Yesterday I tried a new recipe for Subway Copycat Cookies. It was from Subway UK/Ireland who put it on their Facebook page with a video showing how to make it. This particular Subway cookie recipe mimics their Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, a flavor I wasn't very familiar with because when I go to Subway I buy their Chocolate Chip or White Chip Macadamia. So before baking the copycats I picked up an actual Subway Double Chocolate Chip Cookie for comparison. The cookie in the photo below is the actual Subway cookie.
And the cookie below on the left is the copycat made with a clone Subway Double Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. So yes! The two cookies are pretty close.
What Makes Subway Cookies So Good?
The flavor of the copycat is dead-on, and the texture is similar but not identical. The Subway cookie is flatter, denser and has what I call a "bend-y" texture where if you hold it by its edge, it will slowly bend and break -- and that's hours after baking. I think the texture is what makes Subway cookies so good. Usually homemade cookies have this texture right out of the oven, but eventually firm up. Texture differences aside, the cookies are still alike with the Subway Copycat Cookies tasting fresher.
Mix Dough by Hand
One last note: The Subway directions are very specific about how you should mix. They suggest using a wooden spoon and creaming by hand, which is pretty simple since this is a relatively small batch recipe. If you ignore that and use a mixer, you'll get beautifully rounded cookies (below left) that are lighter and have crispy edges. But since the point is to get the soft, flat, almost bendable cookies, it's better to just mix by hand.
Update: New photo with chilled dough. For flat cookies, remove pan from oven after 11 minutes. Bang gently on counter to deflate, then bake another 30 seconds to 1 minutes.
Now if only I could clone the Subway Caramel Apple Cookie. Oh my goodness! I bought one the other day and was surprised at how good it was. Whatever flavoring they use for the apple and caramel is delicious.
Gluten-Free Subway Cookie Recipe Copycat
Another update! I finally got around to testing these with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend, specifically, Thomas Keller's Cup4Cup. It worked perfectly, though I did find it helpful to reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and add 10 more grams of flour. I will add a note to the recipe card.
A Spice Cookie
If you're looking for an easy chewy spice cookie to go with this one, try the Giant Chewy Molasses Cookies.
Some More Fun Copycats
Recipe
Subway Copycat Cookies
Ingredients
- 125 g salted butter softened (9 tablespoons)
- 100 g light brown sugar ½ cup
- 75 g granulated sugar ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 medium or large egg 45 grams beaten egg (can use up to 52 grams)
- 150 g all-purpose flour (or a gluten-free 1:1 blend) 1 cup plus about 2 tablespoons
- 40 g cocoa powder, Dutch**
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt optional – definitely use if butter is unsalted
- 100 g white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- 200 g milk chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (or 350 degrees F). Line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using a wooden spoon, cream the mixture until light and fluffy, for about 3 minutes.
- Lightly beat the egg and vanilla together in a small bowl or custard cup. Add to the butter mixture a little at a time, stirring until well combined. If you are using large eggs, don't blend the vanilla with the egg. Add the vanilla straight to the batter and only use 42 to 45 grams of the egg.
- Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until very well combined and there are no lumps. If necessary, sift. Add to the butter mixture and stir to make a soft dough. Stir in all the chips (or chunks)
- Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop or spoon, divide the mixture into 16 balls. Subway cookies weigh 1.6 oz, so you may want to weigh. Roll into balls and place onto the lined baking trays, spaced at least 2 ½ inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until well spread and just set on the surface. The cookies will still be quite soft, but will firm up as they cool. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Anna says
These are also really good. Just ignore the part about the Mexican vanilla. You can mix everything together with a wooden spoon -- no mixer required. https://www.cookiemadness.net/2014/05/18/dense-and-chewy-mexican-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Anna says
Katie, I wish it was as easy as taking out the cocoa powder. For good chocolate chip cookies, you're better off going with a completely different recipe. The ones I've tried that come closest to Subway have special baking margarine or a combo of butter and shortening. The all-butter ones have odd amounts of egg or egg yolk and different mixing techniques. If you just want a straight up good, chewy, chocolate chip cookie recipe, here are a few I've been loving lately.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2023/10/20/donna-kelces-chocolate-chip-cookies/
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2022/10/20/wegmans-chocolate-chip-cookies-copycat/
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2024/10/26/double-malt-chocolate-chip-cookies/
This is an older one that is kinda/sorta like Subway, but mileage will vary due to different brands, ovens, fats, etc. But these have that chewy texture.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/07/15/another-one-bowl-cookie/
Katie Murphy says
I loved these. If I want to make the white chocolate chip/nut cookies instead, do I need to change the recipe at all or just omit the cocoa powder?
Thanks ☺️
Barbara Schmieg says
I just finished making this amazing subway cookies. They are amazing!! They were just like the real deal,but warm and delicious right out of my oven!
I will definitely mark this as one of my favorites of all time.
Thank you Anna for the recipe. I’ll be trying many more.
Anna says
Thanks for the review! I forget to use milk chocolate chips sometimes too. They add a different flavor, but the semisweet or just as good.
AgentLiz says
I made these cookies this evening, I got a lot of attention from the kids and the husband while I was making them, so I appreciate that! Everyone loved the cookies! I used 1/2 tsp of salt in the recipe then some on top of each cookie, they were not too salty at all said everyone who tried them. these were my favorite in college a long time ago. Thanks for figuring this one out! I used semi sweet chips because I didn't read lol just assumed. these humans love semi I'm a milk chocolate fan so I will get them for the next batch!
