Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe! Crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of chocolate throughout. No chill time required — just make and bake. This easy recipe will be your go-to!
Having worked in multiple bakeries, I have some great classic cookie recipes. Be sure to check out my thick and chewy peanut butter cookies, bakery style M&M Cookies, our favorite sugar cookies, and the best snickerdoodles.
Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies – RECIPE FAIL!
Ever make the Original Nestlé Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips and they spread as flat as a pancake? Yeah, me too.
While most chocolate chip cookies have the same ingredients, the amount of each ingredient can make a big difference. After all, baking is a science. I’ll be sharing all of my tips for successful cookies.
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Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
First off, what makes MY chocolate chip cookie recipe the best?
- My recipe uses more brown sugar and vanilla for added richness and flavor.
- I also use more flour, so there is no need to refrigerate the dough to prevent spreading.
This cookie dough base is also used in my super popular M&M Cookie Recipe with over 300 reviews! It will quickly become your favorite base recipe to use for all kinds of cookies.
Soft or Crisp Cookies?
The way you make and bake these chocolate chip cookies will determine the final product. Here are some general tips:
- Use soft, yet firm butter. Room temperature butter should be slightly cold, and give a little when touched. Melted butter, or butter that is too soft, will make the cookies spread too thin. You can refrigerate the dough if your butter is too soft to help combat this.
- For soft cookies: Bake cookies until the edges are barely starting to brown and the centers look just slightly under-baked. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a few minutes, to finish baking, for a soft-baked cookie.
- For crispy cookies: Bake cookies until golden brown on the top and edges; baking an additional 2-3 minutes past the recommended time.
Thick or Thin Cookies?
Everyone’s idea of the best chocolate chip cookies varies. Some like them thick and gooey, some like them thin and crispy.
- For thick cookies: Use more cookie dough, about 2 Tbsp per cookie. And shape the cookie dough balls tall and round. You can also press the edges of the cookie inward just after the tray comes out of the oven. I like to do this with a serving spatula. (affiliate) For the thickest cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes before baking. This slows the spread even more.
- For thin cookies: Use a smaller portion of dough, about 1.5 Tbsp per cookie. Other options include using slightly softer butter, or slightly pressing the dough 1/3 of the way down after it is scooped.
I prefer my chocolate chip cookies to be slightly crisp on the outside, while staying soft, thick and chewy on the inside.
Ingredients You’ll Need
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
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To make the best chocolate chip cookies you will need:
- Butter – Using unsalted butter will help control the amount of salt added. If using salted butter, half or omit the amount of additional salt.
- Brown Sugar – Gently packed. (We’re not building a sandcastle here.) The molasses in brown sugar adds a nice rich flavor.
- Granulated Sugar – For sweetness, crispness, and caramelization.
- Eggs – Use large or extra large eggs for a good amount of moisture and structure.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – Stir, spoon, and then level the flour when measuring. This incorporates air into the flour so that it’s not packed into the cup, resulting in excess flour. Or use a kitchen scale to weigh it. It’s far more accurate.
- Salt – To enhance the flavors.
- Baking Soda – To make the cookies rise and spread.
- Chocolate Chips – Buy the good stuff. The best chocolate chip cookies need the best chocolate chips. I prefer Guittard or Ghirardelli.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
After you’ve gathered your ingredients, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cookie trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, so you are ready to bake.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars. (1-2 minutes is plenty. Do not over-mix.) Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well and scrape the bowl with a spatula.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips.
- Mix gently on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Scoop & Bake
- Scoop cookie dough balls using a #30 scoop (about 2 Tbsp each) and place onto the prepared baking sheet about 3-inches apart. (8 cookies per tray.) Generously press extra chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie dough balls, if desired, maintaining a round shape.
- Bake at 350˚F for 8-12 minutes until cookies are spread out, puffed up, matte (not shiny in the middle), and starting to brown on the edges. Cookies should look slightly under-baked still. NOTE: Time will depend on different elevations, ovens, and desired final product. (Soft vs crisp cookies, etc.)
- For thicker cookies, press edges inward with a cookie spatula while still warm. Allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Storing and Freezing
- TO STORE: Place chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH: Scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Set in the freezer for 1-2 hours until firm. Then transfer frozen dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze up to 3 months. NOTE: You will need to bake cookies roughly 3-5 minutes longer, if baking from frozen.
- TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES: Freeze cookies in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, up to 3-4 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- Use room temperature butter. This is colder than you think. The butter should be cold, and give a little when touched. Melted butter, or butter that is too soft, will make the cookies spread too thin. It should never be greasy and soft like lotion, or it’s too warm. You can refrigerate the dough to help combat this.
- Measure flour properly. Stir the flour to incorporate air into it, then spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife. Or use a kitchen scale (affiliate) to weigh it. It’s far more accurate.
- Use a cookie dough scoop. This helps the cookies bake evenly and look uniform. I prefer a #30 or #40 scoop. (affiliate) NOTE: The bigger the number, the smaller the scoop, and the smaller the number the bigger the scoop. These two sizes are between 1.5 and 2 Tbsp of cookie dough. I used a #30 scoop (2 Tbsp) for the cookies shown.
- Space cookie dough 3-inches apart, not two. I like to bake 8 cookies per tray compared to the typical dozen (12). (*See image in post.) First of all, you don’t want your cookies melting into each other. Secondly, the more cookies on the tray, the thinner the cookies bake because the heat is trying to distribute evenly across all of the cookies.
Enjoy this easy, classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that is simply THE BEST! It is by far the recipe that I use the most and get the most compliments on.
More Bakery Style Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Best Sugar Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
- Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
- Homemade Oreo Cookies
- Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe! Crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of chocolate chips. No chill time required — just make and bake. This easy recipe will be your go-to!
Yields cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks) room temperature*
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups (406 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)*
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips, (one 12-oz bag)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars. (1-2 minutes is plenty. Do not over-mix.) Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well and scrape the bowl with a spatula.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Mix gently on low speed until combined. Do not over-mix.
- Scoop cookie dough balls using a #30 scoop (about 2 Tbsp each) and place onto the prepared baking sheet about 3-inches apart. (8 cookies per tray.) Generously press extra chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie dough balls, if desired, maintaining a round shape.
- Bake at 350˚F for 8-12 minutes until cookies are spread out, puffed up, matte (not shiny in the middle), and starting to brown on the edges. Cookies should look slightly under-baked still. NOTE: Time will depend on different elevations, ovens, and desired final product. (Soft vs crisp, etc.)
- For thicker cookies, press edges inward with a cookie spatula while still warm. Allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter. This is colder than you think. The butter should be cold, and give a little when touched. Melted butter, or butter that is too soft, will make the cookies spread too thin. It should never be greasy and soft like lotion, or it’s too warm. You can refrigerate the dough to help combat this.
- Measure flour properly. Stir the flour to incorporate air into it, then spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife. Or use a kitchen scale to weigh it. It’s far more accurate.
- For thicker cookies: Refrigerate dough 30-60 minutes before baking in addition to pressing edges inward while still warm.
- For crispier cookies: Bake 2-3 minutes longer, until golden brown all over.
- To Store: Place chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
- To Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Set in the freezer for 1-2 hours until firm. Then transfer frozen dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze up to 3 months. NOTE: You will need to bake cookies roughly 3-5 minutes longer, if baking from frozen.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Freeze cookies in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, up to 3-4 weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g
Did you make this?
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I love the idea of give tips before making them like if I wanted thicker cookies just press the edges of the cookie inward voila also explaining chemistry reaction of each ingredient on the cookie
Thank you for the effort
I love these cookies. Thanks for the tips on how to keep them from spreading out flat.
These came out nice and thick and taste great. I did add 1/2 cup more chocolate chips cause I love chocolate.
I will be making these again.
So glad you liked the cookies and that they turned out well for you! Appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
I made these for my Christmas box this year, alongside other desserts from Amber, but this was definitely the most loved by everyone! It was a total hit! It is sweet but not overwhelming sweet and has just the right amount of richness. Also, my sister bought chocolate chip cookies from a chef to put on the dessert table, but everyone said that mine were better! I totally recommend this recipe and I will definitely be making it again and again.
What a compliment! So glad your family enjoyed the cookies Pascale!
These are literally THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Glad to hear you enjoyed them!