The best chocolate chip cookies are perfectly buttery, soft and chewy with lots of melty, rich and gooey chocolate chips. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and makes the perfect, amazingly delicious chocolate chip cookie.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
There are few things I love more than a soft, chewy and cozy chocolate chip cookie. I have several fun twists on the classic chocolate chip cookie, but this is my version of the best chocolate chip cookie. If you are looking for some fun twists on the classic cookie, I highly suggest trying my Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I am so excited to add this classic chocolate chip cookie recipe to the blog.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft and chewy vanilla scented cookie to the sweet, gooey and melty chocolate chips, these chocolate chip cookies will delight your senses and satisfy your cookie cravings.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This easy chocolate chip cookie recipe is super easy to make. All you need is mix up the dough (with a mixer or not), then simply chill for a bit, scoop, bake and enjoy.
Ingredients
This soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, an eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these gooey chocolate chip cookies if you need them.
- All purpose flour: Make this cookie recipe gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (360 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda gives the cookies a bit of a rise and also brings chewiness to the cookie. Make sure the baking soda is fresh and in date.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make these chocolate chip cookies with brown butter refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Salted, vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter. I personally love Miyokos Plant Butter.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without an eggs. For an eggless chocolate chip cookie, I recommended making my Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi sweet chocolate chips are the classic choice for chocolate chip cookies. However, milk chocolate or dark chocolate would also be delicious.
How To Make
Learn how to make the best chocolate chip cookies in a few easy steps.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.
- Slice the cold butter into tablespoon sized slices. Heat the cold butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter should still be solid, but will have softened sides. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream together the butter with light brown and granulated sugars on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. I like to do this about ½ of the dry ingredients at a time. Fold in most of the chocolate chips or chunks. Reserve about ½ cup (85 g) for topping the cookies right before baking.
- Cover the cookies with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 hour or up to overnight. About 30 minutes before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough and place the cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Top with the reserved chocolate chips or chunks. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Cool the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookieson the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. Store the cookie dough covered in the fridge for 1 - 2 days. Bring the cookie dough to room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats and bake as directed in the recipe. For longer cookie dough storage, transfer to the freezer.
- Store: Place the baked chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up 4 - 5 days. I suggest warming the cookie for the best cookie eating experience. Cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container overnight. For longer storage, I suggest freezing the cookies or cookie dough.
- Freeze Dough: Prepare the choc chip cookies through the chilling step. Chill for 30 minutes then scoop the dough into balls onto small lined baking sheet or large plate. Freeze the cookie balls for 20 minutes then transfer them to a freezer proof container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookie dough balls in the fridge overnight, set out at room temperature for 20 - 30 and proceed with the cookie recipe as written starting with baking.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature transfer them to a freezer proof container in a single lined with parchment paper between each layer. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Then heat them in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds to get that “fresh from the oven” taste.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the chocolate chip cookies is to let them sit out at room temperature. I like to heat them in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds to get that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Chill the dough. Not only do the cookies have more flavor overall, but chilling the dough is a necessary step for creating the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. This step can be done by hand to ensure the dough is fully mixed without being overmixed.
- Top with more chocolate chips. Reserve about ½ cup (85 g) of chocolate chips for topping the cookies.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first minute of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
- Top with a pinch of flaky salt. I love sprinkling a flake or two of flaky salt on top of my chocolate chip cookies. The tough of salt helps to enhance all the other flavors of the chewy chocolate chip cookie.
- Store with a slice of bread. To keep these cookies as the best and softest chocolate chip cookies for days, store any leftover cookies in an airtight container along with a slice of bread.
FAQs
Do I need a mixer to make the best chocolate chip cookies?
No, this cookie recipe can be made by hand. Skipping the mixer simply means you will be mixing everything by hand, so get your arm muscles ready for stirring! Follow the recipe as written and look for the ingredients to be smooth, creamy and fully mixed in.
Can I make this brown butter chocolate chip cookies dairy free or gluten free?
Swap the all purpose flour with gluten free flour and swap the dairy ingredients with plant based ones to make these cookies dairy free.
What is the secret to the best chocolate chip cookie?
Use simple, good quality ingredients, avoid overmixing, chill the dough and avoid overbaking the cookies.
Can I make these chocolate chip cookies bigger or smaller?
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for about 8 - 9 minutes. For a larger cookie, use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml) and bake for 13- 14 minutes.
Other Chocolate Chip Recipes to Try
If you try this Best Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
The best chocolate chip cookies are perfectly buttery, soft and chewy with lots of melty, rich and gooey chocolate chips. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and makes the perfect, amazingly delicious chocolate chip cookie.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 - 2 large baking sheets
- 2 sheet parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter, sliced
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Slice the cold butter into tablespoon sized slices. Heat the cold butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter should still be solid, but will have softened sides. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment.Cream the butter with light brown and granulated sugars on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until well combined.1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter, sliced, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. I like to do this about ½ of the dry ingredients at a time. Fold in most of the chocolate chips or chunks. Reserve about ½ cup (85 g) for topping the cookies right before baking.1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips, divided
- Cover the cookies with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 hour or up to overnight. About 30 minutes before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough and place the cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Top with the reserved chocolate chips or chunks.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Cool the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookieson the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
Notes
Store: Place the baked chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up 4 - 5 days. I suggest warming the cookie for the best cookie eating experience. Cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container overnight. For longer storage, I suggest freezing the cookies or cookie dough.
Tips:
- Top with a pinch of flaky salt. I love sprinkling a flake or two of flaky salt on top of my chocolate chip cookies. The touch of salt helps to enhance all the other flavors of the chewy chocolate chip cookie.
- Store with a slice of bread. To keep these cookies as the best and softest chocolate chip cookies for days, store any leftover cookies in an airtight container along with a slice of bread.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
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