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The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies!

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Meet…the absolute BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. They’re perfectly soft and chewy and buttery, loaded up with chocolate chips, easy to make, and downright delicious.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

Breaking news here from our tiny little kitchen here in Spain…

…we have a brand new oven!!! 

Notably, we have a brand new oven that actually works.  You know, one that doesn’t shut off in the middle of cooking, that actually heats to the correct temperature, that that doesn’t char the tops of everything…it’s nothing fancy, but after having had to put up with a wildly-dysfunctional oven for over a year, this simple new addition to our casita feels like a total game changer. For the first time since moving to Spain, I actually feel excited to bake again. And the timing couldn’t be better with the arrival of holiday cookie baking season!

So to celebrate this month, we’ve promised to bake up a sampler of all of the most classic American cookies here for our European friends to try. (Which has been super fun so far…they absolutely adore American cookies!)  And here on the blog, I thought that I would circle back with a week full of my favorite cookie recipes for anyone else around the world who’s in the mood for some holiday cookie baking! I’ve lined up seven of my most classic faves for you, complete with some new photos and updated baking tips. And today, there of course seemed like only one proper way to kick things off.

Meet…my all-time favorite recipe for the softest, chewiest, dreamiest, hands-down best chocolate chip cookies.

I first shared this chocolate chip cookie recipe on the blog a few years ago. And years later, it is still my go-to, and I’m happy to report that it has now become so many of yours as well! These chocolate chip cookies are super-soft and chewy, they’re perfectly buttery and vanilla-y, they’re loaded up with as many (or as few) chocolate chips as your heart desires, and in my cookie-loving opinion, they are simply the best.

So if you’re looking for a few chocolate chip cookie recipe to try this season, bookmark this one and give it a try. It’s a keeper!

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe | 1-Minute Video

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Tips For The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies:

So what is it exactly about this classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes it such a winner? Here are a few key CCC factors and tips that I’ve learned over the years…

  • All butter, all the way: I grew up making chocolate chip cookies with a half-shortening, half-butter base. Then over the years experimented with using coconut oil, to olive oil, to vegetable oil, to melted butter, and everything in between. But at the end of the day, when I’m craving a classic old-school chocolate chip cookie, I come back to this all-butter cookie recipe every time.  That buttery taste is just unbeatable, and yields the most soft and delicious cookie a girl could ask for. They key is just to make sure that your butter is legit room-temperature so that it will cream correctly with the sugars.
  • Use both brown and white sugar: On that note, we will also be using two different sugars in this recipe — classic white granulated sugar and brown sugar. Because we’re goin’ for it.
  • Extra vanilla: My dad taught me the secret when we were kids to always (always) use two full teaspoons of vanilla per batch of dozen cookies. And I’m convinced it’s the small secret that makes these cookies extra delicious.
  • Add cornstarch: Yep, sounds strange, but I learned from Anna Olsen years ago that adding a hint of cornstarch is the secret to making your cookies extra chewy. It really works!
  • Chill your dough: To help prevent your cookies from spreading, refrigerate your entire batch of dough for 2 hours before baking. (This will help the butter firm back up, so that it doesn’t melt and spread instantly in the oven.)  Or to speed up the process, go ahead and form your dough balls and place them on a baking sheet. Then refrigerate the entire baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, until the dough balls are nice and chilled. Then…
  • Don’t forget those extra chocolate chips: Food stylist’s secret — to make your cookies look extra delicious, poke a few extra chocolate chips into your dough balls just before baking. That way the chocolate chips will be nice and visible, and also, who can argue with some extra chocolate in their cookies?
  • Bake on parchment: Always bake on parchment or a silicone baking mat for the perfect cookies.
  • Sprinkle on flaky sea salt: Totally optional, but I love sprinkling a pinch of flaky sea salt onto the cookies (either onto the dough balls just before baking, or on the cookies hot outta the oven) for an extra bit of crunch and saltiness. So good.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients:

Alright, now that you know the tips, let’s make our ingredient list! To make this chocolate chip cookie recipe, you will need:

  • Butter: Softened completely to room temperature. It’s very important that the butter is not too hard, and definitely not melted, for it to cream properly with the sugars.
  • Sugars: I like a blend of brown sugar (for that delicious molasses flavor) and white granulated sugar. But feel free to experiment with different ratios if you prefer.
  • Egg: Just one. :)
  • Vanilla extract: Either store-bought or homemade.
  • All-purpose flour: As I said, when I’m craving this classic recipe, I unapologetically go for the old-school AP flour, butter and sugars. But if you would like a slightly healthier alternative, I have also made this recipe multiple times with white whole wheat flour, and it also bakes up nicely.
  • Cornstarch: To help make the cookies extra chewy.
  • Baking soda: Be sure that your box of baking soda is fresh and not expired.
  • Salt: We will add some to the dough itself and, as mentioned above, I also recommend sprinkling a pinch of flaky sea salt onto the cookies before or after baking if you would like.
  • Semisweet chocolate chips: I usually use standard-sized semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use mini semisweet chips or whatever other flavors you like.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies:

