These thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies have golden brown edges, soft centers, and chocolate in every bite.A touch of cornstarch and chilled dough that keeps them from spreading too thin. I first made these on a rainy Saturday when Lily wanted to help bake, and we ended up with the best batch we've ever made.
If you're craving something sweet that comes together easily, try pairing these with a slice of Red Velvet Brownies Recipe or serving them alongside Easy Tiramisu Truffles for a full dessert spread.
Why You'll Love These Chocolate Chip Cookies
They bake up thick and soft, with crispy edges that give way to a chewy center. The brown sugar adds a hint of molasses flavor, and the melted butter makes the dough smooth and easy to work with. You don't need a stand mixer or any special equipment, just two bowls and a whisk.
These Chocolate Chip Cookies stay soft for days when stored in an airtight container. They're perfect for lunchboxes, afternoon snacks, or bringing to a potluck. Kids love them, and adults do too.
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Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make soft, bakery-style chocolate chip cookies.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For ingtedient Quantites
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies and keeps them tender. Spooning and leveling the flour prevents them from turning out dry.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and gives them a light, airy texture.
Cornstarch: This is the secret ingredient. It makes the cookies extra soft and keeps them from spreading too much in the oven.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the chocolate.
Unsalted butter: Melted butter creates a dense, chewy texture. Let it cool for five minutes so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deep, caramel-like flavor. Packing it into the measuring cup ensures the right amount.
Granulated sugar: Gives the cookies a slight crispness on the edges.
Egg and egg yolk: The extra yolk makes the cookies richer and chewier. Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the flavor.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: The star of the recipe. You can use chunks if you want bigger pockets of melted chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
Let's walk through each step so your Chocolate Chip Cookies turn out perfectly chewy.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.
Combine wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and egg yolk, whisking until the mixture looks thick and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Form dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir everything together until no flour streaks remain. The dough will be soft, thick, and slightly sticky. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they're evenly distributed.
Chill dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling the dough keeps the cookies from spreading too thin and helps the flavors develop. Overnight chilling gives the best results.
Preheat oven and prep sheets: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats so the cookies don't stick.
Shape cookies: Scoop the chilled dough using about 3 scant tablespoons for extra-large cookies, or 2 heaping tablespoons for medium-large cookies. Roll each scoop into a ball, then gently press and shape it into a tall cylinder instead of a flat disc. This helps the cookies bake up thicker. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart.
Bake: Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. They'll continue to set as they cool, so don't overbake them.
Cool: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. This allows them to firm up without breaking. Then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Store: Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay soft for up to a week.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
You can adjust these Chocolate Chip Cookies to fit what you have on hand or your personal taste.
Butter: If you only have salted butter, use it and reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon.
Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar gives a slightly deeper molasses flavor.
Chocolate: Swap semi-sweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate. You can also use chocolate chunks for bigger melted pockets.
Add-ins: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or toffee bits along with the chocolate chips. Keep the total add-ins around 1 to 1 and ¼ cups.
Egg substitute: If you need an egg-free version, this recipe doesn't work well with standard egg replacers because the extra yolk is important for texture. You might have better luck with a different eggless chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Equipment For Chocolate Chip Cookies
You don't need fancy tools to make these Chocolate Chip Cookies. Here's what I use.
Glass mixing bowls: One large and one medium. Glass bowls are sturdy and easy to clean.
Whisk: For mixing the dry ingredients and combining the wet ingredients smoothly.
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula: A sturdy spoon helps you stir the thick dough without wearing out your arm.
Baking sheets: Two standard baking sheets work best so you can bake multiple batches.
Silicone baking mats or parchment paper: Keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Medium cookie scoop: A scoop helps you portion the dough evenly so all the cookies bake at the same rate.
Cooling rack: Lets air circulate under the cookies so they cool evenly and don't get soggy on the bottom.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These Chocolate Chip Cookies store beautifully, and the dough is great for making ahead.
Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Place a piece of parchment paper between layers if you're stacking them.
Freezing baked cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes before eating.
Freezing dough: Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake frozen dough balls straight from the freezer, adding an extra minute to the baking time. No need to thaw.
Chilling dough: The dough can chill in the fridge for up to 3 days. The longer it chills, the deeper the flavor becomes.
Serving Suggestions
These chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are delicious on their own, but here are a few cozy ways to serve them.
With cold milk: A cold glass of milk is classic for a reason. The cookies soften just a bit when you dunk them.
Ice cream sandwiches: Press a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies. Wrap them in parchment paper and freeze for an easy dessert.
Warm with coffee: Reheat a cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds and enjoy it with your morning coffee. The chocolate gets melty again.
Dessert platter: Serve these alongside Creme Brulee Cheesecake Cupcakes or Best Oreo Dirt Cake for a dessert spread that covers all the bases.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the chilling: The dough needs time in the fridge. Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and gives you that thick, bakery-style texture.
Use room temperature eggs: Cold eggs don't mix in as smoothly. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before cracking them.
Shape the dough tall: When you roll the dough into balls, shape them into taller cylinders instead of flat discs. This helps the cookies bake up thick instead of wide.
Don't overbake: The centers should look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven. They'll firm up as they cool.
Measure flour correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the cookies dry.
FAQ
What are the basic ingredients of chocolate chip cookies?
The basic ingredients are flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips. Most recipes also include baking soda and salt. This recipe uses cornstarch as a secret ingredient to make the cookies extra soft and chewy.
What Chocolate Chip Cookies is the easiest to make?
Chocolate chip cookies are one of the easiest cookies to make because you don't need any special equipment or techniques. You just mix the dough, chill it, and bake. No rolling, no cutting, no fuss.
How to make cookie dough with 3 ingredients?
A basic 3-ingredient cookie dough usually uses a box of cake mix, eggs, and oil. However, this recipe uses traditional ingredients for a more authentic, homemade flavor. The result is much better than any shortcut version.
What is the secret to making good chocolate chip cookies?
The secret is chilling the dough for at least 2 hours. Chilled dough spreads less in the oven, which gives you thicker, chewier cookies. The cornstarch in this recipe also helps keep them soft. Another tip is to shape the dough into tall cylinders instead of flat discs before baking.
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Pairing
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Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until fully incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla extract. The mixture should be thin.
- Gradually combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients using a spatula or spoon. The dough will be soft and glossy.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. For best results, refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Scoop about 2 ounces (60g) of dough for large cookies or 1.75 ounces (50g) for medium cookies. Roll into a ball and shape it into a taller mound to ensure thicker cookies. Arrange cookies on the baking sheet 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. The centers should remain soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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