Okay, y’all. I had something else planned for today. It’s a two-part dinner recipe. It’s delicious and healthy and grilled and perfect for summer and all that business, but then I was so overcome with a very specific craving. It would not go away. It had to be indulged. And that craving, my friend, was for these Ultimate Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. We shall save the grilled chicken for another day.
the dream cookie
You see, I have had quite the hankering for chocolate chip cookies, but not just any chocolate chip cookies. I did not want anything with frills–no nuts, no oatmeal, no fancy extra steps. I wanted the kind of chocolate chip cookies you bake when you’re learning to bake and the kind you make when you fully intend on only eating the cookie dough (yes, I’m aware the of the dangers; no I don’t care).
I wanted chocolate chip cookies that weren’t cakey but still soft, that were full of rich flavor but simple to make. I wanted the kind of cookie dough that you buy from kids who come fundraising to your door and you never see them again and you question if they were ever really real or if the cookie dough was just God’s way of telling you that, “Hey, things suck right now, but here’s some mysteriously amazing cookie dough to let you know it’s probably going to be okay.” These are heartbreak chocolate chip cookies. “I’m sorry” chocolate chip cookies. “I want you to be my friend, please” chocolate chip cookies.
These cookies are…more than words.
I used to make this recipe all the time another lifetime ago when I lived in Utah and they were perfect. I forgot about them when I moved to Louisiana 11 1/2 years ago because something was off with the flour and the altitude and they came out cakey and a little bit flavorless. Back in the day, I was too scared to mess with the flour, but I am a stronger woman now who isn’t afraid of flour measurements and it turned out to be a very simple fix. And they are every bit as amazing as I remember them.
all about margarine
One more thing–before I am assaulted by comments on the evils of margarine and how I’m not a real person if I don’t use all butter and whatever, let me make it clear that I love butter in cookies and we have countless recipes that only call for butter in the cookies. One thing that makes these cookies special is the texture and the texture comes from using butter + high-quality margarine (like Smart Balance) or butter-flavored shortening. I promise it will all be okay. Just make sure you get regular margarine–nothing light, lowfat, whipped, with yogurt, etc.–these will only add extra air or water into your cookies. Just regular sticks or tubs of softened margarine.
let’s get started!
You’re going to need softened butter and margarine, white sugar, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips. See? Nothing special. I don’t know why these cookies are special…the proportions or magic or something.
Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place butter, margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl
Cream together butter, margarine, and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs
and vanilla
and mix until combined and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop onto cookie sheet by heaping tablespoon or with a cookie scoop. You should get 12 cookies per sheet.
The Ultimate Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup high-quality tub margarine like Smart Balance or butter-flavored shortening, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cup flour lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife (see note for altitude directions)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 12- ounce bag chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream together butter, margarine, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop onto cookie sheet by tablespoon or with a cookie scoop. You should get 12 cookies per sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Naturally, you want to keep an eye on them because every oven is different. Makes about 3 dozen.Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
other chocolate chip cookie recipes
If you’re looking for some of our many, many, many other chocolate chip cookie recipes, check out these recipes!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
Giant Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (my other personal favorite!)
Small-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread
Pizzookies (this dough is PERFECT for pizzookies!)
supplies used in this post
1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop
Nordicware half sheet baking sheets
Parchment sheets
KitchenAid 6-Quart Mixer
Questions & Reviews
Oh my goodness!! These are the best cookies I have ever made. And my husband thinks so too. Thank you so so much. I've never been much of a baker (sad I know) but with this recipe I could bake every day. Oh and gain 100 lbs. When i make them i feel like putting a big blue ribbon on the plate & declaring myself the 4-H fair winner.
I have this EXACT same recipe from a ward cookbook and they are hands down the BEST! I personally love them with all margerine because they are sooo soft but to each their own. 🙂
Tried these tonight–delish! Living in Texas, I am below 3,000 feet so I used 2 1/4 cups flour (since that's what they recommend on the Ghiradehli chocolate chips bag). Troy thought there was a smidge too much salt so I think next time we'll cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon but other than that– perfecto! Thanks so much for another fabulous recipe. Can't wait to get the new cookbook!!
Thanks for this recipe–I have a tub of Smart Balance in the fridge that needs to be used! (I used it for something dairy-free for a friend and then didn't seem to have any use for it.) And just to chime in, ME TOO! on the little cookie scoop–seriously, one of the best tools in my kitchen. (I also use it to serve ice cream to the kids: "Look! You're getting THREE scoops! You're so lucky!")
I recenlty bought one of those cute little cookie scoopers (been wanting one for years), what better way to break it in than making this delicous recipe! Can't wait to try it out. 🙂
You read my mind! All morning I have been thinking about how bad I wanted to make some warm delicious cookies!
Yep, if you're at sea level (or relatively low elevation), just reduce the flour by 2 tablespoons.
And yes, just sub the Crisco for the margarine.
Happy cookie making! 🙂
Since this recipe gets such a ringing endorsement, I'll have to try it.
I usually just take the Tollhouse recipe and add some extra salt and vanilla. Have had no complaints yet. Oh, and pecans… have to have pecans. Not walnuts, pecans!!
As for flat cookies, I always assumed it was because I was using old baking soda. Since I now use baking soda everywhere in my house, I always have fresh baking soda now. I never thought for an instant that it had to do with how long or hard the dough was beaten! Come to think about it, I got a KitchenAid stand mixer for Christmas one year and that is when my cookies started having a more consistent texture!
Read your blog often and have pre-ordered the book. Can't wait to have it delivered!
Sooo…for those using butter flavored Crisco, are you replacing just the margarine with the crisco, or both the butter & the margarine?
Also, I saw that someone had used 2 3/4 c. flour at an elevation of around 1200 ft…I'm at 700 ft…do you think that I should use the 2 3/4 c., or a little less yet?
I'll have to give these a go. A friend a long time ago gave me a similar family recipe. She told me one of the secrets was to whip the cream mixture for a long time- like 5 minutes. It really makes a big difference to make them light and fluffy. Yum!