Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies are extra soft, chewy, and they turn out perfect every time. This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need!
I feel like a homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe is something that everyone should have in their recipe box. Several years ago I spent quite a bit of time working on creating the perfect chocolate chip cookies and after several attempts I finally landed on the perfect recipe.
So today I wanted to share this classic cookie recipe with you again because it’s one that I make all of the time! Not only are these the best chocolate chip cookies you’ll every try, but they’re also:
- Easy to make
- Incredibly soft and chewy
- Full of melted chocolate chips
- Super delicious!
Every single time I make a batch of these cookies, people go crazy for them and ask how to make them. That’s when you know you have a good recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
First things first, you’ll want to gather all of your ingredients for these cookies. Let’s discuss each one and why it’s important to this recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour is what provides the structure and helps them hold their shape. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly. Too much flour can lead to cookies that won’t spread in the oven.
- Baking Soda & Salt: The baking soda helps give the cookies a little lift and the salt enhances the flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: I prefer to stick with unsalted butter in all of my recipes, since the amount of salt in salted butters can vary quite a bit between different brands. Only have salted butter on hand? Simply reduce the salt in this recipe to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: The brown sugar adds moisture and creates chewy chocolate chip cookies while the granulated sugar helps them spread.
- Eggs & Vanilla Extract: There are two eggs in these cookies to bind everything together plus a little vanilla extract. I also recommend using room temperature eggs as they will disperse more evenly into the dough.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I find that semi-sweet chocolate chips work best because they’re not too sweet and not too bitter. Feel free to use any kind that you prefer though!
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you’ve gathered all of your ingredients, it’s time to prepare these easy chocolate chip cookies. Here’s a simple breakdown on how to make the cookie dough and bake the cookies.
- Whisk together your dry ingredients: Whisking the dry ingredients separately will help ensure that the baking soda and salt are evenly dispersed in your dough.
- Beat the butter and sugars together: I like to mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re well combined.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract: It’s best to mix in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. I also suggest stopping to scrape down the sides of your bowl at this point and mix one more time before adding the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients: You only need to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Mix in the chocolate chips: You can either gently fold in the chocolate chips or mix them in on low-speed until they’re fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
- Chill the cookie dough: This will help ensure that your cookies don’t spread too much in the oven. I find that two hours is the perfect amount of time!
- Scoop and bake the cookie dough: I suggest using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop because it creates the perfect cookie. The cookies will also take about 10 to 12 minutes in a 350°F (177°C) oven. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are set and the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool: I prefer to let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, since the residual heat helps the cookies finish setting up. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Quick tip: If you want perfectly round cookies, use a spoon to shape the warm cookies once they come out of the oven.
FAQ’s
How do you prevent your cookies from being flat?
If your cookie dough is too warm your cookies may spread more in the oven. If you find that they’re spreading too much, chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator longer. You can also place the balls of cookie dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to speed up the process.
What do I do if my cookies don’t spread in the oven?
Too much flour in your cookie dough can lead to cookies that won’t spread very much. If you find that your cookies aren’t spreading very well, simply press the cookie dough down to flatten them some before baking.
Can you freeze the cookie dough or baked cookies?
Yes! I suggest scooping the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the cookie dough is frozen, you can store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake the cookie dough from frozen, add an additional 1 to 2 minutes of baking time.
Baked cookies that have cooled completely will freeze well for up to 3 months too. Simply place the cookies on the counter and thaw to room temperature before serving.
Can I prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate it?
Yes, you can! The cookie dough may be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it’s too hard to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes and that should make it easier.
Baking Tips
- When measuring your flour, make sure to stir your flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- If you forget to bring your eggs to room temperature, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Feel free to swap out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate or even milk chocolate chips.
More Homemade Cookie Recipes!
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Classic No-Bake Cookies
Video Tutorial
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 and 3/4 cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230 grams; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce package (2 cups; 340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and continue mixing until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once the dough is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
These were some of the yummiest cookies I have ever made!
thank you for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe! everybody loves them. but i wonder how would the messurments chang if i want to use half of the ingredients?
They came out great, thanks! And thank you so much for putting the weight of the ingredients, that helps make it perfect 🙂
My go-to cookie recipe! I personally add some roasted walnuts, but I haven’t had any complaints yet.
I have a tradition with my kids – on the first day of school they come home to warm cookies with a glass of milk. I’ve been doing this since my oldest was in kindergarten and today is officially her last “first day of school” now that she’s a senior in high school (sobbing!). My kids have loved this tradition so much that they tell me they would love to continue it with their children, should they have any. That really warms my heart that they love this little thing we’ve been doing for so many years!
I start off reviewing these cookies with this story because I think it’s important to know that sometimes really strong and special memories also includes food – and that food better taste amazing. 🙂
With that said, these cookies are exceptional as written!! I’ve been making these chocolate chip cookies as my staple recipe for the last several years once I found you! I follow the recipe to the letter – even weighing out the flour and sugars to ensure proper measurements. It NEVER FAILS to deliver!
This time around, I did 2 things differently and again, the cookies came out fantastic – I subbed the vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste (OMG YUM!) and instead of chocolate chips (I didn’t have any on hand), I chopped up 12 ounces of semi-sweet baking bars.
There’s nothing worse than spending time and money on a new recipe to have it fail and for that, I trust very few IG/Food Bloggers, etc. With you though – every single recipe I’ve ever tried is just a home run!