To make chocolate chip cookies, simply…

  1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt until combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugars. Using a separate mixing bowl, either with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and a pale yellow color, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add egg and vanilla. And mix on medium-speed until combined, about 1 minute.
  4. Add in the dry ingredients. And beat on medium-low speed until just combined.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips.  Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the chocolate chips by hand until they are evenly combined.
  6. Chill the dough.  Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate it for 2 hours, or until it is chilled through. (Or, for a speedier solution, you can go ahead and shape the dough into 1-inch balls, place them on a baking sheet that is covered with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Then chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until the dough is chilled through.)
  7. Form the dough balls. Then once the batch of dough is completely chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Scoop out and roll dough balls that are 1-inch in diameter. Then place them on a baking sheet that is covered with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  8. Bake.  For about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crispy and the tops of the cookies are very lightly golden. The centers may look slightly undercooked.
  9. Cool cookies. Remove the cookies and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  10. Serve!  Then dive in while they’re nice and warm and ooey-gooey-chocolately. Yum.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Possible Add-Ins:

Want to mix things up with your CCCs? Feel free to add in:

  • Different baking chips: Milk, dark, white, or semisweet chocolate chips are all delicious options here as well. Or peanut butter chips, Heath bar chips, Andes mint chips, caramel bits, or any other fun baking add-ins that you may love.
  • M&Ms: Feel free to swap plain M&Ms for chocolate chips to make M&M cookies.
  • Nuts: Chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and/or macadamia nuts are also delicious add-ins.
  • Sprinkles: Toss in a handful of colored sprinkles if you’d like to make these cookies extra festive!
  • Dried fruit: Dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, or other dried fruit (presuming it is chopped into bite-sized pieces, if need be) are also delicious in this recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

How To Store These Cookies:

Baked Cookies: To keep already-baked cookies, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or you can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.

Cookie Dough: To keep cookie dough, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk

More Favorite Cookie Recipes:

Looking for more delicious cookie inspiration? Feel free to check out our full collection of cookie recipes, or any of these other favorite classic cookies:

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 227 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: About 12 cookies 1x

Description

My all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!  See notes above for possible ingredient variations, plus options for how to store your cookies and dough.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, store-bought or homemade
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • optional: flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt until combined.  Set aside.
  2. Using a separate mixing bowl, either with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and a pale yellow color, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally as needed. Add egg and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredient mixture, and beat on medium-low speed until just combined.
  3. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand, using a spatula or wooden spoon, until they are evenly combined.
  4. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate it for 2 hours, or until it is chilled through.
  5. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  6. Once the cookie dough is completely chilled, remove it from the refrigerator.  Scoop out and roll dough balls that are 1-inch in diameter.  Then place the dough balls on a baking sheet that is covered with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  7. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crispy and the tops of the cookies are very lightly golden.  The centers may look slightly undercooked.
  8. Remove the cookies and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you would like.  Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Then dive in while the cookies are nice and warm!  Or, transfer to a sealed container and store for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Prep time: Please note that the prep time listed above does not include chilling time.

To chill the dough faster: Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.  Place them on a baking sheet that is covered with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, then chill the entire sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until the dough is chilled through.  Then bake as directed.

Source: Recipe adapted from The Food Network.

This post contains affiliate links.

The BEST Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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773 comments on “The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies!”

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  1. Every Sunday, I cook for my parents and I’m always trying new dessert recipes. I made these a while back. For Mother’s Day, my Mom requested these. The only dessert she’s asked me to make again. They are so good, thank you!






  2. Do you recommend the butter be salted or unsalted?






  3. Really great cookie recipe!! I made them for my 3 college aged kids and they loved them. They are not easy to please, so this is a keeper. I did double the recipe which was easy to do. Thanks for posting this wonderful recipe.






  4. Fabulous cookie recipe! I have tried every recipe that claims to be the “best” but this one truly is! I used this recipe once before but forgot to book mark it and then I couldn’t find it once everyone in the house agreed it was amazing! Thank God I stumbled upon it again. I have to use gluten free flour and everyone still LOVES these cookies so you know it’s damn good! Furthermore, these cookies taste amazing hot AND cold… another good indicator the recipe is amazing!!!! Thank you so much for sharing it!!






