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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!”

  1. This is now my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you so much for creating it. I like the addition of extra vanilla and the cornstarch. I am getting great reviews from my family!

    • I totally ditto this comment! Favorite cookie recipe ever! Making them with my 3.5 year old son makes them extra fun to make and even more delicious <3 Making them now for Christmas!






  2. I prepared these and then froze the balls so I could bake fresh cookies in the morning before company arrives. Nothing like the smell of fresh baked cookies!
    How long should I defrost the balls before baking them? Or do I bake them frozen, and if so, at one temp and for how long? Thanks

    • Hey Sharon! Recently I had prepared cookie dough similar to this one and I had asked myself the same question! After thorough research and professional advice from my local bakery the answer was clear… No! You do not have to thaw the dough. Preheat the oven at the same temperature you would for chilled dough (350F according to the recipe above). Once the oven is ready pop your frozen dough balls in there and add 2-3 minutes to the recommended time (10-12 minutes would in turn need to be 12-15 minutes for frozen dough according to the recipe above). I hope this helps! Take care and never stop baking! It’s the reason they smile ?

  3. Absolutely delicious! Crunchy on the outside soft chewy chocolaty on the inside. My family and I can’t get enough of these. If you are a chocolate lover I recommend doubling the semisweet chocolate chip. Also recommended refrigerating if for an hour before baking

  4. I ABSOLUETLY love trying new chocolate chip cookie recipes-I keep trying to find the one that makes me stop “trying” I made these for a party and they were gone in a second-my sister told me to stop looking-this is the best! Thanks for a great recipe! And the advice to ball and chill for 20 worked perfect! Thanks!






  5. These really are the best choc chip cookies. I think the secret is the cornstarch. We up the salt a bit too. Thanks!






  6. This is the first time I deviated from a recipe I used since I started cooking…. all I can say is wow!! These cookies are delicious! My family was saddened when they saw the cookies looked different from my usual.. then they tasted them. This is our new recipe!! Thank you!






  7. Great recipe, cookies came out soft in the middle and all had a great shape. They smell heavenly as well!






  8. I followed the recipe exactly and as others have said my cookies did not spread. They are still balls. Any idea why? I would really like the cookies in the photo. Also, I made 12 cookies and still have a lot of dough left. The recipe says this only makes 12 cookies. My dough seems a little dry but still able to make a ball. Please let me know what is going on with this recipe. Not sure why it works for some and not others. Thanks






    • Even I had the same issue. Even my cookie wouldn’t spread .

    • Experiencing the exact same issue as you. Made 6 cookies and they didn’t spread nor turn out anything like I had hoped and now I don’t know what to do with the remaining batter I have left. How unfortunate!






  9. These are the bomb!! Delicious and super easy!






  10. I’ve made these cookies a number of times now, and they are my family’s absolute favorite! Today, my two year old son/sous chef was insisting that we add cocoa powder to the list of ingredients. I’ve never attempted substituting cocoa powder into a recipe so we winged it; we used 1 cup of flour and 1/2 a cup of cocoa powder. They turned out delicious, and we anticipate making them this way again.

  11. I followed this recipe to a t two times and my cookies Just didn’t turn out. They look lighter in color than the ones pictured here so in the first batch I used light brown sugar because the recipe doesn’t specify and one the second I used dark but still didnt match the ones on here. Also my cookies were super fluffy like little muffins nearly. Any ideas what could’ve gone wrong? I used the exact measurements listed and let my butter get room temp each time ?

  12. I only just realized I neglected to rate the recipe when I wrote my previous comment.






  13. hello my cookies came out flat. what did i do wrong? many thanks

    • I just made these cookies today and they turned out nice and soft! However I did not chill my dough and I tried one pan with parchment paper and one pan with out and the cookies turned out the same on each pan. I used muscovado dark brown sugar for the brown sugar since it goes very well with chocolate!






  14. I need help y’all!! This is the absolute best recipe I have found hands down! I am bringing some to thanksgiving dinner but my nephew has a severe egg allergy. I would like to see if anyone has any egg substation I could use without compromising this recipe?






  15. The only chocolate chip cookies I will make from now on – perfect!






  16. BEST cc cookie recipe I’ve ever used!
    Chewy gooey yumminess for days!






  17. I’ve tried a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes .. this one by far is my favorite!! Easy to make and came out perfectly..

  18. These cookies came out so yummy! I am just getting into baking (as I bought my first stand mixer this past weekend!) so I have not tried many recipes for chocolate chip cookies; but these hit the spot for me. I was able to get 16 cookies out of the dough, and that may have been why I needed to bake them for a longer period of time?? After about 13 mins, the insides were still raw. I had to pop them back in for another 7. Thanks for the recipe!






  19. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe… made them once almost a month back , turned out amazingly delicious… came back again to revise the recipe for bigger batch this time.. these are the best cookies i ever made. Thanks again

  20. Easy and delicious!






  21. Best chocolate chip cookie recipe we’ve had !!perfect!






  22. My new favorite chocolate chips cookies! This recipe is the perfect amount of chewy and lightly crisp. Easy to follow. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!






  23. I made the recipe, and the cookies were ok. I would cut the cornstarch in half, and add another 1/4 cup of brown sugar next time. Cookies were a little to cake like for me.






  24. I’ve never baked anything from scratch. I used this recipe for a Christmas Baking Contest at work. These cookies were amazing and most importantly, my GF agreed! (Very tough cookie!) Looking forward to my next batch!






  25. I decided to do a search for the best chocolate chip cookies for the holidays and your recipe wins! This recipe is amazing! Best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made!






