A great chocolate chip cookie has crisp edges, a soft and chewy middle and deep brown sugar flavor. Nothing about it is hard, but it does depend on a few details: how you measure the flour, what kind of sugar you use and how long you bake. This recipe gets those details right, then shows how to change them for thicker, crispier or bakery-style cookies.
Makes: about 24 cookies. Prep: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling. Bake: 11 to 13 minutes per tray.
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) butter, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
- 1 cup (200 g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (270 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until combined and glossy. Whisk in the egg, yolk and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.
- Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes (up to 48 hours). The dough will be soft before chilling and scoopable after.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop rounded 2-tablespoon portions, about 3 tablespoons if you want larger, and space them 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look soft and slightly underdone.
- Let them rest on the tray for 5 minutes. They finish setting from the pan’s heat. Sprinkle with flaky salt while warm.
Why this recipe makes soft, chewy cookies
- More brown sugar than white. Brown sugar contains molasses, which holds moisture and keeps the center soft.
- Melted butter. It coats the flour and encourages a chewier, denser crumb than creamed butter does.
- An extra yolk. The fat in yolks adds richness and tenderness.
- Underbaking, slightly. Pulling the cookies when the centers still look soft means they stay soft once cool.
- Resting the dough. Chilling hydrates the flour and deepens the flavor.
Measure the flour correctly
The most common reason cookies come out dry, cakey or flat is the flour. Scooping a measuring cup into the bag can pack in 20 to 25 percent more than the recipe needs. Weigh it, or spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Our guide to measuring cups vs. grams explains why, and our flour types guide covers when bread flour or cake flour changes the result.
Five ways to change the cookie
Thick chocolate chip cookies
For tall, thick cookies, chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Scoop larger mounds of 3 to 4 tablespoons and keep the dough cold between trays. Increase the flour by 2 tablespoons (about 15 g) and bake on a cool tray. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, and pull them while the centers are still soft. Rolling the dough taller than it is wide, rather than flat, also helps them bake up instead of out.
Crispy chocolate chip cookies
Reverse the sugar ratio: use 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, and leave out the extra yolk. Flatten the dough balls with your palm before baking. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges and centers are golden. Cool them completely on a rack for crispness. White sugar has less moisture, so the cookies spread thinner and dry out as they cool.
Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies
The look of a bakery cookie is large, craggy and loaded with chocolate. Use chopped chocolate bars, not just chips, and increase the amount to 2 cups (about 340 g). Portion the dough into 4-ounce (115 g) balls, which makes about 10 giant cookies. Press a few extra chocolate pieces into the top of each ball. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 14 to 16 minutes, with only 4 cookies per tray, and sprinkle with flaky salt as they come out. Tap the tray on the counter to make the tops wrinkle.
Brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
Brown butter gives these a toasted, nutty depth. Cook ¾ cup (170 g) butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until it foams, smells nutty and has golden-brown flecks on the bottom. Pour it into a bowl including all the brown bits, and cool for 10 minutes. Browning cooks off water, so add 1 tablespoon milk or water to the butter before mixing. Then follow the main recipe using chopped dark chocolate. This is also a good recipe to finish with flaky salt. For the best chocolate and flavor pairings, see what to pair with chocolate.
Seasonal option: pumpkin
If you want a cakier fall cookie, try our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much: butter was too warm, the tray was hot, or the dough was not chilled. Our full list of 8 causes of flat cookies shows how to fix each one.
Cookies are cakey: too much flour, or the dough was overmixed. Measure by weight.
Cookies are hard: overbaked. Take them out when the centers still look soft.
Cookies are greasy: the butter was hot when mixed in. Cool it for 10 minutes first.
Uneven browning: bake one tray at a time on the center rack, and rotate it halfway. More habits like this are in 15 baking tips for beginners.
Storing and freezing
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Add a slice of bread to keep them soft. For freezing, scoop the dough, freeze the balls on a tray until solid, then bag them. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 1 to 2 minutes. Dough keeps in the freezer for up to three months. Our freezer-friendly meals guide has more storage advice.
Common questions
Do I have to chill the dough? You can skip it, but the cookies will spread more and taste less rich. Even 30 minutes helps.
Can I use salted butter? Yes. Reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon.
Can I use a mixer? Yes, but with melted butter a bowl and spatula are enough.
Why do bakery cookies look better? Bigger dough balls, chopped chocolate and extra chocolate pressed on top, as described above.
