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Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

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The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies have a little crisp to their outer shell but are soft on the inside, and extra chewy. They’re easy to make (you don’t even need a mixer!), no chilling the dough, and they stay soft for days. This is the perfect chocolate chip cookies recipe you’ve been searching for!

A stack of three chocolate chip cookies, with more cookies and chocolate chips in the background.

 

Today I’m sharing the most basic, amazing recipe of all–Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Anyone reading this probably already has at least 1 or 2 chocolate chip cookie recipes they love. I get that–it’s a classic, and I’m one of those people, but these are my all time favorite! Coming in close second is Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies , because I love the addition of oats.

Apparently chocolate chip cookies were invented in 1938 by a women named Ruth Graves, who was an American chef.  I could just kiss her for bringing such a perfect dessert into the world :).

What’s so special about these cookies?

I am boldly declaring these the best chocolate chip cookies out there, and for good reason! This chocolate chip cookie recipe has been specifically tailored and tested to produce the perfect CHEWY chocolate chip cookies. Three factors make-up the chewy cookie heaven that’s achieved here:

1. Melted butter

Unlike most cookie recipes, these chocolate chip cookies are made with melted butter, instead of softened or room temperature butter.

Typically melted butter in cookies has a reputation for producing cookies that are flat and thin, but not here, thanks to recipe testing by Cook’s Illustrated. Since we know that melted butter in brownies and other baked goods makes them extra chewy, Cook’s Illustrated created this recipe with that in mind, but calculated the other ingredients to ensure the cookies would hold their shape, and stay thick and chewy.

2. Extra Egg Yolk

This recipe also calls for an extra egg yolk, rather than a whole egg. The extra egg yolks helps with the thick and chewy texture and helps the cookies to stay soft for days longer than regular cookies.

3. More brown sugar than granulated sugar.

Moisture content in cookies helps to make them chewy, and that is why this recipe contains more brown sugar than granulated white sugar. Brown sugar has molasses in it, making the sugar more moist, which will lead to a chewier cookie.

So, thanks to the recipe tester’s at Cook’s Illustrated for creating the perfect thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies of my dreams!

How to make Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Start by melting the butter for about 45 seconds in the microwave. You want it mostly, but not completely melted.

Remove it from the microwave and stir it with a spoon until it’s completely melted. Allow the melted butter to cool off while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Side by side photos of butter cut into pieces in one white bowl, and then melted in the same white bowl, with a spoon stirring it.

Add the dry ingredients to a bowl: flour, baking soda and salt.

Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix in the melted butter, mixing until smooth.

Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until combined.

Process photos for making chocolate chip cookies including a clear mixing bowl with granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted butter poured into the bowl, and another photo of the same mixing bowl with those ingredients stirred together, and eggs and vanilla added to the bowl.

Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Just as with most baked goods, once you have added the dry ingredients, don’t over-mix the batter. If your cookie batter is beaten too much, the cookies will be more dense.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Scoop the cookie dough and place on baking sheet.

Side by side photos of a bowl with chocolate chip cookie dough, and a a baking sheet with scooped chocolate chip cookies ready for the oven.

Bake at 325 degrees F (yes, you want to bake them at 325 degrees, not 350 degrees.) for about 10-12 minutes or until they’ve lost their sheen on top and just barely look like they’re starting to set. They won’t be golden brown around the edges.

The cookies will continue to cook and will harden as they cool on the hot baking sheet, out of the oven, so don’t be tempted to over-bake them.  You can always put them back in the oven for additional time, if needed.

Close up photo of half of a chocolate chip cookie, held up above other cookies in the background.

Video Tutorial:

 

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5 from 12 votes
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe on TastesBetterFromScratch.com
Print
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies have a little crisp to their outer shell but are soft on the inside, and extra chewy. They're easy to make (you don't even need a mixer!), no chilling the dough, and they stay soft for days. This is the perfect chocolate chip cookies recipe you've been searching for!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24
Calories: 208 kcal
Author: Lauren Allen
Ingredients
  • 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled until warm
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)
Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.

  2. Melt the butter for about 45 seconds in the microwave, until it's almost completely melted. Remove and stir it, allowing any remaining butter to melt. Allow the butter to cool until it's almost room temperature, but still a liquid.

  3. In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda. 

  4. In a separate large mixing bowl mix the butter and sugars together until well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until combined. 

  5. Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, just until combined. The dough will be soft.

  6. Gently scoop dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

 

I originally shared this recipe Feb. 2015. Updated May 2018.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies have a little crisp to their outer shell but are soft on the inside, and extra chewy. They're easy to make (you don't even need a mixer!), no chilling the dough, and they stay soft for days. This is the perfect chocolate chip cookies recipe you've been searching for! #cookies #chocolatechip #best #easy #chewy #recipe #howtomake
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Comments

  4. Made the chocolate chip cookies a few days ago! These are AMAZING! My family ate these up! I doubled the recipe, and it made about 60! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, its my favorite! I’m actually making them again right now lol!

