This chocolate chip cookies recipe makes the classic bakery-style cookie: golden, crisp edges, a soft and chewy center, and pools of melted chocolate. The secret is a mix of brown and white sugar, plus a short rest in the fridge before baking.
Cookies look simple; however, small changes in butter, sugar or flour change the result a lot. After the recipe, you will also find fixes for flat, cakey and hard cookies.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
- Bake time: 10–12 minutes per tray
- Makes: about 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 150 g (¾ cup packed) brown sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) white sugar
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 280 g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 250 g (1½ cups) chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
How to Make This Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Mix the sugars. First, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until smooth and glossy.
- Add the eggs. Next, whisk in the egg, yolk and vanilla for 1 minute, until the mixture turns lighter.
- Add the dry ingredients. Then stir in the flour, baking soda and salt just until no dry flour remains.
- Add the chocolate. After that, fold in the chocolate.
- Chill. Cover the dough and chill it for at least 1 hour, so the flour absorbs the liquid and the cookies spread less.
- Shape. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place them 5 cm (2 inches) apart on lined trays.
- Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers still look soft.
- Cool. Finally, let them rest on the tray for 5 minutes, because they finish setting as they cool.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe: Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Why are my cookies flat?
Cause: This usually happens because the butter was too hot, or the dough was not chilled.
Fix: Let the melted butter cool for 10 minutes, and chill the dough. For a full guide, read our article on cookies spreading too much.
Why are my cookies cakey?
Cause: Too much flour, or too much egg.
Fix: Spoon the flour into the cup and level it, or better, weigh it. In addition, use one whole egg plus one yolk, as in this recipe.
Why are my cookies hard?
Cause: You baked them too long.
Fix: Take them out while the centers still look underdone. Also, store them with a slice of bread, since it keeps them soft.
Why do my cookies taste bitter or soapy?
Cause: There was too much baking soda, or it was not mixed in well.
Fix: Measure it with a level spoon and whisk it into the flour first. Our guide explains the difference between baking soda and baking powder.
Tips for Success With This Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Use chopped chocolate bars as well as chips; as a result, you get both pools and pieces of chocolate.
- Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt on top before baking.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, so they brown evenly.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Variations
- Brown butter cookies: cook the butter until golden and nutty, then cool it before mixing.
- Double chocolate: replace 30 g (¼ cup) of the flour with cocoa powder.
- Nut cookies: add 100 g (1 cup) toasted walnuts or pecans.
Storage Tips
Keep the cookies in an airtight tin for up to 5 days. In addition, you can freeze balls of raw dough for up to 3 months and bake them straight from the freezer, adding 2 minutes.
A Little Background
The chocolate chip cookie was created in the 1930s by Ruth Wakefield at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts. Soon after, the recipe appeared on chocolate bar wrappers, and it became the most famous cookie in America. You can read more about the chocolate chip cookie on Wikipedia.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe FAQ
Can I skip chilling the dough?
Yes. However, the cookies will spread more and taste less rich.
Why use melted butter?
Melted butter makes chewier cookies, while creamed soft butter makes them lighter and more cake-like.
How do I get bakery-style round cookies?
Right after baking, swirl a large round cutter around each cookie, so the edges become perfectly round.
Looking for more ideas? If you enjoyed this chocolate chip cookies recipe, you might like our digital cookbook, which brings together 31 Eastern and Western sweets with precise measurements.
