Chocolate Chip Cookies are a classic for a reason. They are the perfectly chewey, chocolatey, ooey gooey, answer to those intense sweet tooth cravings.
The classic dessert, the quintessential before bed snack, lovingly dunked in a big glass of cold milk. Nothing beats a good batch of freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven. Full of just melted chocolate chips, a perfectly golden brown exterior and the loveliest chew you’ve ever encountered in a cookie, this cookie recipe is one of the all time best.
The smell of freshly baked cookies just fills your home with the most mouth watering aroma ever. I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth and there’s one thing that really satisfies that craving in a pinch and that is chocolate chip cookies. Chewy, soft, and filled with just barely melted chocolate chips, these cookies are just stellar.
I’ve baked my share of cookies in my lifetime, but out of all the cookie recipes I have ever shared with you, these cookies are my favorite. Allow me toot my own horn for a second and tell you that these cookies really are the best. It’s a full proof recipe, that results in the best cookies over and over and over again.
The Key To That Perfect Texture
I always tell you to not over mix certain doughs. The same is true here. You just want to mix until everything is combined and the dough comes together. Over mixing will result in dry, crumbly and hard cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sugar – We’re using brown sugar and white granulated sugar today. Both are needed for a cookie with depth and perfect sweetness.
- Butter – The butter in the ingredients picture is not melted, because it quickly solidifies, so I didn’t melt it until I made the cookies, but please use melted butter.
- Eggs – Our binder for this recipe. If you’d like to go egg free you can substitute this for 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce.
- Vanilla – The secret weapon flavor booster in most baked goods. Extract will work just fine.
- Baking soda and baking powder – The leavening agent in our chocolate chip cookies to make them tender.
- Salt – All baked goods need salt, it helps balance the sweetness and ensure our flavors shine.
- Chocolate chips – I used semi sweet for this recipe but feel free to use whichever chocolate chips you like, chocolate chunks even! Don’t be shy, add your favorite mix-ins, nuts, m&m’s, peanut butter chips, sky’s the limit.
- Flour – I used all purpose for this recipe. You can substitute gluten free flour at a ratio of 1:1 if you’re gluten free.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Combine the dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- Make cookie dough: Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the melted butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed and mix in the eggs, then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. To keep from over mixing, use a spatula instead of your mixer.
- Bake the cookies: Fold in chocolate chips by hand. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. If dough is chilled, remove dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Drop spoonfuls ( 2 – 3 tablespoons) of dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Some Tips And Tricks
- Always use butter and not margarine.
- Do not ever grease your cookie sheets. I always line them with parchment paper or a silpat and this way there’s no cleaning required afterwards.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to form your cookies perfectly.
- Make sure you DO NOT over bake your cookies. Keep in mind that they will continue to bake once you take them out of the oven.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, this solidifies the fats in the dough, keeping them from spreading too much when baking.
- If you find that the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour. You should be able to form it into a ball with your hands but they should still be easy to handle.
- Feel free to add toffee bits as well as chocolate, have some fun with this recipe!
Why This Cookie Recipe Works
- It’s quick! You can whip up these cookies with relative ease and find yourself enjoying them in no time.
- No fail, no fuss, works every single time!
- Fool-proof! It’s a recipe I’ve been making over the years many many times.
- They are perfectly tender with just the right amount of chew.
Storing Leftover Cookies
Be sure to store these in an airtight container at room temperature and your chocolate chip cookies will last for 2 – 3 weeks! This will ensure you keep the cookies soft and will prevent them from turning hard. If you don’t have an airtight container, add a slice of bread which will keep them soft. It works the same way as you do with brown sugar.
Can You Freeze Them?
Chocolate chip cookies are perfect for freezing. You can either wrap them individually or place them together in an airtight container. They will last in the freezer for 3 months, just warm them back up in the oven and enjoy.
Craving More Cookies? Try These Recipes:
Craving More? Follow Along:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter unsalted, melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed light
- 2 medium eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- Make cookie dough: Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the melted butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed and mix in the eggs, then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. To keep from over mixing, use a spatula instead of your mixer.
