This is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe EVER! The secret is in melting the butter. No chilling time required, no funny ingredients, just simple, homemade chewy chocolate chip cookies!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are little morsels of memories. I'm sure you, too, have more than one memory that has a chocolate chip cookie wrapped up in it. I know my family adores them, and with this easy and fast recipe (no dough chilling time in sight!) you'll have a batch whipped up in no time. I love making a big batch of dough and keeping some frozen in case visitors come by or we get an unexpected sweet tooth calling.
If you've been on the hunt for a great recipe for chocolate chip cookies, look no more. This is the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever try. If you don't love them the first time, make them again; you made a mistake somewhere. 🙂 Seriously though, for being a very basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (no extensive chilling time needed, no cornstarch needed, etc.) this is the best recipe out there.
Here's what the butter and sugar should look like before you add anything else (right). It will be light and fluffy, and this will take a full 5-8 minutes of mixing. Don't skip this step!
What Makes These The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies?
It is made with 100% butter, melted to give the cookies a hint of caramel flavor.
The secret key to this chocolate chip cookie recipe is the melted butter. I LOVE that it uses melted butter because you don't have to wait for the butter to come to room temperature. When you beat the melted butter and the sugars together you beat and beat until the mixture gets light and fluffy (pictures in the post for reference!); the process takes several minutes but it's where the cookie magic happens! The cookies have a caramel undertone that is so delicious and they turn out great every time you make them. They are crisp on the edges, a little soft in the middle, and the perfect cookie texture all around.
You don't have to chill the cookie dough.
Also, you don't have to chill the dough like many other recipes. The reason is because this dough is sturdy enough to spread a bit as the cookies bake, but not enough to totally flatten the cookies into one another. They hold their shape well, so the extra time spent refrigerating is unnecessary!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
- Flour: To bind and fill the cookies. You could also have good luck using gluten free flour, almond flour, or whole wheat flour.
- Baking soda: For the cookies to rise and puff up a bit as they bake.
- Salt: To round out the sweet flavors.
- Butter: And lots of it! Melting it is the key to perfectly soft, chewy, amazing chocolate chip cookies.
- Egg + an egg yolk: Eggs help add volume to cookies and extra yolk makes them more tender.
- Vanilla: For a subtle warming flavor.
- Chocolate chips: Of course! This adds the morsels of chocolate necessary for these cookies. You can use any chocolate chip variety you like here; I use semisweet.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies:
You are going to love making these cookies! They're SO delish and fun to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium. Until smooth and light and fluffy in color, around 5 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly add flour, the salt and baking soda.
- Mix in the chips until incorporated.
- Roll them into ¼-inch balls. And place them on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper or a baking mat) about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies. Until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the middles are still soft and puffy, around 10 minutes.
- Cool cookies. Keep on baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, and enjoy!
Why I Bake These Cookies at 325 Degrees F. Instead of 350 Degrees F.
Baking cookies at 325 helps to make sure the inside and outside bake evenly. The outside doesn't get crunchy while the inside remains gooey; instead, you have a chewy, but fully baked, cookie from inside out.
Possible Add-in Ideas:
- Oatmeal: Use a half-cup less of flour and add 1 cup of oats to the dough at the same time as the flour for a grainy, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans: Fold in ¾ cup of chopped nuts to the dough when you add the chocolate chips for an added crunch and nuttiness.
- Toffee: Break toffee into small bits and fold ¾ cup in with the chocolate chips to add a bit of crunch and sweetness from the toffee candy.
- Mini M&M's: Want a burst of color and an added chocolate boost? Mix in ¾ cup of mini M&M's when you add the chocolate chips.
- Cocoa powder: For double chocolate chip cookies and chocolatey cookie dough, add a ½ cup of cocoa to the dough with the flour.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies:
These cookies will stay fresh stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cookie FAQs
How Do You Get Perfectly Shaped Cookies?
Invest in a cookie scoop ! It's a game changer. I also like using baking mats. Everyone needs both in their kitchen.
Can I Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?
Yes! I always double this recipe, bake a couple dozen, then form and freeze the rest.
How to freeze the dough: Form the dough into the balls, stick them in a single layer in an airtight container, and freeze for up to a month.
How to bake frozen dough: Just bake the frozen dough for a few minutes longer at 350 degrees F. (instead of 325 degrees F.). They turn out perfect every time. Now I always have cookies in the freezer ready to pop in the oven on a whim. I haven't said no to a request for cookies in months!
I love having the cookie dough in the freezer, too, for unexpected guests or when I want to take some dinner over to a friend. Hot cookies are always welcome with a meal!
Troubleshooting Chocolate Chip Cookies
- How can I tell my cookies are underdone?
- They will still look like dough (glistening, soft) and won't be golden-brown around the edges.
- Why are my cookies spreading too much?
- Too little flour is often the culprit of flat cookies -- make sure you measure it well!
- Why didn't my cookies flatten?
- Too much flour or not melting the butter can cause them to remain in their cylinder shape.
My favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
Description
This is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe EVER! The secret is in melting the butter (no more waiting for it to soften!). No chilling time required, no funny ingredients, just simple, homemade, amazingly delicious and chewy chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until smooth and light and fluffy in color, around 5 minutes. The mixture will be very noticeably lighter in color (see post for before and after pictures).
- Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the flour, the salt and baking soda, and then the second half of the flour. Mix in the chips until incorporated.
- Working with 1 large tablespoons of dough at a time, roll them into balls and place them on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper or a baking mat) about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the middles are still soft and puffy, around 10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
- To freeze this cookie dough, simple form it into balls and stick them in a single layer in a zipper-topped bag or an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze. Place the frozen cookie dough balls on your baking-mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Hot cookies on demand will change your life! These freeze very well. I normally make a double batch and freeze half.