    • Sydney, what kind of gluten free flour did you use and did you have to make any other adjustments because they were gf? Thanks!

  5. These are by far the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had!! It really paid to follow the suggestions of chilling the dough. The additional ingredients like the corn starch and twice the vanilla must have made a difference as well. They truly are the best!!






  6. This really is the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. My boyfriend likes chewy and I like crunchy. This recipe creates a great balance of both.






  7. Excellent & comes out perfectly. I did 3/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp baking powder because I like my cookies a bit puffy, but this is so minor – this recipe is perfect as is. Softest cookies ever & my new go to recipe. My son loves it – thanks!






  8. the cookie dough was incredibly sticky to fingers. In other recipes I just had to add extra flour. Here I didn’t because your recipe didn’t call for it. Cookies turned out ok, not like other reviews here. I wonder what I could have done wrong???

  9. Simply perfect! I’m a bit of a food snob, and can usually find at least one flaw in any recipe I try. I got nothing. This is the standard.

  10. This is absolutely the best cookie recipe I hav ever used! If you simply follow the instructions you can’t go wrong! My kids are begging me to make more! I was able to get two and a half dozen! Flat, tasteless cookies are a past time in this house lol!!






  11. Is it okay to use dark brown sugar? Best substitute for egg?

    • Dark brown sugar works just as well as light, your cookies will have a darker appearance, that’s all. I added flax to mine, just to add fiber, but flax is an excellent egg substitute.

  12. I have tested a number of ccc recipes and this one is definitely a winner. Nothing beats a cookie that is crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle! It will be my new go-to recipe whenever I get a hankering. Thank you for sharing.






  13. I have consumed more chocolate chip cookies than I can count, they are my absolute favorite cookie. I am an avid baker and thought the recipe I was using was the best. Boy was I wrong. This is by far the best chocolate chip cookie i have EVER eaten in my 29 years of life. They are crisp but soft. They are goey and delicious. They puff up beautifully and are just PERFECT. I have made this recipe every week for the last 6 weeks lol Everyone in the house just can’t get enough of them. Try this recipe and throw every other recipe out the window.






  14. I made these chocolate chip cookies last night, and let’s just say they were a huge hit with my family. I will definitely be saving this recipe to make these time and time again. Anyone looking for a great tasting and easy chocolate chip cookie to make, look no further, this is the recipe you want to use.






  15. Absolutely the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe EVER! I added 4T ground flax to mine, just to give them a slightly “healthier” feel by adding fiber without changing the flavor or texture. Everyone loved them! Thanks for the great recipe!






  16. About how many cookies does the recipe make?

  17. Absolutely the best! This is the first time I had tried this recipe, and it is fool proof (for me!). I cooled the ready-to-bake dough which I had dropped from a spoon on to the parchment trays for 20 minutes, and baked them for 12 minutes. I followed the instructions exactly, except for the time in the refrigerator. Thank you.






  18. SO GOOD. We are high elevation and I was having a hard time finding the perfect ccc recipe, alas I have found it! I think it’s the corn starch that helps them hold and have the right consistency. Genius!






  19. Family loved this recipe!! Yummy all the way

  20. These turned out perfect. While reading the comments, I didn’t believe they could be that good- but they are!
    Thanks for this recipe!






  21. Once again you are my go to girl for any possible recipe needed! I can’t believe I didn’t think to check out your cookie recipe sooner. I am a huge chocolate chip cookie fan and have tried out so many different ones. I’m so thankful at the age of 35 I can finally say the search is over – You have nailed it!! Thanks : )






  22. Would it make that much of a difference if I one used white sugar

  23. My go to recipe for super soft chewy buttery chocolate chunk cookies! Thanks for sharing






  24. I have made/eaten a lot of Chocolate Chip Cookies but these are by far the best I have ever eaten in every way. Thank you for the perfect recipe.






  25. If you refrigerate or freeze the dough before baking, what will the bake time be? I’m planning on making the dough ahead of time for my kids so they will be able to bake fresh cookies whenever they want instead of storing them.

  26. This recipe tastes great! The only problem I experienced was the center was still raw even though I cooked it for 15 minutes instead of 12






  27. Best chocolate chip cookies recipe I have tried!






  28. YES, YES, YES!! Finally, a recipe that is truly consistently INCREDIBLE!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your “BEST Chocolate Chip” recipe was easy to follow. Most importantly, I feel like I never have to search for another recipe. Hands down, best recipe ever!!!! The dough will feel “sticky”, however, if you follow the recipe, as promised, they do not spread into the dreaded “flat cookie”, they come out PERFECT every time! Bliss, bliss, bliss and joy. Thankyou.






