Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 24 servings

Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite treat for a reason. They're crisp on the outside, tender and chewy on the inside, and full of chocolatey goodness. No one can resist a warm chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate chip cookies, also known as Toll House Cookies, were first created by Ruth Wakefield for her Toll House Inn in Massachusetts. She made them with chopped Nestlé chocolate bars. The recipe—originally called "chocolate crunch cookies"—was published in a Boston newspaper. People wrote to Mrs. Wakefield for the recipe and sales of Nestlé chocolate bars increased. With her permission, the Nestle company began printing the recipe on their semisweet chocolate bar wrappers. In 1939, Nestle began producing and packaging the chocolate morsels we use today.

For softer, chewier cookies, don't skip the optional chill time and bake them until they have just lost their shine but before they brown in the middle. For crunchier cookies, simply cook them longer. You can make the cookie dough up to two days ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge before baking. It freezes great, too. Add nuts for a bit of crunch or leave them out, these chocolate chip cookies are delicious either way.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

  2. In a mixing bowl, beat ​the butter until smooth and creamy with an electric mixer.

  3. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue to beat for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until light in color and fluffy.

  4. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until well blended. ​​​

  5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Blend well with a spoon or whisk.

  6. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir just until thoroughly blended.

  7. With a spoon or spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

  8. If you have time, chill the dough in the refrigerator for anywhere from an hour to overnight.

  9. Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet from a tablespoon or small cookie scoop leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

  10. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until set and just lightly browned on the bottoms.

  11. Let cool for a minute on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Store leftover chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
  • The uncooked dough will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to two days.
  • To freeze, form the cookies on a lined baking sheet but don't bake. Freeze on the baking sheet for at least an hour, then transfer to an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. To bake, place the frozen cookie dough on a prepared baking sheet and let sit on the counter while you preheat the oven. Add a minute or so to the bake time.
  • You can also freeze baked, cooled chocolate chip cookies for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying.

Tips

  • Chilling the dough before baking will help to make thicker, softer cookies. It also enhances the flavors, especially if you chill overnight.
  • You can make these cookies bigger or smaller, just be sure to adjust the bake time accordingly.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of semisweet chocolate chips, try another flavor or a mixture of two. Make the cookies with white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips. Butterscotch or mint chocolate chips are also fun options.
  • Chocolate chunks are good for creating pools of chocolate in the cookies. Swap them for some or all of the chips.
  • For crunch, include the chopped pecans or swap for walnuts or macadamia nuts.

How Do You Make Chewy Cookies That Are Not Cakey?

The number one way to avoid cakey cookies is to measure your flour properly. Too much flour will produce cakey cookies instead of soft, chewy cookies. Fluff the flour before measuring, spoon it into the measuring cup, and gently sweep the excess off the top. Also avoid over-baking, which can make cookies dry.

Why Did My Chocolate Chip Cookies Turn Out Flat?

If your cookies end up flatter than you hoped, try chilling the rest of the dough for at least an hour before shaping and baking. Cookies can spread too much when the dough is warm.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
113 Calories
6g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 113
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 76mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 41mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)