When it comes to defining the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie, I’ve found that everyone has their preferred type of recipe and many factors (elevation, humidity, personal preference) can influence that definition. These Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are definitely one of my favorites! I recommend scooping them large so they have time to develop their signature buttery-crisp edges and retain their soft centers.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can. One thing that’s unique about this recipe is that we’re using melted butter. Melted butter coats the flour more thoroughly than creamed, softened butter, limiting gluten development and resulting in a denser, chewier cookie.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs –You’ll need one whole egg and one egg yolk. The extra egg yolk adds fat without extra liquid, creating richer flavor and the soft, chewy texture these cookies are known for.
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet or bittersweet.
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- We’re starting with some melted butter. I recommend melting slowly at half power until all the pieces are almost melted and let residual heat finish melting it. It should be just warm to the touch, not hot.
- That gets mixed up with typical cookie dough ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, vanilla, a whole egg, and and egg yolk.
- Fold in some chocolate chips and you’re good to go!
- Transfer the dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. I prefer the texture of these cookies best when scooped large, in a ball of about 3 tablespoons of dough. A scooper works great! Don’t flatten them down after placing them on the baking sheet.
- I’ve learned you can under-bake them by quite a bit because they set up well and get more crisp around the edges as they cool. So don’t wait for them to get browned, just set. Once they come out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a baking rack. Enjoy!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store fully cooked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy with days for best results.
- Freeze cookies in single layers, with each layer separated by parchment, in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw desired number of cookies at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t need to, unless your butter was too warm. However, if you find your cookies are spreading flat in the oven, refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes before baking can help!
Yep! Feel free to prep the dough up to 48 hours before baking. For ease of baking later, scoop the dough into balls and refrigerate in single layers, with each layer separated by a sheet of parchment, in an airtight container. This will make it easy to transfer portioned dough onto your cookie sheet when ready to bake.
Yes. Portion dough into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 325°F for 14-16 minutes, or until edges are set and centers look slightly under baked.
Yep. Feel free to add nuts or change up the flavor of baking chips. You can also add citrus zest, spices, or whatever you’d like!
We’ve had readers report great success using a good quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend!
Find your Favorite chocolate chip cookie!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoon butter 1½ sticks melted and cooled until warm*
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- *You want your butter melted, but not hot. It’s best when it has a milky look, not clear yellow. Your dough will be quite loose if you use hot melted butter and you’ll need to wait for it to harden a bit before scooping your dough. I recommend melting slowly at half power until all the pieces are almost melted and let residual heat finish melting it. It should be just warm to the touch, not hot.
- Heat oven to 350℉. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
- Beat butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop into balls (see Notes below for alternate scoop method) and bake until outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy. Baking time will depend on the size of your cookies. I think the texture of these cookies are best when scooped large, about 3 tablespoons of dough, each, which will bake for 9-12 minutes. Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.
Notes
- Store fully cooked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy with days for best results.
- Freeze cookies in single layers, with each layer separated by parchment, in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw desired number of cookies at room temperature.
- Alternate scoop method: This recipe as written from ATK suggests rolling 1/4 cup dough into a ball and then breaking it in half, placing the broken side facing up on the cookie sheet. The craggly texture of the top creates a nice shape and texture to the baked cookie. That being said, I almost always just use an extra large cookie scoop and skip the breaking part because it’s quick and easy and they still turn out amazing.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
These ROCK! Mine came out perfect and looked like they came from a professional bakery! Used parchment paper, and cookie scoop to mold the cookie dough! YUMMY!
I have made this recipe twice now in the last week. I have a 'party' I'm going to tonight and I was positive I wanted to bring these cookies ….SOOOOO good!
They are delicious! I added some dried cherries and used chocolate chunks instead of regular chips. divine. I am up here in the Seattle area and I had to cook them for 2-3 more minutes than the recipe called for, but no biggie. They are DELICIOUS! Thanks for a new favorite! I finally found a recipe I can do right! My sister in law has an amazing recipe that I seem to mess up all the time, here is to "my" new cookie!
Thanks!
These are, without a doubt, the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this recipe!
SO, probably not high altitude? What do you think? I am in Wyoming at @ 6380 ft….. adjustments or not?
Crazy Jay- haha, hard to keep everything straight, right?! I'm in Idaho at about 2,900 feet so a little lower than Utah.
So, after reading all the commotion for the other Choc. Chip Cookie about high altitude, vs, sea level, this cookie was made by Sara, who is in Utah, and so it should work at high altitude??? Do I have everything straight?
YIPEE!!! now i finally have the PERFECT chocolate chip cookie recipe! i've never been successful with chocolate chip cookies for some reason. it's been completely frustrating! but these turned out PERFECT and they are the TYPE of cookie that i love. texture is to die for! thank you thank you thank you! i feel like i've found the pot of gold!
I made these cookies- and they were the best choc chip cookies I have ever had. They are very chewy, but that's what I love about them! Just perfect.
okaie, so those were reallie great cookies! my brother didnt like the cookie dough, but i thought it was fantastishh! =D
when i put the cookies on the sheet i did them both ways you wrote about; i took pics of them afterwards to put on here but it wont let me put it in a comment =/
anywhoo, my mom &&i liked the normal ones while my brother liked the ridges on top. so now imma have to make them both ways, lol; alreadie having to make chocolate chip dough &&whatever my dad wants in a smaller portion of dough [like white chocolate or butterscotch chips], so its a lotta work!! but soo worth it!! =D
when the alarm went off i was just itching to eat those cookies! when i took them out i knew i shoulda waited to put the cookies onto the rack, but i couldnt! lol. luckily onlie one cookie broke – &&just a littlie bit! i was hoping more would brake off so i could burn my mouth with its goodness, haha. well when i ate that little piece of cookie without a chip, it tasted kinda sugar cookieish; which is a plus with mi familia(=
good recipe! DEFF using it again.