These chewy chocolate chip cookies use a method I stumbled on after years of testing, and they always turn out thick and loaded with gooey chocolate (the kind that clings to your fingers in the best way). Honestly, if you love a cookie with a soft center and a crisp edge, this recipe might spoil you for all others.
PrintHow to Make Forever Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies at Home
These chewy chocolate chip cookies use a method I stumbled on after years of testing, and they always turn out thick and loaded with gooey chocolate (the kind that clings to your fingers in the best way). Honestly, if you love a cookie with a soft center and a crisp edge, this recipe might spoil you for all others.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup salted butter*, cold and sliced
- ⅔ cups light brown sugar, very tightly packed
- 1 large whole egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
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Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
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In a bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Hand-whisk to combine well. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sliced/cold butter with paddle attachment on medium speed, 2 min. Use rubber spatula to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
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Add brown sugar and continue beating until smooth, 1 min. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed just until mixture is fully incorporated, scraping down sides.
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Gently add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no flour streaks remain and mixture is combined; don’t over mix.
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Add chocolate chips and mix on low speed just to incorporate; again, do not over mix. Use rubber spatula to fully scrape down sides/paddle.
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Form a large dough ball with hands. If dough is somehow too sticky, cover and chill a bit until dough is manageable, 15-30 minutes.
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Form 1 1/4 inch dough balls and place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets, keeping remaining dough chilled while in between batches
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Bake 8-9 minutes or edges are turning golden and cookies are somewhat puffy. Cookies will still seem under-baked but will set nicely upon cooling. Don’t over-bake.
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If desired, gently press in a few extra chocolate chips on tops of hot cookies. Let cookies cool 10 min on baking pan before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling. Cookies must cool to set correctly.
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Notes
- If using unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 tsp salt.
- If cookies accidentally spread into one another, use a rubber spatula to gently push edges of each cookie back towards its center, while cookies are hot.
- Actual bake time will vary depending on temperature of dough and specific ovens. We recommend baking a half-batch of cookies first, to get the timing down, before proceeding with remaining batches.
- These cookies keep wonderfully for days when sealed airtight at room temp.
- Unused cookie dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for several weeks. Baked cookies can be frozen, too.
- If dough is very cold, you may need to bake an extra minute.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
- This is THE chocolate chip cookie we make on repeat, as it is super easy and turns out perfect every single time. My youngest son started making these himself in middle school, and still makes them to this dayl
- 8 pantry staple ingredients are all you’ll need.
- No butter melting or dough chilling required, these cookies couldn’t be any easier to make.
- Share and Gift these cookies, as they’re beloved for packed lunches, holiday parties, or giving away as gifts.
- They stay chewy for as long as you can keep them around!
Variations and Add-Ins
If you want to add even more flavor and texture to this recipe, you can easily include extra ingredients in the dough. For instance, try incorporating:
- Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts – salted, roasted nuts add texture and flavor.
- M&Ms – choose your favorite flavors and colors that fit the season!
- Small candy pieces – the possibilities are endless! We love chopped up Reese’s peanut butter cups, Twix, Andes mints, and Snickers.
- Pieces of chocolate bars – try dark chocolate, white chocolate, or any of your favorites!
Tools You’ll Need to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
There is no fancy equipment needed for these cookies. However, there are a few tools we recommend for successful cookie-making of any kind. They include:
- Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper – keeps cookies from sticking to pan.
- Baking Sheets – we love these Nordic Ware sheets, as they bake evenly.
- Hand Whisk – this is for mixing dry ingredients.
- Stand Mixer – you can also use an electric hand mixer, but our favorite is this classic Kitchen Aid stand mixer, which is a workhorse in our kitchen.
- Cookie Spatula – a good thin metal cookie spatula works wonders in transferring cookies without ruining them.
- Cookie Scoop – a good cookie scoop helps keep the size of your cookies uniform. It’s a good idea to have several sizes in your arsenal.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sliced/cold butter with paddle attachment on medium speed. Add brown sugar and continue beating until smooth, 1 min. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Combine flour mixture and butter mixture on low speed; don’t over mix. Add chocolate chips and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Use rubber spatula to fully scrape down sides/paddle.
- Form a large dough ball with hands. If dough is somehow too sticky, cover and chill a bit until dough is manageable, 15-30 minutes.
Bake on silicone baking sheet or parchment
Form 1 1/4 inch dough balls and place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake 8-9 minutes or edges are turning golden and cookies are somewhat puffy. Cookies will still seem under-baked, but will set nicely upon cooling.
The Secret to Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Sugar: When it comes to cookie making, the key to a chewy texture is largely in the ingredients used. For instance, white sugar has less moisture than brown which would dry out the dough; thus, we use all brown sugar only.
- Egg Yolk: Adding one extra egg yolk, without the egg white, increases the moisture content – the natural yolk fat creates a chewier texture.
- Don’t Over-Mix: The second largest contributor is the technique used to create and bake the cookies. To begin, you’ll want to mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Over-mixing will activate the gluten, creating a tough texture.
- Beat Cold Butter Well: Use cold butter, not softened butter – you’ll beat that cold butter all by itself for a whole 2 minutes before adding anything else. Then, you’ll want to make sure your dough is slightly chilled and easy to work with. This helps the fat distribute evenly as it bakes, creating tender layers in the cookies.
- Slightly Under-bake: Removing the cookies from the oven just as they turn golden brown allows them to finish baking as they cool and ensures they do not overcook and dry out. Over-baked cookies are a big culprit for dry cookies that lack a chewy texture.
- Separate the edges. If your cookies accidentally spread into one another while in the oven, use a rubber spatula to gently push the edges of each cookie back to the center while they’re still hot.
How to Store and Freeze Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Baked Cookies: It’s almost impossible not to devour these cookies right away. However, if you happen to have leftovers, they can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, freeze your baked chewy chocolate chip cookies for up to 3 months.
Cooke Dough: If you want to prepare the dough in advance, store it covered in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Or, roll it into balls, and freeze them for up to 3 months.
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