There’s something magical about a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie. The kind that’s crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, and loaded with melty chocolate bits that make you close your eyes with every bite. Whether you’re baking for a cozy night in, a school bake sale, or just because your sweet tooth said so—this classic chocolate chip cookie never fails to bring comfort (and compliments). In this post, we’re diving into a foolproof chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s as simple as it is irresistible. Let’s turn on the oven and get ready for some serious cookie joy!
Why These Chocolate Chip Cookies Are the Best (Yes, I Said It!)
Let me just go ahead and say it—these chocolate chip cookies are the BEST. And no, I’m not just throwing that word around lightly. I’ve baked my fair share of cookies (and eaten more than I care to admit), but this one? This one is the one.
So today, I want to tell you exactly why these cookies deserve that top spot. Ready? Grab a cup of tea (or milk!) and let’s chat.
So let’s talk about why these chocolate chip cookies are the best—not just easy or quick (though they are that, too)—but they’re truly delicious.
That Perfect Texture (Crispy Edges + Chewy Center) You know when you bite into a cookie and it’s got that slight crunch around the outside, but then the inside is soft, buttery, and just a little gooey.
Yep. That’s what we’ve got here.
I spent so long testing to get that texture balance just right. The butter, the ratio of brown to white sugar, and the bake time all work together to give you a chocolate chip cookie that’s not cakey, not dry—but just right. You’ll know what I mean when you taste it. Also this is the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe because it uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together in just one bowl for quick, amazing results.
Ingredients Notes for Chewy, Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies and substitutions
Butter: Butter is essential to the success of a chocolate chip cookie. It influences everything from spread and chew to aroma and browning. Try to use good quality, fresh and high-fat butter that ensures cookies with rich flavor, crisp edges, and a soft, satisfying center.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar has rich, caramel flavor. That chewy texture. It adds depth and warmth, making every bite taste like a cozy hug. I used light brown sugar. You can choose either dark or light brown sugar for this recipe. But If you go with dark brown sugar, expect a deeper, more caramel-like flavor in your chocolate chip cookies.
And you’ll still need white granulated sugar—it helps the cookies spread and adds crispness.
If you’d like to make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar, try my this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar.
- Flour: I highly suggest for the best cookies, use a kitchen scale—it’s more precise than cups. But if you’re using cups, remember to stir or sift the flour first. Too much flour equals tough dough and cookies that spread poorly.
- Baking soda: Baking soda is a chemical leavener that strongly influences spread, texture, color, and flavor in cookies. I avoid using baking powder in this recipe because it causes the cookies to become too puffy.
- Loaded with Chocolate (Obviously) Good-quality chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate chunks give richer flavor. I don’t skimp on chocolate, and neither should you. These cookies are packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and I sometimes toss in chunks or chopped dark chocolate too. That way, every bite has melty, dreamy pools of chocolate. You can also add your favorite nuts for extra crunch and flavor.
And if you’re feeling fancy? Sprinkle a little sea salt on top before baking. Oof. Game changer.
How to make easy chocolate chip cookies
1. Cream the butter and sugars
- In a large mixing bowl, add soften butter (in room temperature), brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Beat with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until light, creamy, and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes.
- This step traps air, giving cookies a lighter texture.
2. Add egg and vanilla
- Crack in the egg and add vanilla extract.
- Beat again until fully combined and smooth.
3. Mix the dry ingredients
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents.
4. Combine wet and dry
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
- Mix on low speed (or gently by hand with a spatula) just until combined — do not overmix, or the cookies may turn tough.
5. Add chocolate chips
- Stir in the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks evenly so each cookie gets plenty of chocolate.
6. Chill the dough
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to over night.
- This helps control spreading and deepens flavor.
7. Shape and bake
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons or (30g) of dough per cookie and place them at least 5 cm (2 inches) apart.
8. Bake
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and centers still look slightly soft.
- They will continue cooking from residual heat after you remove them from the oven.
9. Cool and enjoy
- Let the chocolate chip cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm for melty chocolate or store in an airtight container once cooled.
Tips for this recipe
- Don’t skip chilling the dough: I highly recommend, don’t skip chilling the dough! For this recipe, Chilling the dough is recommended; however, if you’re short on time, the cookies can be baked immediately without chilling. Resting the dough helps the ingredients bind and solidifies the butter, which means chewier cookies. Wrap it up and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or, even better, overnight.
- Slightly underbake Take cookies out when the edges are golden but the center still looks soft. They’ll finish baking from residual heat, staying chewy instead of hard.
- Measure flour correctly Always spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off (or weigh it) — too much flour makes cookies dry and cakey.
- Don’t overmix Once the flour is added, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough.
Storage
Once baked and cooled, store your chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for 3–5 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer. You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough balls for 3 months; just bake straight from frozen, adding about a minute to the bake time.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen measuring scale/cups
- Baking sheets or parchment sheets
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Medium cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup (150g) unsalted butter, softened to toom temperature
- 2/3 Cup (130g) light or dark brown sugar
- (1/3 Cup) 70g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (about 50g) Without shell, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/4 Cups (200g) chocolate chips or chocolate chunk
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- Take another large bowl, whisk the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (2–3 min).
- Add egg and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Pour into all dry ingredients and mix together gently with a spoon or spatula until just combined. The dough will be soft, thick, and slightly shiny. It should feel tender and a bit sticky, but not overly so.
- Add chocolate chips and mix well.
- Wrap the dough tightly and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. For best results and to avoid cookies spreading too much, I strongly suggest letting the dough rest overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Scoop 2 tbsp or (30g per cookie) dough balls onto a lined tray, spaced 5 cm apart. If the dough has been chilled for more than 2 hours, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges turn golden and the centers remain soft. The cookies will be slightly puffy and may look a bit underdone in the middle. I sometimes press extra chocolate chips into the tops—it’s optional, but it makes the cookies look bakery-perfect.
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