deal! Thanks!
Brooke Eliason
Such a huge compliment- thank you Sydney! Glad it was a hit at your party.
Carla
These cookies are so close to perfect! The flavor is incredible. But I have issues with the temp indicated. My cookies are almost always burnt on the bottom. My sister who lives clear across the Country had the same problem. After calling the MET and asking we discovered they bake their cookies at only 325 degrees.
Brooke Eliason
Hi Carla! Each oven is so different, and if yours runs hot that would definitely alter the recipe. The ovens used at the Met Market are industrial, convection ovens that will operate differently than a standard home oven. By baking the cookies at a higher temp, you achieve a beautiful deep golden brown color on the outside just like the ones at the Met Market, without the commercial oven. We tested this recipe several times (including a lower, standard temperature of 350) but fond that 400 gave us the resluts we were looking for. Of course, if 325 works for you then so happy to hear you’ve found a solution. Happy baking. 🙂
Jennifer H
A friend brought these cookies to a party in October, everyone loved them. I had to have the recipe. Made them three times and they’re gone before I know it. I make them according to the recipe. But for baking I make them smaller by using a 1/4 measuring cup and bake them for less time at 400 with no issues. I believe the high temp gives them the desired texture. Thank you so much for your research and sharing your recipe.
Brooke Eliason
Thank you so much Jennifer!
Ana P
So delicious! Everyone love them! How long can I leave them at room temperature
Brooke Eliason
Thanks so much! For several days- if they last that long. 🙂 Make sure and seal in airtight container.
Rachel
“The Cookie” is my husband’s absolute favorite so I used your recipe to replicate these for him on Father’s Day. He absolutely loved them and said they were JUST like the ones from Met Market. Thank you so much!!
Brooke Eliason
Yay! So glad to hear it. Thanks for your feedback Rachel. Happy baking. 🙂
Amanda
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I have been soo craving the metropolitan market cookie since I moved away, all other cookies just don’t compare. So happy I found this recipe!!
Brooke Eliason
You’re so welcome- let us know what you think!
Marina
Thanks for this recipe!
I love Met Market’s cookie and this recipe replicates it spectacularly! I did lower the oven temp to 350* after 1st batch, and that was a more even bake. The 2nd time I made them I did a 50/50 ratio of the sugars so got a slightly more crispy cookie… both versions are equally good. Definitely use the high quality chocolates recommended..they’re the key to making these so good.
Brooke Eliason
Thanks so much Marina!
tracey
Introduced my 9 year old son to ‘the cookie’ and we had to try our hand at making them. Even with my own less than stellar ingredients (sea salt instead of salt flakes, reg brown sugar-not dark, semi sweet chips with some ends of dark chocolate bars chopped and thrown in, toasted almonds) and hand mixing–even with all that these turned out GREAT. So yummy and can’t wait to try with the full recipe as intended. Thank you!!
Brooke Eliason
You are so welcome Tracey! Thanks for the kind comment. 🙂
Kelley
Do you have a recipe for the Met Market peanut butter cookie?
Brooke Eliason
I don’t but maybe someday!
kyle
These are pretty good but, to me, it wasn’t a dupe for The Cookie. What I did love was the texture and size. I’ve never been able to make big cookies that are well baked and these instructions were perfect. Crisp around the outside and soft in the middle. Taste-wise, mine were similar to the standard chocolate chip cookie recipe and the walnuts add a nice crunch.
Ilona Kutek
Do I add more chocolate chips if I don’t want to use walnuts at all?
Brooke Eliason
Yes you can definitely add more chocolate if you’re omitting the nuts (definitely recommend!). Enjoy.