Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
These classic chocolate chip cookies feature slightly crisp edges that lead to a soft and chewy interior. No mixer required!
It’s amazing how much people love a classic chocolate chip cookie, and can you blame them? Sometimes, there’s an itch only a delicious and full-of-chocolate-chips cookie can scratch. And with over 100 cookie recipes on my website, I hope you’ll believe me when I say this recipe will be your new favorite if you give it a shot.
It was one of the first recipes I developed when I was just learning how to bake from scratch, and I did a little happy dance once I took the first bite of what came out of my oven. That can be you, too, if you struggle with getting chocolate chip cookies perfectly baked. We’ll walk through everything together!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE
I love my chocolate chip cookies a little but crunchy on the edges and soft and chewy on the inside.
This stems from my high school days. Our cafeteria served amazing cookies, and every single day after I finished lunch, I would get 2 of them: one soft sugar cookie and one slightly crisp but chewy-on-the-inside chocolate chip.
Chocolate chip cookies have been studied by bakers all over the world for a long time. The science behind what makes them crunchy or chewy or puffy or cakey or however in the world you prefer them to be… Is incredible.
I’ve read up on the science A LOT, and if you care to see the resources that I love and have read multiple times (true story), here is the lengthy version and here is a short one.
I am such a science geek, so I really love the long version. If you’re not as big of a science geek as me or just prefer a concise version, check out the shorter one.
INGREDIENTS FOR CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
There’s not a whole lot of variety in the actual ingredients involved in chocolate chip cookie recipes. It’s more about the why, which we will talk about in a bit.
For these chocolate chip cookies, you will need:
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• cornstarch
• salt
• unsalted butter
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• an egg + an egg yolk
• vanilla extract
• chocolate chips (we’ll use both milk and semi-sweet in these cookies)
NESTLé TOLLHOUSE, BUT BETTER
I’ve said before, the Nestlé Tollhouse recipe is a winner. It’s a classic. It’s a go-to. It’s a no-fail. I use it as the base for my chocolate chip cookie dough bites, leaving out the eggs and leavening agents.
But in order to create my absolute favorite texture in my chocolate chip cookies, there are a few things I like to change.
ADD SOME CORNSTARCH
Just the same way I add a little cornstarch to my red velvet donuts to give them a softer, cakey texture, I add some cornstarch to my classic chocolate chip cookies to help increase the chew factor but not so much that we start talking “cakey” cookies.
ADD AN EGG YOLK
What makes a cookie chewy vs soft? A lot of stock lies in eggs. Eggs, as a whole, add structure to baked goods and help them rise. Egg whites bring a large quantity of the moisture to a cookie, and yolks create a source of fat. With fat, we find a great vehicle for flavor and a lot of chew.
For my cookies, I remove one egg white (we’ll add in more moisture in a second) and leave the yolk. Doing so brings a large source of fat to the cookie and helps keep the cookies fudgy (like brownies) and dense (fewer pockets of air).
Denser cookies will cook from the outside faster (think flatter) creating crunchy edges and leaving the inside chewy.
MELT THE BUTTER
Butter, while imperative to the flavor of cookies, can cause cookies to spread a lot in the oven. Furthermore, using softened butter and creaming it with sugar incorporates air into cookie batter, bringing lift to cookies while they bake.
You would do this if you wanted your result to be a puffier cookie.
Classic Nestlé Tollhouse cookies require creaming of butter with the sugars.
I like to melt my butter because it helps keep the cookies chewy and dense, and we will refrigerate the cookie dough once it’s all mixed together to solidify the butter again, preventing greasy cookies.
INCREASE THE BROWN SUGAR
I’ve said it before (and before aaaand before) and I’ll say it again– brown sugar brings super chew to baked goods. Brown sugar is white (granulated) sugar with molasses in it, so it automatically brings moisture with it when it’s added to cookies (remember, we took some moisture out by removing that egg white).
Plus, it caramelizes faster, so the toffee/butterscotch flavors in the cookie are unparalleled vs a cookie made with all or mostly granulated sugar.
CHILL THE DOUGH
There is much debate over this in the chocolate chip cookie world, but I have made a lot of chocolate chip cookies in my life, and I am here to tell you…
Chilled cookie dough > non-chilled cookie dough.
For one, since we are using melted butter in the dough, we need some time for the butter to solidify again so that our cookies don’t end up as cookie puddles (although I’m sure those are delicious).
Secondly, the longer your cookie dough sits, the longer the flour has to absorb moisture from the butter, eggs, and brown sugar which leads to chewiness.
Lastly… Marriage of flavors. You can’t argue with that one.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Because I use melted butter in these cookies, you don’t need your mixer (yay!).
