These chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect cookie with a soft and moist center, melty morsels of chocolate, and crisp edges. It’s the only chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need because it’s classic—not fussy, complicated, or time-consuming.
There’s no need for refrigeration, special tricks, or complex cooking techniques to get the best chocolate cookie. Our foolproof, classic recipe tastes exactly how it should—insanely delicious. After all, it’s the incredible flavor and easy-to-make recipe that keeps traditional desserts like Gingerbread Cookies, Banana Bread, and Baklava so popular for ages!
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Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
My high school used to sell the best chocolate chip cookies at lunchtime. They were soft, thick and irresistible. With this cookie recipe, I sought to recreate that memorable texture and this recipe takes me back to the days when I saved up my quarters for the rare treat of the cafeteria cookie.
There is no match for homemade chocolate chip cookies with chewy and soft texture, gooey chocolate chips, and the sweetest aroma coming from your oven. As America’s most loved cookie, they are perfect for every occasion, whether you’re making Christmas cookies, comforting a neighbor, or surprising your kiddos with a sweet after-school treat.
Just like with Chocolate Crinkle Cookies or Christmas Sugar Cookies, everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, so here’s why this one is a keeper:
- The cookies stay soft for days
- Easy, straightforward recipe with tips to make it foolproof!
- No resting/refrigerating time—so you can satisfy your craving immediately
- Pantry staple ingredients
- True to the classic flavor everyone loves
- Stores and freezes well
- Make ahead option to always have dough on hand
Chocolate Chip Cookies Video
In this video, Natasha shows you how easy it is to whip up a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. *Note that we updated the recipe and now use 1 tsp of baking soda because we loved the results even more.
Ingredients:
The best chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with pantry and refrigerator staples—nothing fancy or hard to find here.
- Unsalted butter – room temperature butter creates the best consistency to trap air for a chewy, airy dough with the best texture and rise.
- Granulated sugar – white sugar adds sweetness without adding moisture for the perfect spread
- Brown sugar – molasses keeps the cookie moist, soft, and chewy. Be sure to press the sugar tightly into the cup when measuring
- Eggs – room temperature eggs mix more evenly to bind the dough
- Vanilla extract – store-bought or homemade vanilla extract gives that classic chocolate chip cookie flavor
- All-purpose flour – be sure to measure correctly to get the right amount: fluff with a spoon and then scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Finally, scrape off the top. Be sure not to pat the flour down
- Baking soda – sift to eliminate clumps
- Salt – balances the sweetness of the sugars
- Chocolate chips – we prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate or bittersweet chips for a slightly different taste. See our buying guide below – be sure to use the full amount because they add moisture and give good form to the cookies
Pro Tip:
If you don’t have time to let the butter come to room temperature, try this trick to soften the butter quickly, because it makes a big difference.
How to Buy Chocolate Chips
Chocolate chips come in different varieties. Here’s what to look for:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (46%-60% cocoa): the traditional chip for chocolate chip cookies. You can use full-size or mini chips, chunks, or even chopped chocolate. Nestle, Tollhouse, Ghirardelli, Guittard, Kirkland, Hershey’s….they all work!
- Milk chocolate chips (10% cocoa): these make very sweet cookies, so have your glass of milk ready. Try mixing with semi-sweet.
- Bittersweet chocolate chips (70% cocoa): less sweet and intensely chocolatey. These produce a more “adult” cookie.
Substitutions
It’s easy to make these cookies your own. You’ll need 2 cups of mix-ins, so if you’re feeling adventurous, try some of these fun alternatives to chocolate chips:
- Peanut butter chips
- Sprinkles
- Butterscotch chips
- M&M candies
- Macadamia nuts
- Chopped unsalted peanuts
- White vanilla baking chips
- Shredded coconut
- Pretzel pieces – the options are endless!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
It’s so simple to mix up this easy chocolate chip cookie recipe with pantry staples and no refrigeration is needed.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Cream the butter and sugars together for 5 minutes until light and fluffy—this is the most important step to get a chewy cookie. Be sure to beat for the full amount of time!
- Beat eggs into the butter mixture one at a time followed by the vanilla extract.
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and sifted baking soda) in a separate bowl, and then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds. Finally, fold the chocolate chips into the dough. Be sure not to over-mix (this can cause the dough to become tough).