My family and I want to thank you for all the work you put into testing and perfecting your recipes. It makes life that much sweeter!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Lisa! This was so kind of you! It really means a lot to me that this recipe is now part of your first day of school tradition!
My cookies were flat this time.. the first time they were great
Did you do anything differently this time?
My family loves these cookies. There are the best in world. Love them.
These cookies are so delicious my grandchild get excited every time I make them perfect cookie recipe
This is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. They turned out perfectly! Thank you!
They were still yummy, but they ended up super fluffy and cake-y, when I was looking for an ooey gooey cookie like in the pictures. Not sure what was off about the recipe, but maybe don’t use this one if you want chewy cookies.
Hi, Ashley! The cookies shouldn’t be fluffy or cakey. Did you make sure to spoon and level your flour? And did you make sure to use baking soda, not baking powder?
It was really fun and easy to make. The only complaint is that they turned out super dry and way to sweet, like they needed muchhh more salt. I made sure even not to overcook the cookies (they turned out a lightttttttt brown color) and still it was dry. Still would try again.
They’re delicious… I did take out 50g of brown sugar though…?
Just baked these for my picky grandson and he loves them!!!
These will be our go to chocolate chip cookies.
Hi, absolutely love this recipe.
But what kind of light brown sugar do you use in this recipe? Demerara or crystallised or? I can’t seem to find moist light brown sugar in my local stores and would like to make this recipe as it is. Right now I’ve used farin sugar as brown sugar.
I typically use C&H brown sugar, which has some moisture in it. You can make brown sugar with granulated sugar and molasses. I have a post on how to do that here.
Great recipe, my cookies came out very well!
These cookies were delicious !
I scooped my dough out and chilled them and baked them. I didn’t let them sit at room temp so they didn’t flatten all the way. How can I get flat cookies ? I feel like the cookies mimic the ice cream scoop shape. Could it be because I have a electric oven?
Hi, Lina! I’m not sure what you mean when you say you didn’t let them sit at room temperature? Do you mean you didn’t let them cool on the baking sheet? Did you make sure to spoon and level your flour? Or did you make any adjustments to the recipe, like reducing the sugar, etc?
These cookies are so good they should come with a warning label! Best chocolate chip cookies ever!
Btw- if I wanted to turn this into a cookie cake, would I need to vary the ingredients? Also how long would I cook it for and what temp?
Thank you, Hillary! I actually have a chocolate chip cookie cake recipe here. It’s based off of this one, just scaled down to fit a 9-inch pan.
I just need to quickly share that I baked these cookies and they were absolutely delicious. 10/10 recommend and will bow be my chocolate chip cookie recipe go to! Thank you for sharing.
Is this the same cookie as your Small Batch Choccolate Chip Cookies? I love the small batch, have made it many times with great results every single time but sometimes I’d like to make a large batch so I can freeze some of them. I guess I could try making two separate batches of the small batch recipe but it would be nice to make just one large batch. Thank you!!!
Hi, Kim! The taste and texture of these cookies is very similar to my small batch recipe!
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Is Totally Awesome, I’ve Made Them Many Times, And Myself And Family Absolutely Love ? Them
I’ve made these cookies so many times now, and they are always perfect-just as described in the post! I recently tried them as a cookie bar-and they are amazing that way too. You don’t have to chill, nor do you have to roll into balls. It is SO easy. I will still make them as cookies though-because-well you know why-because YUM! So, to make the bar, after stirring in chips, just pour into a greased 12×8 dish. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until top is a darker golden brown. A 13×9 would make a thinner bar, but you’d probably need to bake it for shorter. Let cool to firm up a bit before cutting into bars. They are soft and moist, just like the cookies. This is my forever chocolate chip cookie recipe! PS: Try these as a s’more. Just toasted marshmallow between 2 of the cookies. Thank you!!
See above comment please….forgot to rate recipe!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Looking forward to trying more. Merry Christmas!?
can i use dark brown sugar instead of light?
Yes, that would be fine.
Hi. I’d like to try out this recipe. But in an eggless version. Is it possible for that to b done. N will it come out differently as to when eggs are used?
You may be able to use flax eggs, but I haven’t personally tried them in this recipe.
Best cookies ever. Hadn’t made cookies for years but myself and my 3yr old son used this recipe to make some for the family, and they went down a storm. Didn’t have any choc chips so used broken cooking chocolate instead. Best recipe for cookies!
Love your cookie recipes! I use them all the time…especially the peanut butter cookies!
On these Chocolate Chip cookies, can you double the recipe or is it best to do two batches?
Thank you, Judy! I imagine you could double the recipe, I would just be careful not to over mix the dry ingredients. You will also want to increase the dough chilling time.
i perfer somthing a little quicker than this it was a last minute thing but they were good so thanks and i use alot of your resipies but so far sooooo good
What would I have to do to make my cookies thin I used pecans and chocolate chips?
If you prefer thinner cookies, you can skip chilling the cookie dough.
I made these cookies for my sister’s birthday in July and they were sooo delicious and very easy to make. She loved them as well and they stayed soft and chewy for days. I’ll definitely be making these again!!
LOOOVE these so much. They have been my go-to cookie for the last 4-5 batches. Never need a new recipe. They get compliments EVERY time. I like to sprinkle a little coarse salt on top too. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe ?
I didn’t have butter, so I used margarine instead. I cut the sugar to 1/2 c white and 1/2 c brown sugar. Creamed til fluffy. And I didn’t have chocolate chips, but Reese’s pieces. They were pillows soft and sweet enough that I’d use this recipe again. Delicious!
This is the best recipe! They turn out perfect every time!