It is as simple as combining the dry ingredients, setting them aside, combining the wet ingredients, then putting it all together. The chocolate chips go in last before you’ll chill the dough.
I like to use a mixture of mini chips and regular chips, and also milk chocolate and semi-sweet chips.
The size and flavor of your chips is totally up to you… This is just the way I prefer mine and I love the variety it brings to each bite.
Once your dough is chilled (at least 2 hours and up to 3 days), you’ll roll it into balls that are 1 ounce in size (about 1 Tablespoon).
HOW TO KNOW WHEN COOKIES ARE DONE
Bake for 10-11 minutes, remove from the oven when they juuuuust start to turn brown, and then allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Leaving them in the oven until they just start to brown will ensure you have a bit of crispiness to your edges. Allowing them to cool on the sheet continues to bake the bottoms and parts of the edges, caramelizing the sugars further and bringing more toffee/butterscotch notes to the overall flavor.
I told you… Chocolate chip cookie science is real.
I know it may seem like a lot to put into just simple chocolate chip cookies, but trust me, the work is worth the result.
And if you need another reason to make these cookies, taste testers have often related them to those cafeteria chocolate chip cookies I spoke about, so if that elicits any kind of nostalgic elementary/middle/high school memories for you and you’d like to recreate them in your own kitchen… This is your chocolate chip cookie recipe, my friend!
Fill them with chocolate chips, mini-m&m’s, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips… Whatever kind of chips you love!
A classic chocolate chip cookie recipe is something every baker should have in their repertoire.
So with that, crunchy-edged-soft-centered-cookie lovers unite. I can’t wait for you to fall in love with these cookies!
Love chocolate chip cookies in different forms? Check out any of these chocolate chip cookie-based recipes next: chocolate chip cookie dough bites, chocolate chip cookie cake, cookie dough brownies, and chocolate chip cookie dough dip.
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup (200g) firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk room temperature1
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ cups (255g) chocolate chips2
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. When sugar clumps disappear, whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Roll the chilled dough into balls (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies) and place 8 balls of dough per cookie sheet. If you like, you can press a few more chocolate chips on top/sides of the dough balls for aesthetic purposes. Keep dough you are not rolling or baking in the refrigerator.
- Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes or until edges just start to turn brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 7 days. Baked cookies may be frozen up to 3 months. You may also freeze rolled cookie dough up to 3 months. Bake frozen for 11-12 minutes.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs: these are preferred for even distribution into batter. As a rule of thumb, when a recipe calls for room temperature or melted butter, it’s generally a good idea to use room temperature eggs as well. If you don’t have time to let eggs come to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes before using.
- Chocolate chips: I prefer 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Nutritional information: all nutritional values are approximate.
It’s here! It’s here! The FAF Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! I cannot wait to try this with my gluten free flour blend! Melted butter – check (and one less stick means it is totally healthy), brown sugar – double check (I’m all about that caramel), and lots o’chunks o’chocolate (I’m a chocolate chunk person, rather than the chips).
I just want to eat all the cookies, because Cookie Monster is my spirit animal, and the creature I am most likely to be reincarnated as 🙂
Amazing, as always Lynn! A classic for all to love 🙂
Haha! It’s funny, the ONLY reason these cookies feature chips and not chunks is because the grocery store was ALL OUT of chunks!! Matt called me and said that there weren’t any chunks and I nearly fainted. NO CHUNKS?! But, but but… I’m supposing everyone bought out of the chunks to make cookies for their Valentine. At least I hope that’s the reason, because chunks > chips. HOWEVER, now that I’ve established the classic, I can just make variations from here on out. Chocolate CHUNK cookies with some other kind of fun thing are in my future, I’m sure of it 🙂
totally trying these right now but I don’t have corn starch, will that totally ruin them? should I add another tbsp of flour?
Hi, Karissa! You most certainly will not ruin them. Your texture will be altered a little bit, and may come out a bit crunchier, but definitely not ruined. I would just omit the cornstarch and add 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon more flour.
Only have salted butter…is this okay?
Absolutely! Just reduce added salt to 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1 whole teaspoon. Enjoy!
Hi! I love to browse your site and look for delicious recipes. This recipe seemed perfect to me since I was looking for chocolate chip cookies with soft center and crispy edges. However they turned uit flat as a pancake, not chewy at all and very greasy when I tried them.. Putting them less longer in the oven didn’t work either. Do you think I used too much butter or the butter was too hot? I’m just a beginner so I would love to hear your tips!
Hi, Rani! If soft centered, crispy edged cookies is what you were looking for, these are definitely it. I’m sorry the recipe seemed not to work out for you. It’s possible anything could have gone wrong, but it does sound like either your butter was too warm, you didn’t chill your dough, or you missed something in the recipe completely. I also know readers have reported flat cookies with an oven that runs hot or putting the dough directly on the sheet, which I never recommend. I hope you try again, because I make these often so I can attest to their ease and outcome!
