Big, chewy chocolate chip cookies that are picture worthy and perfect for any occasion. Freezer-friendly recipe that'll allow you to enjoy warm gooey cookies whenever the craving strikes.
Jump to:
Baker's Assistant:
For more in-depth information about topics covered on this page, follow the links:
Mise en place
Advance preparation/have on hand:
- butter, soft but not melted
- eggs, room temperature
- 2 mid-sized bowls (or 1 bowl and 1 KitchenAid mixing bowl)
- kitchenaid mixer with paddle attachment or handmixer with beater attachment
- ice cream scoop (not required, but really useful). I use a 3.25 oz scoop.
Technique - creaming method
This recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies uses the creaming method:
- Mix together butter and sugar until light and airy
- Eggs are added gradually to form an emulsion
- Add dry ingredients and mix until combined
I highly suggest using a handheld mixer with the beater attachment or a kitchenaid mixer with a paddle attachment. You can mix by hand with a wooden spoon, but it is tiresome, time consuming and doesn't work as well.
To read more about the creaming method, see The Creaming Method.
Substitutions/add-ins
Substitutions
Substituting ingredients in a recipe (especially a baking recipe) is likely to change the outcome of the end product; not just in flavor but chemically. If you want to change the the sweetness, fat content, type of flour, etc., I encourage you to first follow the instructions as written. After you've successfully made this recipe, you can start to make adjustments based on what you know what you want to change, and your knowledge about the different ingredients and their properties. I have not made vegan or gluten-free versions of this cookie.
Add-Ins
Once you've added the dry ingredients and it's about 90% mixed, you can add nuts, coconut, dried fruit, different chocolates, etc. as you like.
Baker's Assistant: Let Me Upgrade You
- Use a couverture chocolate like Callebaut, Cacao Barry, or Valrhona coins, feves or chopped chocolate. For layered pockets of chocolate layered throughout the cookie, incorporate chopped chocolate.
- Top with flaky sea salt or smoked sea salt (I use Maldon which can be purchased from Amazon) before or after baking.
- Top with additional chocolate before baking
- Add about a cup of nuts or coconut. Toast it first, it makes a huge difference.
Resting, baking & cooling
Resting
Can these cookies be baked right after mixing? Yes. Are they better after resting a day or two in the fridge? YES (believe it or not, most doughs and batters are!). Resting the dough overnight allows the flour to fully hydrate, creating better structure, texture, and color. If you're desperate for a cookie, bake one to eat now and refrigerate the rest of the dough. Or bake them all the same day if you can't wait—they'll still be delicious.
Baking & Cooling
- Color = caramelization = flavor. Baking these cookies until golden will not take away from the chewy texture.
- Rotate the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.
- Transferring the cookies to a cooling rack after baking is unnecessary, but can help them to cool faster.
Baker's Assistant: Freezing & Storing
Once your chocolate chip cookie dough is mixed, scoop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, wax paper, aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Wrap the tray with plastic wrap and place in freezer. Once frozen, store in a ziplock bag.
To bake from frozen, allow cookies to thaw on the counter until thawed (30 min - 1 hr) or in the fridge for a few hours. Bake as instructed in the recipe card.
Store cookies in an airtight container and the cookies will be good to eat for several days. You can also freeze fully-baked cookies in a ziplock bag or wrapped in plastic wrap. Throw them into a picnic basket or your kid's lunch and they'll be thawed by lunchtime.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Cream Together
- 280 g Butter Soft
- 280 g Brown Sugar
- 140 g Granulated Sugar
- 2 ea Eggs
- 1 ¾ t Vanilla Extract
Combine Dry
- 480 g Ap Flour
- 1 ¼ t Baking Soda
- 1 ½ t Baking Powder
- 1 ½ t Salt
Add-Ins
- 225 g Chocolate
Instructions
Cream
- Cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy
- Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time, mixing well and scraping bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and mix for another minute
Combine Dry Ingredients
- While the butter and sugars are creaming, in a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt
Add Dry Ingredients to Creamed Ingredients
- Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture all at once. Mix until the flour is about 90% incorporated. Add chocolate. Mix until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl.
Rest the dough overnight (or Don't)
- You can bake the cookie dough right away, but an overnight rest in the fridge does wonders (I explain why in the blog post). If resting, scoop the dough onto sheet tray lined with parchment, foil or wax paper. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days. If you (somehow) still have cookie dough in the fridge after 3 days, you can just pop them in the freezer.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cookies on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. For large cookies bake for approximately 14-15 minutes. For half-sized cookies check at about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on sheet tray for about five minutes before transferring.
Nutrition
Credit, sources & shout outs
Very few recipes are true originals. Here is where I share my inspiration and cite my sources.
Everywhere I've worked, chocolate chip cookies are always the #1 selling cookie and in some cases the #1 selling pastry overall. So, it's beneficial to have a good recipe in your file. I've tested lots of recipes for chocolate chip cookies, I also have recipes from my professional career as a pastry chef. This is the one that checks off all the boxes for me. Crispy, chewy, soft center, not-too-sweet, and a little extra salt for balance.
My favorite recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies is an adaptation of Jacques Torres's chocolate chip cookie recipe, which was the best I've ever come across. It was still a little too sweet, and the instructions a bit fussy, so to suit my own taste, I have decreased the amount of sugar & chocolate, increased the amount of salt, use all-purpose flour in place of bread flour + cake flour and changed up the method slightly.
A nod to Ruth Wakefield, creator of the Tollhouse Crunch Cookie, the first known chocolate chip cookie recipe. Most recipes for the American chocolate chip cookie are the adaptations and recreations of her original.