  26. Oh my goodness, these cookies are absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written, just added half a cup of walnuts, and salted half the cookies since I normally don’t add salt to my CC cookies, and they came out amazing! I also made a smaller cookie, so ended up with 25 cookies- so I baked an extra four minutes. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  27. unsalted or salted butter?!?






  28. These were just OK. They were too flat for my liking, even after refrigerating the dough for 24 hours. I’ll stick to half/half shortening and butter. I hurt my hand and thought I was going to ruin my good cookie scoop while forming the cookies out of the fridge. The cornstarch does not contribute to chewiness, it actually serves to reduce gluten by displacing some of the flour and make the cookies lighter. It’s a technique sometimes used when baking cakes for that purpose. I did like the idea of pressing chips into the cookies for visual effect, and the extra vanilla. I’ll use those again.






  29. I made these cookies and my family loved them! Thanks






  30. I ended up using 1/4 dark brown and 1/4 light brown sugar to equal the 1/2 of brown sugar in the recipe. These cookies were PERFECT. The crispy on the outside, soft of the inside I was looking for. It makes it so easy having the weight of the ingredients too so it is consistent every time. I am making my second batch to freeze and have on hand for when people stop by.






  31. Hands down the absolute best chocolate chip cookies. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. This was my very first time making cookies from scratch and the recipe was so simple and easy to follow. Getting great reviews from family and friends. Thank you!






  32. These are AMAZING. I added espresso chips with the chocolate chips and holy cow! Best dough, best texture! As always, your recipes are my favorite foods!!






  33. This is my absolute favorite, go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I lost the recipe once and I almost cried! I spent hours looking for the index card I wrote it down on. Thankfully, I have made this exact recipe so many times I was able to recognize the ingredients when I saw them listed (I read through MANY blogs in order to find it).
    Make these cookies, you will be so glad you did!
    Oh, and save the recipe in several places. You can even lock an emergency copy in your fireproof safe if you need to ; )!






  34. The yield is supposed to be 12 cookies and each cookie is from 1 ball with a 1″ diameter. I used 1″ marked Reynolds parchment paper to be sure I got it right. IT MADE 40 COOKIES !!! I knew when making the dough this would make more than 12. Bake time was fine, very tasty.

  35. Hi! Do you recommend using salted or unsalted butter for this recipe? Thanks!

  36. My cookies stayed in a ball form, I followed the directions exactly as written.






  37. I found this recipe after researching cookie recipes with only 1 egg because that’s all I had at the time. I have made these cookies, after getting more eggs, twice in just a few days. This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! Soft and chewy and perfect. I can finally stop looking for the perfect cookie recipe.






  38. This is the ONLY chocolate chip cookie recipe I use. Delicious!!!






  39. I just made these cookies for the 3rd time. They are INCREDIBLE! Pillowy inside, buttery-crisp. This is my go to recipe now.






  40. This is by far the best chocolate chip recipe I have found. They are so moist and flavorful.






  41. THESE COOKIES ARE THE BEST! I made these for the kids in our neighborhood since our cul-de-sac is full of kids and they LOVED them. I followed your advice and added a few extra chips on top for presentation and threw in a handful of sprinkles for fun. I always use this recipe now! I am about to make a double batch tonight to bring to our neighbors for the Super Bowl game! Thanks for a great recipe!

  42. These cookies are simply the Bomb! Made for Super Bowl party. Huge raves! I doubled the recipe to make about 3 1/2 dozen. With the vanilla, I thought, “wow, that’s a lot of vanilla!” so with doubling, I only put in 3 teaspoons. I also added walnuts and mixed chocolate and white chocolate chips. The tips with the chlled dough, corn starch, and adding a few chips to the top of the balls before baking were brillent. These are just simply the best chocolate cookie recipe I have found/tried. Will look no further! Thanks so much for sharing!






  43. Really good and chewy. I would make again.






  44. I’ve made these for friends and family and everyone LOVES them!






  45. I have made a lot of chocolate chip cookies over the years, but these really are THE BEST! Nicely done Ali!






  46. This recipe hit the spot – I have been looking for the perfect chocolate cookie and this is it!! I will be making again as my family loved them.






  47. Absolutely the best!! Your reciepe is exactly as discribed. & I agree with other comments, that, there are a lot of reciepes that claim to be “chewy”, but yours really is. I LOVE these cookies. I made the reciepe exactly as written, used a 1.5 T. Scoop (got 18 cookies), & chilled them in the fridge for 20 min. They do look raw & puffy in 12 min but leaving them on the pan to start to cool for 10 min was the trick. They fall into shape & remain chewy.
    The only problem I had, was that i could not buy “flake” sea salt in any store. I needed it today. So i did use a slight sprinkle of organic sea salt & it was great! I think the sea salt is the key to the best flavor! And the corn starch definately works. Im hoping it works gluten free as well, im guessing it will. I will make these often & im not telling my fam & friends the secret…lol:) thank you!!






  48. I love this recipe! I usually only bake vegan cookies because of my daughter’s allergy and have forgotten my favorite butter recipe. This recipe is amazing! I refrigerate for 24 hours and add 3 kinds of chocolate chips. Thank you!






  49. The cookie recipe is great, similar appearance to subway cookies hehe it is chewy and great!! Substitute the salt with salted butter and only used brown sugar, works well too. Thank you for sharing?






  50. My husband and I practically have this whole cookie recipe memorized by now as we make it for guests (and ourselves) a few times a month. We do 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup pecan pieces, and 1/2 cup oatmeal (instead of a full cup of chocolate chips.) SERIOUSLY, this is THE BEST recipe I’ve ever ever ever found for cookies.






    • Should I use salted or unsalted butter light or dark brown sugar? I really want to make these.