These cookies are one of my favorite recipes of yours! I didn’t have enough chocolate chips so I subbed 1/3 milk chocolate chips, 1/3 white chocolate chips, and 1/3 dark chocolate chips. SO GOOD! After chilling them, they turn into perfect circles! Soft & gooey on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Ohhh, good combo!! Thank you so much 🙂
This recipe is the tops when it comes to chocolate chip cookies! Best classic recipe I’ve used. I can attest to certain things not turning my way in the recipe, as some other comments noted, but simple corrections have helped me avoid that with each time I make these (I make them a lot throughout the year-they’re a big request!!). Letting the melted butter cool a bit before tossing it in is a big one. Chilling is always a must! Also, checking the expiration dates on things like baking powder (I know that it’s not in this recipe, but thought I’d throw it in here), baking soda (THAT’S in here) and other similar ingredients can make a difference, too! If you’re searching for that perfect chocolate chip cookie to make again and again, you can stop with this one! <3
Thanks so much for your detailed review, Laura! I’m so glad you love these cookies as much as we do.
Amazing! This is how I like my cookies! These will definitely be a favorite in our family and my husband and I can’t wait to try different add-ins\chips!
SO glad you liked them!!
These were DELICIOUS! I’ve been trying to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe forever and this is honestly it. I made cookie boxes for Christmas and everyone called me saying these chocolate chip cookies were not only their favorite in the box, but the best they’ve ever had. Huge hit! I followed the recipe exactly and didn’t have any issues.
Thank you so much for this, Carol! I am so pleased to hear this 🙂
I have tried a ton of chocolate chip cookie recipes and this one takes the cake! I have never made one that used cornstarch, but I trusted the expert and the process and was pleasantly surprised. My son has already ate 5– so he approves too!!
Love this, Katy! Thanks so much 🙂
I made three today and added little bars of chocolate on top. They were delicious!! Definitely my go to recipe no
I LOVE that idea– thanks so much, Rabs!
My favorite chocolate chip cookie!
That means so much– thank you, Katie!
THESE ARE THE G.O.A.T. of chocolate chips cookies. After years of searching and probably 20 recipes I think I have found my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have done the Jacque Torres one and always preferred Toll House (I also loved Christina Tosi’s recipe). But these have that MAGICAL CHEW that I couldn’t replicate!! Fresh out of the oven they have the crispy edge too. After a day in a container they lose that crispy edge contrast but the chew is still there. After two days in a sealed container they start to get brittle. So it’s really best eaten within two days of making, which won’t be hard to eat or share with those worthy of these cookies. I only have one question, even after 2 days of chilling in the oven I still seemed to get more spread than I would have liked. I mixed everything by hand so I don’t know what the cause would be. Butter too hot when mixing? I would have thought the chilling would resolve that. Anyway, this is only my second recipe by you and I’m converted to being a loyal follower!!
This review makes my life, Justine 🙂 thanks so much! As far as the spreading goes: make sure you’re measuring the flour by weight, use light colored baking pans, and the center position rack in the oven. Let me know how that goes!
I am constantly looking for the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie recipe. These are great right out of the oven and after they are completely cooled. I am elated to find this. Solid 9 1/2.
This means so much! Thank you, Marie!
Omg, this page kept freezing up on me from ads – then it refreshed on its own and switched to some other recipe. I think it was Chocolate Balls but before I noticed anything the recipe said to pour the melted butter and add vanilla to the dry mixture. So I did until it hit me there is no sugar in the bowl. I added it to the sugar bowl mixture and just mixed it all together….eggs were last so we shall see how they turn out tomorrow. Going to definitely chill overnight. Print your recipe if you can. These web pages can be frustrating. Wish me luck!
Hmm, I’ve never heard this particular issue before. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi! Should dark or light brown sugar be used? Super excited to try this recipe!!
Hey, Amanda– it doesn’t actually matter. Whatever brown sugar you typically use is fine. Enjoy!
I never thought much of chocolate chip cookies. I just discovered it was because I never had the right recipe. I love these cookies. The are perfect. Thank you for taking the time to develop the best chocolate cookie around.
Thank you for trusting my recipe, Diane! 🙂
Easy-no mixer. Everything by Fresh April Flours always turns out perfectly delicious!
Thanks so much, Lisa! 🙂
Me and my daughter made these for a cooking video and we loved them! Easy to follow recipe and they turned out great!
Thanks so much, Devon! Leah did an awesome job!
Can you roll the dough into balls before you refrigerate them?
Hi, Jessica– yes, you can do that! The dough will feel very soft and greasy, but they will be perfect once baked!