- When I double the recipe I do 3 eggs instead of 2 eggs and 2 yolks because that's simpler for me. They turn out great.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: best chocolate chip cookies, homemade chocolate chip cookies, easy chocolate chip cookies, how to make chocolate chip cookies, chewy chocolate chip cookies
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book
Did you know I'm a little cookie obsessed? Try these too:
- Healthy Applesauce Cookies
- M&M Oatmeal Cookies
- Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Extra Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Easy Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Homemade Mint Oreo Cookies
- Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints
- Perfect Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Extra Buttery Spritz Cookies
- Soft and Puffy Greek Yogurt Sugar Cookies
The recipe was originally published in February 2012. It was rephotographed, rewritten, and republished for your enjoyment in February 2020.
Jessica Lather
By far the best chocolate chip cookie recipe EVER!! I made them for a BBQ and they were a hit! I will definitely make extra next time and freeze the dough.
★★★★★
Melissa
Seriously loved hearing this, made my day! I hope you make them again and again like we do 🙂
Cathy
Love these! Made them with my 9 year old autistic grandson and his almost 5 year old sister. They had a blast and gobbled up several before they were completely cool. We will definitely be making these again! Thank you so much for sharing your gift of baking.
★★★★★
Melissa
Cooking with your people, I LOVE IT! Go grandma go!
Mary
My daughter is home from college and requested homemade chocolate chip cookies. I alternate between a few different recipes but came across your blog/recipe and gave it a try tonight. It’s wonderful and I’ll be making it again for sure. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Abby
This has become my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe! They melt in your mouth! ? My husband asks me to make these almost weekly and I don’t ever object. ? I’ve made them for get togethers, to bring to new mamas, and taking them to my new principal tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Melissa
Loving hearing that! That is 100% how we feel about them too. Thank you for taking the time to tell me, that made my morning!
Ruby
It makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Love love LOVE this recipe!!!
★★★★★
Melissa
I couldn't agree more, thanks for coming back to comment!
Amy hines
I need this! Thanks!
Bernadette B.
So good!
★★★★★
Bhakti Chan
These are amazing! I made these for an event I attended today, and they were really well received. I used large chocolate chips and sprinkled some sea salt on top to offset the sweetness. Fabulous recipe, delicious cookies!
★★★★★
Vera
This recipe sounds so good! Did anyone weigh the ingredients? My tablespoons all have different sizes and I don't know how much butter I need to add. I would also bet that 1 stick of butter is not the same size in Europe and the states. 🙂
Tim Hinson
What does 11/2 sticks of butter mean.
Also why 2cups flower and 2 tablespoon how does 2 tablespoon make a difference.
Also do you sift flower.
Melissa
That's 3/4 cup butter and yes, the tablespoons matter, and no you don't need to sift the flour! Good luck!
Courtney
Just made these following your recipe and they are magnificentttt!! Simply Devine!! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and enjoyed browsing your page!
Tara
Just made these again last night!!! They are amazing!
★★★★★
Susan JECHORT
These cookies are amazing better than the other brand thank you this is our new favorite cookie
Laura
I love this chocolate chip cookie recipe. I would try it out this weekend and give feedback thereafter.
Amy
Trying when I get home!
AnnaBanana
You are a cookie goddess! I've made these several times now, and I love them! Any of your cookie recipes I've tried are winners, and I am picky with cookies.
Charie
Do you make these with Whole Wheat Flour?
Melissa
Nope, but if you try you should tell me how it goes! I would totally try whole wheat pastry flour though... that stuff is so good!
Stephanie C.
I'll have to try these! I have another recipe that is similar to this but just softened butter and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar. Have you ever made these with milk chocolate chips? That's a favorite in our house
Especially the ghirradelli brand 🙂
Melissa
Oh girl... any thing Ghirradelli in cookies is good 🙂 Yes, I've tried those in the cookies too and they are great. I just love dark chocolate! My family likes the milk better though...
Vicki Alder
OMG! This is probably the only chocolate chip cookie recipe that I will make from now on. Don't know what does it, but it works!
Melissa
It's the melted butter I think. It does something magical. Thanks for the kind comment; I love feedback!
mommaRx
I started my new eating better/exercising- to-lose-the-baby-weight this past Monday and as my last indulgence I made these cookies! They were fantastic and you are right- I will never need another recipe again! I ate about 7 Sunday night! I'm so happy your blog is doing so amazing!! I love your recipes and ideas 🙂
Melissa
So it takes some turn over time between making, photographing, editing, and then posting. SO the cookie posts are all a little old. I'm totally doing what you are doing! I'm doing 6 weeks with no sugar or refined carbs. Must loose my baby weight! I have a treat once a week (normally Sunday) and these are what I want to make all of the time! I've only been doing it for a week though so I haven't made it to my snack day yet 🙂 What's your eating plan? We should work together. So much better with a friend!
Rob and Marseille
yum! though I think rob needs to be the one making cookies @ our house. he made some yesterday that were soo chewy and yummy!
Chrissi
I'm making these today after church. The only modification that I have to make for the recipe is I have milk chocolate chips, not semi-sweet. Hope they're still as delicious!
Amber
This is my favorite ccc recipe also....the melted butter and extra brown sugar make them amazing!
Josannah Terry
This recipe is awesome! My son and I just made a batch and enjoyed them with a guest. I froze some as well and have some formed in balls in an airtight contained in the fridge. Just wondering how long they are good for in the fridge?
★★★★★
Melissa
In an air-tight container I'd say a couple of months. I keep the dough in the freezer too! It lasts really well. So glad you liked them as much as we do!
Tim Hinson
Do you use unsalted butter
Melissa
It's up to you, they are both fine. Unsalted is traditional but I generally use salted because that's what I keep on hand.