    Reply

  5. These are delicious! Every time I bake chocolate chip cookies, I try a new recipe because I haven’t found one that love. I am so glad I found this recipe and gave it a try, because I love them! Thank you for sharing! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Tried to make these, although they taste delish raw, I wasn’t able to get them to the right consistency – probably because I live in higher elevation (in Calgary AB Canada) any tips? The mix was dry. Tried adding milk – we will see!!!

    Reply

  8. I made these cookies as my very first attempt on trying to make cookies from scratch and they were delicious!! I’m so glad I found this recipe.

    Just one question: when you add in the eggs and vanilla, do you stir them in and mix them in with the mixer?

    Thanks for sharing! ❤️

    Reply

  11. These cookies were, just like the name suggests, absolutely perfect. These are the first cookies I’ve made where the hubby actually prefers the baked cookies to the batter, and after eating these, he said, “Don’t lose this recipe!” They were sweet, with a hint of buttery goodness, and the consistency was perfectly chewy. I actually accidentally used melted butter instead of softened butter, but they still turned out perfectly. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

  13. I tried these today, and it was pretty good. Very thick looking cookies.

    Are you using light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar? I tried with light brown sugar, and they were a little light in color. It still tasted good though 😀

    Reply

  14. These are the perfect cc cookie! I’ve been looking for a perfect cc recipe – this is it definitely! Great consistency,

    Reply

  16. I made these tonight & they were absolutely perfect.
    My boys loved them!
    This is definitely my new go to recipe!

    Reply

  17. What is the best way to freeze these? Can the dough be frozen? If so, do you pre-scoop into balls or into a roll and then slice? Or do you bake the cookies and then freeze them?

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer, so I’m lazy and usually just bake the cookies, let them cool, and then freeze them in a freezer ziplock so that they’re ready whenever I want them. If you want them baked fresh you can roll the dough into balls on your cookie sheet, freeze them for a few hours, then place them in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake them from frozen for a few extra minutes. Good luck!

      Reply

  19. Yum! I made these today and they are they best looking cookies I have ever made… true story. They look like professional bakery cookies; just the perfect consistency. I followed the recipe and made 24 cookies with it but mine took a LOT longer to bake (25 minutes!). Maybe it’s an altitude thing? I’m at 400ft. Weird. Oh well, still delicious! Thanks!

    Reply

  20. I am so excited to bake these! However, I want them to be fresh after dinner so I am chilling the dough in the fridge. Won’t be baking for a couple of hours. Will they still turn out the same? Thanks!

    Reply

  22. I was skeptical at first but I decided to give these cookies a try… Im so glad I did. I’ve tried many different recipes in hopes of finding my go to cc cookie recipe and this is it! My search is over, thank you… Truly perfect cookie.

    Reply

  24. These are looking good so far! Taking a little longer to bake than stated. Very mushy at 12 minutes. Added 5 more minutes and I’m watching over them. Ahhhhh hurry up and finish so I can eat you!
    Oh and I’m basically at sea level in NJ.

    Reply

  25. I decided I was trying to get too tricky with my CC cookies and went back to basics with these. They were perfect!

    Reply

  28. Made these; they are a such a great cookie!!!

    Just make sure to thoroughly mix in the egg + egg yolk with an electric mixer (or very very well by hand) to prevent an eggy smell..the only thing i will change myself for next time.

    Reply

  30. I finally found the perfect recipe! Mine turned out just like the picture shows, light, thick, and moist. I chilled the dough in the fridge for a couple hours to make sure they don’t turn out flat and cooked them a few minutes longer. Not sure if that made a difference or not but anyway than you so much! I’m only using this recipe from now on.

    Reply

  31. I’ve used this recipe so many times, and it never fails me!! Except this last time, I ended up putting the whole egg in the batter instead of just the yoke. Oops!! I added more a little more flour, and a little baking soda, and the cookies came out all right. I’m not sure if that was the right thing to do, so I’m open to suggestions for next time, haha!

    Anyway, thank you for posting this recipe. We love it!

    Reply

  32. I love trying different chocolate chip cookie recipes and I have to say, these really were PERFECT. This one is a keeper.

    Reply

  33. These look incredible and after reading all of these positive comments, I am 100% going to make these tonight. I’m so excited!

    Reply

  34. I’m a Dad of and I have made these twice now. Absolutely a hit with the kids, my wife and my 78 year old Mom who lives with us and usually is the one who makes the cookies.

    Reply

  35. My husband and I are, what I would call, chocolate chip cookie snobs. We are very picky about our cookies. Traditionally, we use a recipe that has been passed down several generations in my husband’s family and results in very predictable, great cookies. Until I decided to branch out and give these a try. Needless to say, this will be our new go-to recipe!! WOW. They stayed soft and chewy for several days later in an air tight container. Serious yum right here. Many thanks!!

    Reply

  36. I just made these tonight and they are as amazing as they look! Thanks Lauren once again for another masterpiece 👏

    Reply

  37. This is THE best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made!! Super easy and really yummy!! Thanks for the delicious recipe!!

    Reply

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