  29. I am a seasoned baker and have made cookies for decades but this chocolate chip cookie recipe is the best ever! It is easy and fool proof— leaving you great tasting cookies every time. Best advice: Follow the recipe to the T. The game changers that set this apart from other recipes are the 2 different sugars, extra vanilla, and parchment paper. Don’t bypass the refrigeration (I chilled it 2.5 hrs) and don’t over mix. Thank you for the best recipe ever—a keeper for sure!






  30. My new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! Only thing to watch out for is when mixing in the Choco Chips make sure batter is not too warm because mine kinda turned into chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Which were still delish just not traditional.

  31. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!! Have made a few batches of these for family and my nanny’s nursing home. Everyone loves them! The great thing about this recipe is a batch makes about 40 cookies! Also very versatile, I’ve added smarties, choc chips, shredded coconut. The next one on my list is raspberry and white choc! Cookies are perfect every time! My new go-to cookie recipe! Perfect!






  32. Should the brown sugar be light or dark??

  33. I refrigerated my dough for 2 hours and my cookies didn’t melt out like they should have. They still baked throughout at about 11 minutes in the oven. They’re tasty, but not the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve tasted.






  34. Hi,

    Just tried the recipe and it’s delicious! I couldn’t get the cookie to flatten though, and it looks more “muffin”. Any idea how to get it to flatten/melt more in the oven?






    • The fluffiness is part of the ooey-gooey goodness! I absolutely love this recipe, and so does everyone I make it for!






    • I made asugestion to “Ivan” about his cookies WANTING to be flatter- add MORE GREASE,– more butter, or Crisco, or coconut oil, etc. —-

  35. Tastes delicious but the cookies didn’t really spread too much. My baking soda was fine. I had to flatten the second batch to get them to spread. Maybe more flour next time around. But still a delicious cookie






  36. This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipes. everyone always loves it I make about 6 dozen once a month and share with the people at the nursing home






  37. Tried your recipe today.. and everyone just loved it… Thank you for sharing..

  38. Has anyone used arrowroot instead of cornstarch? If so, what were the results?

  39. Going to make these for sure!+






  40. Ok let me start off by saying I’m a beginner baker so of course chocolate chip cookies are the first to try. So I read the reviews and decided to try this recipe… OMG these cookies were delicious with the perfect flavor profile. You would think I have baked for years. So I would like to give credit where it is due. Thanks for sharing this recipe!






  41. Just pulled these out of the oven and eating them with a glass of milk, and WOW! so good, they look just like the photos and the flavour and texture is spot on! Thank you!






  42. How many cookies does one batch make?

  43. Made these cookies for my husband and adult children as chocolate chip cookies are a favorite. One word,
    A-MAZING!!! I Followed the recipe exactly, but did double it. Everyone that had a cookie sought me out to tell me how amazing my cookies were! It became comical, as everyone had the same reaction, “Mom, these cookies are amazing!” then, here comes the hubby, “best cookie you have ever made!” They were the perfect consistency, soft in the middle, firm around the edges. I used my convection oven which automatically reduced my temp to 325 degrees (it automatically programs based on the temp the recipe calls for) and cooked for 12 minutes. Ahhhh, Perfection!! Thanks so much, these will be baked routinely in my home!!






  44. These cookies taste like they’re missing something. Find a different recipe to try!

  45. Used this recipe with my son and the whole family loved them. They are very chewy and chocolatey. Thank you for sharing.






  46. My husband and I are obsessed with this recipe! Best chocolate chip cookies EVER.






  47. Theses were good but only 3 stars because of quantity. The recipe should state makes only 1 sheet of cookies. There wasn’t enough for my family to enjoy and didn’t have time to make another batch. Good quality but poorly stated recipe.






  48. Out of all the chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve tried, this was the very best. Who would have thought corn starch? But it works and husband loved them. Thank you!






  49. Fantastic! I bake these every week for my family, huge hit!! I’d recommend only using 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 2 was just a little too strong for me. Delicious cookies!






  50. So this is the best! I did add my tweaks. I melt butter and about 1/8 C. Butterscotch chips together.
    It calls for 1 1/2 C. Flour; I use 1 cup flour and 1/2 c. ground reg. oatmeal. I also use a very smidge of cinnamon. I do like nuts but my kids don’t sooo…….. ground 1/4 C. pecans and 1/4 C. chocolate chips together.
    I finally only use 3/4 c. chips because I ground some too. This is an amazing perfect cookie. I never used corn starch in the olden days but find that it really makes the perfect texture. Thank you for your awesome recipe. I finally found my perfect one thanks to you. Sally