Anna says
Hi Eve,
I'm always looking for ways to replace egg too, but so far I haven't found anything that is just as good. I usually use 2 tablespoons of beaten egg, then keep what's left in a little custard cup and use the second half of the egg for another half batch of a different cookie. I've also used it as a dog treat. Just throw it in the skillet, fry it and cut it into bits. Now to answer your question! Some things that should also work are 2 tablespoons of aquafaba (garbanzo bean liquid). Whisk it really well and add 24 grams. Unsweetened applesauce works in a pinch, but the cookies will spread more. And there's always the good old flax/water egg mixture. You can also try one of the commercial egg replacer powders.
Eve says
I absolutely love this recipe but I’m wondering, is there anything I can use to replace the egg? I have only make half of a quarter of the recipe since I’m the only one who eats them and only using 1/2 an egg can be a bit annoying nonetheless I love this recipe and would really appreciate any alternatives or tips 🙂
Anna says
Adding that bit of oil was a good call! It can make the edges a tad bit crunchier. Thank you so much for sharing all those fun changes.
Pinkle says
I made this cookie dough yesterday and they've turned out great. I do want to note that I changed it a little bit to suit my preferences. I followed the ingredients list and added molasses, half an half brown and light brown sugar, and added some oil with the butter. I also added somppermint essence with dark chocolate to make an after eight version. This caused the dough to need more flour so I carefully added as much until I noticed the dough was fluffing up and being moist buted not too dry. Left it overnight and started today with a test batch. I made two big balls and two medium sized balls, two of them I flattened and two I kept shaped. Note these are cool and refrigerated so scooping is hard but just put some elbow grease in there! So far the unflattened cookies look the most appealing but the flattened ones look more even. However the balls WIN! they turned chewy and wonderful. I would recommend to use a Big scoop and save a few chocolate chips to put on top of the cookie to make them look nicer. Well done on this recipe, I definitely will try to follow directions precisely next time (sorry XD) But I'd say these are this recipe is AMAZING!!
Sarah says
Really delicious. It's as close as you can probably get in a home kitchen to the Subway Double Chocolate cookie. The optional salt is definitely required, at least for my taste buds. Would totally make again!
Nobody says
This recipe was delicious, I couldn’t tell the difference! Also works well with nuts along with the choc chips
Anna says
Thank you for trying the recipe, Laura!
Laura says
Just made these and they taste so good and the texture is perfect! Great recipe!
Anna says
Made a batch today and had to use a little bread flour in place of all-purpose because I ran out. The bread flour made the dough dryer and the cookies came out even thicker and crumblier. Still good, just thicker than with AP. But it's an example of how changing little things can change the outcome.
Anna says
I've made these a million times. She probably mis-measured something. Usually spreading means too much sugar and not enough flour or mismeasuring the baking soda. Sometimes cookies spread due to greasing cookie sheets or using nonstick spray, but that wouldn't cause them to spread all over the pan. If you want me to troubleshoot, let me know what brands of ingredients you used, if you live in the USA or another country (sometimes flours vary) or more info. It's a pretty straightforward recipe, so she may have just goofed up. It happens. Oh, another thought -- it could have been something with the cocoa powder. Did she use the kind meant for drinking? Was her butter actual butter or was it a spread like margarine? A tub spread could cause that. So many variables. I'd love to help your daughter figure out the problem, so just have her leave me a comment here and we can figure it out.
Mama bear says
I am not the baker but my 12 yr old daughter tried to make these and they completely ran off the pan. Any tips would be awesome , i told her to try again maybe y’all can help me understand what happened. They smelled amazing the dough tasted good .
Kelly says
Bravo! Thank you so much—yum!
Anfisa says
Just WOW! I didn’t expect it work, because I’ve been looking for perfect cookies forever! But those are AMAZNG
many thanks! <3
Anna says
Yes, definitely! It freezes well. I always shape the dough into rounds before freezing.
Madiha says
Are you able to freeze the cookie dough?
Anna says
Hi Kate,
Sadly, I haven't had any luck getting that texture with molasses. I do have a good chocolate chip cookie with molasses, though!
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2013/05/07/jumbo-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-a-secret-ingredient-okay-its-molasses/
It could be something in their palm oil/butter blend or some preservative that's covered under "natural flavors", Grocery store bakery cookies and other mass produced cookies also have this texture. It makes it so the cookies have a fresh baked texture hours after baking. Whatever they use also adds a chewy almost sticky quality. It's not a huge deal, just a weird little textural thing that has become my white whale. The homemade ones always taste better.
That said, I think adding a teaspoon of molasses could add a pleasant hint of flavor and might help the chew a tiny bit. It just won't give the cookies that dense, bending quality I'm talking about.
kate says
I noticed that all of Subway's cookie ingredients contain molasses. I wonder how adding 1-3 teaspoons of either molasses or milder corn syrup would affect the "bendiness" of the final product, since the higher fructose content's hygroscopic tendencies can help draw more water into the dough, therefore keeping them chewier for longer.
Anna says
Sue, they are surprisingly good! You can also make them with white chunks, but since Subway uses white chips I went with those.
Sue says
Thanks for trying and sharing these. They look and sound delicious. White chocolate chips need to go on the grocery list!