Classic Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy-centered chocolate chip cookies with crisp golden edges. A short chill gives them a thicker shape and deeper flavor.
- Total1 hr 12 min
- YieldAbout 30 cookies
- LevelEasy
Not yet kitchen-tested This recipe is written from established cooking techniques and reviewed for accuracy, but our team hasn't cooked it from these exact instructions yet. How we test recipes
A great chocolate chip cookie comes down to butter temperature and timing. Butter that is softened but still cool holds air when creamed with sugar, and a short rest in the refrigerator firms the dough so cookies bake up thick instead of spreading thin.
Brown sugar brings moisture and a caramel note, while granulated sugar helps the edges crisp. Pull the cookies while the centers still look slightly underdone. They finish setting on the hot baking sheet.
Recipe
Classic Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy-centered chocolate chip cookies with crisp golden edges. A short chill gives them a thicker shape and deeper flavor.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 22 min
- Chill time
- 30 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 12 min
- Yield
- About 30 cookies
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
Cook time covers two batches of about 11 minutes each.
Ingredients
Scaling changes ingredient amounts only. Cooking times, pan sizes, and temperatures may need adjusting.
Makes: About 30 cookies
Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then beat in the vanilla. The mixture should look smooth, not curdled. If it separates, beat 30 seconds longer.
Add the flour. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing at this stage can make cookies tough.
Fold in the chips. Stir in the chocolate chips with a sturdy spatula so they are evenly distributed.
Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours. Chilled dough spreads less and develops a deeper, more butterscotch-like flavor.
Preheat and portion. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into balls of about 1 1/2 tablespoons and place them 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers look puffy and slightly underdone.
Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, where they will finish setting, then move them to a wire rack. Let the baking sheet cool before adding the next batch, because a hot sheet makes the dough spread early.
Recipe Notes
Tips
- Softened butter should give slightly when pressed but still feel cool. Butter that is shiny or greasy will make the cookies spread too much.
- For bakery-style tops, press a few extra chocolate chips onto each dough ball before baking.
- Baking times vary by oven. Check the first batch at 9 minutes and adjust for the next one.
Substitutions
- Chocolate: Use chopped bar chocolate, milk chocolate chips, or a mix of chocolates in the same total amount.
- Nuts: Replace 1/2 cup of the chips with 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
Allergens: Contains wheat, milk, and eggs. Many chocolate chips contain soy and milk, so check the label.
Recipe from The Cozy Recipe Kitchen: https://cozy-recipe-kitchen.b-cdn.net/recipe/classic-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Storage and Reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freeze portioned dough balls on a sheet until solid, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes. Baked cookies also freeze well for up to 2 months.
Make Ahead
The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours. Let very firm dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
Troubleshooting
- My cookies spread too thin.
- The butter was too warm, the dough wasn’t chilled, or the flour was under-measured. Chill the dough longer and spoon-and-level the flour.
- They are dry and cakey.
- The cookies were baked too long, or too much flour was used. Pull them while the centers still look soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to chill the dough?
You can skip it, but the cookies will spread more and be thinner. Even 30 minutes makes a visible difference.
Can I make bigger cookies?
Yes. Use about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, space them 3 inches apart, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
Allergens and Food Safety
Allergens: Contains wheat, milk, and eggs. Many chocolate chips contain soy and milk, so check the label.
Food safety: Don’t eat raw cookie dough. It contains raw eggs and uncooked flour, both of which can carry harmful bacteria.
Allergen notes are based on the listed ingredients. Always check product labels. See our Disclaimer.
Nutrition Information
We don't publish nutrition facts for this recipe yet. We'd rather share none than share numbers that haven't been calculated with a documented method. Learn more.
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