- Bake the cookies: Fold in chocolate chips by hand. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. If dough is chilled, remove dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Drop spoonfuls ( 2 – 3 tablespoons) of dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Video
Tips & Notes:
- Note: the butter in the ingredients picture is not melted, because it quickly solidifies, so I didn’t melt it until I made the cookies, but please use melted butter.
- Be sure to store these in an airtight container at room temperature and your chocolate chip cookies will last for 2 – 3 weeks! This will ensure you keep the cookies soft and will prevent them from turning hard. If you don’t have an airtight container, add a slice of bread which will keep them soft. It works the same way as you do with brown sugar.
- Chocolate chip cookies are perfect for freezing. You can either wrap them individually or place them together in an airtight container. They will last in the freezer for 3 months, just warm them back up in the oven and enjoy.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, this solidifies the fats in the dough, keeping them from spreading too much when baking.
- You can refrigerate cookie dough for 3 to 5 days.
Chanel Plathe says
This recipe is amazing! Cookies came out wonderful!
Alexandra says
how many cookies does this recipe make? can’t wait to try them!
Joanna Cismaru says
24 cookies!
Jasmin says
There’s a tip that states that you can chill your dough before hand to keep from spreading in the oven. Did you chill your dough or is that how they turned out in the picture. Because I quite like that consistency shown above but can never achieve it
Riley Samuelson says
The dough in the pictures is unchilled!
Vicki Collins says
How long do you refrigerate the dough?
Joanna Cismaru says
You don’t really need to refrigerate cookie dough, but if you do, you can refrigerate for up to 5 days. However, chilling the dough will solidify the fats in the dough and this will prevent the cookies from spreading too much when baking. So it depends on how you like your cookies, if you like them more spread out, don’t chill the dough, if you like them a bit thicker then chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Syeda says
Loved it, very easy to make. Will make them again 🙂
Katherine says
All I had in the house was salted butter. Could that be why my dough was a bit more wet?
I did add a bit more flour but they still seemed to spread a bit more than expected.
Joanna Cismaru says
No it shouldn’t be.
Katherine says
Great, thanks!
I’m going to try the recipe again, it’s a very well balance cookie. I plan to adjust slightly and with a Salted Carmel version.
Heather says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and I absolutely loved it the first time. When I made them the second time, the cookies melted all over the baking sheet and fused together. I know this usually comes from issues with temperature or butter content, so next time I’ll be sure to chill them for longer, maybe overnight and be wary of my butter. But overall, so delicious! I love to top them with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt 🙂
Chantelle says
Hi please advise, your recipe calls for melted butter which refers to butter in liquid form. The photo shows soft butter and not melted butter which one should it be?
Joanna Cismaru says
Melted butter as the recipe states!
Amanda says
The picture of your butter with the sugar, it’s obviously not melted…
erica a. says
Yes, do you mean room temperature butter.. softened butter? Melted is liquid to me.
I did this and my cookies were FLAT>
Riley Samuelson says
correct!
Joanna Cismaru says
Please see note in the recipe card.
Sarah says
Love these cookies.
Joyce says
The best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you .
Nicole Beaulieu says
Woohoo! Enjoy 🙂
Gabrielle says
These cookies are absolutely amazing ! I always mess up chocolate chip cookies but these are honestly perfect !!
Terryn says
I am confused about the melted butter when did you melt it ?did you melt it after you creamed and before you added the flour ?
Joanna Cismaru says
Before you added to the recipe.
Angela says
What can I substitute for baking soda?
Nicole Beaulieu says
Baking powder will work just fine!
ROLA says
This is awesome I added hockey pokey to it and it made it so good!!!
Amanda M says
Have you tried substituting the eggs for applesauce? All I have is cinnamon applesauce but no eggs.
Joanna Cismaru says
I have not, I have replaced butter with applesauce before but not eggs. Eggs play an important role in cookies as they create structure and stability, and they provide moisture to cookies.