There’s nothing quite like biting into a warm, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie—crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and loaded with chocolate chips that melt in your mouth.
If you’re searching for the best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe, look no further.
This tried-and-true recipe gives you all the tools you need to bake cookies that will leave everyone asking for more.
The secret? Don’t overbake them! These cookies are meant to be just a little soft when you take them out of the oven, creating that perfect balance of soft and crunchy. Let’s dive in!
Equipment:
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- KitchenAid Mixer (or handheld mixer)
- Spatula
- 3 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Ingredients (US Customary):
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips (approximately 14 oz)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment paper helps prevent the cookies from sticking and makes for easier cleanup.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together and set the bowl aside. This step ensures that the baking soda and baking powder are evenly distributed throughout the flour for consistent results.
Cream the butter and sugars: Using your KitchenAid Mixer (or a handheld mixer), cream together the 1 cup of softened salted butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 1 cup of light brown sugar until smooth and well combined. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Creaming the butter and sugars properly is essential for achieving that desired light, airy texture in the cookies.
Add the wet ingredients: Once the butter and sugars are combined, add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and 2 large eggs to the mixture. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial, as it helps the cookies rise and develop their soft texture.
Combine dry and wet ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage—overmixing can result in dense, tough cookies. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky.
Add the chocolate chips: Gently fold 2 cups of chocolate chips into the dough using a spatula. You can use milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips—whatever you prefer. For an extra decadent twist, you can even mix in chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate bars. Make sure the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Portion the dough: Scoop out 2-3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, depending on how large you want them to be. Roll each portion of dough into a ball and place it on the prepared baking sheets, ensuring that there is enough space between each ball (about 2 inches apart) to allow the cookies to spread as they bake.
Bake: Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them—remove the cookies from the oven when they are just starting to turn golden brown around the edges but still look slightly undercooked in the center. This is the trick to getting that soft, gooey center while still maintaining crisp edges.
Cool the cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. During this time, the residual heat from the baking sheets will finish cooking the centers, and the cookies will set perfectly. Resist the temptation to move them too early, as they may fall apart.
Why This Recipe Works
These chocolate chip cookies strike a perfect balance between chewy and crispy, making them irresistible to anyone who tries them.
The combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar gives these cookies their signature texture—crisp on the outside from the granulated sugar, and soft and chewy on the inside thanks to the molasses in the brown sugar.
Using salted butter brings out the depth of flavor, and sea salt enhances the sweetness of the chocolate without overpowering it.
One important thing to note is not overbaking the cookies.
They may look slightly underdone when you first pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to cook on the baking sheets during those crucial 5 minutes of cooling.
Trust the process! Overbaking can dry out the cookies and make them hard rather than chewy.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Softened Butter: Make sure your butter is softened but not melted. Softened butter helps incorporate air into the dough, giving your cookies a light, fluffy texture. If your butter is too cold, the cookies won’t spread properly. Too warm, and they will spread too much.
- Don’t Skip the Chill Time (Optional): If you have time, chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can enhance the flavor and help control the spread of the cookies in the oven. Chilling solidifies the fats, which prevents the cookies from flattening too much.
- Measuring Flour: Measure your flour properly—too much flour can make the cookies dense and dry. Use the spoon-and-level method by spooning flour into your measuring cup and then leveling it off with the back of a knife.
- Ingredient Substitutions: You can easily substitute certain ingredients based on your preferences or dietary needs. For instance:
- Butter substitutes: Unsalted butter, coconut oil, or vegan butter can be used.
- Sugars: You can use organic cane sugar instead of granulated sugar or dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for a richer molasses flavor.
- Flour: Gluten-free all-purpose flour works just as well, giving you gluten-free cookies without sacrificing texture or flavor.
Storage:
- At room temperature: Store your baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They will retain their chewy texture and delicious flavor for several days.
- In the freezer: These cookies freeze beautifully! You can freeze the baked cookies or the dough. To freeze dough, roll it into balls, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the dough balls to an airtight container or freezer bag, where they will keep for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
Conclusion:
If you’ve been searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe, this is it. The combination of perfectly softened butter, a balanced sugar mix, and just the right amount of chocolate chips makes these cookies absolutely irresistible. They’re soft, chewy, and packed with chocolatey goodness, just like the cookies you grew up loving. Whether you’re baking for a party, for your family, or simply for yourself, these cookies will be a crowd-pleaser every time.
Happy baking!