- Roll balls of dough or use a trigger release scoop to scoop 3 Tbsp balls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12-15 minutes. The tops should still look a bit wet and not browned. We usually bake 1/3 of the cookies at a time and refrigerate or freeze the rest for later, so see our tips below.
- Rest the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days. To warm the cookies, try toasting in a toaster oven or baking at 350 for 2-3 minutes.
Pro Tip:
For a prettier cookie, press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each cookie dough ball just before baking.
Common Questions
Room temperature butter and eggs, beating the butter and sugars thoroughly, and not over-mixing create the best cookies! No need for fancy techniques, because the best chocolate chip cookies are easy to make!
These homemade chocolate chip cookies spread perfectly without flattening.
Over-baking is the #1 cause of hard cookies, so remove them before they brown, when the edges are just turning golden. The top should still look a bit raw.
Once baked, store the cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft. You can even place a piece of bread in the container to maintain moisture.
Usually, cookies go flat when a recipe doesn’t include enough flour. Be sure to measure the ingredients correctly. Also, check to be sure your baking soda is still fresh by placing 1 tsp baking soda into a cup with a splash of vinegar. It should fizz, but if it doesn’t, replace your baking soda.
This usually means you use too much flour. Be sure to fluff and spoon your flour into a dry ingredient measuring cup, and don’t pat it down. Also, be sure not to make the cookie dough balls too large, or they may take longer than the cooking time to spread in the oven.
Make-Ahead
Our homemade chocolate chip cookie dough is refrigerator and freezer-friendly, so you can always have dough on hand. To make a few days ahead, mix the dough as directed and store:
- To Refrigerate: put dough into an airtight container, or cover rolled dough balls on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and then bake as usual. It may take 1-2 minutes longer if starting with chilled dough.
- To Freeze: Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Then, once the dough balls are frozen, store them in a freezer zip-top bag until ready to bake.
- To Bake: thaw in the refrigerator and bake as directed. You can bake from frozen, but the cookies will take a few more minutes to bake.
You will love these homemade chocolate chips with melty chocolate, a chewy cookie center, and an irresistible aroma. Our easy recipe uses pantry staples without unnecessary techniques! Grab a glass of milk because this will soon become your go-to recipe!
More Cookie Recipes
If you love this chocolate chip cookie recipe, then you won’t want to miss these other delicious cookie recipes.
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Russian Tea Cakes
- Shell Cookies
- Cranberry Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (16 Tbsp), softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, measured correctly*
- 1 tsp baking soda, sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, (12 oz), divided reserving 1/4 cup for the top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or Silpat liner. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white sugar. Beat 5 minutes on medium/high speed until creamy and light, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition, scraping down the bowl as needed, then beat in 2 tsp of vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of baking soda (sifted to eliminate lumps). Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter in thirds, mixing to incorporate with each addition. Fold in 2 cups of chocolate chips.
- Use an ice cream scoop to get even balls of dough (3 Tbsp each). Place scoops of dough onto lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Mine fit onto 3 cookie sheets and made 26 cookies. Roll balls lightly with your hands then stud tops of cookie balls with reserved chocolate chips. Bake right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12-15 min at 350˚F (we bake 12 minutes), until edges are just turning golden. The tops should still look under-baked. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet 5 min then transfer to a rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I baked these cookies and they came out tasty and my family really enjoyed them. I’m sure I will be making them again. I have questions about all the comments on baking soda vs baking powder. I have done some research because of this and also because EVERY other recipe calls for baking soda and they seem to be fine. You have said that there is nothing in the dough to activate the baking soda but brown sugar, molasses and also heat can activate baking soda if another acid is not present (like lemon juice, buttermilk, etc). I’m sure it comes down to preference which leavening agent to use, and I do appreciate how the cookie was soft and fluffy, but I guess I don’t understand why baking soda couldn’t be used. Also, I understand that soda spreads whereas powder will rise, so for a fluffy cookie powder might be better. Thank you! I have tried several of your recipes and absolutely love them.
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing that with us. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed our recipes.
Thank you so much for your amazing, easy and tasty recipes.
I dont miss a video on Facebook and I’ve learned so much already.
All the way from South Africa
Aww! that’s that best! I’m smiling big reading this comment. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your amazing, easy and tasty receipes.
I dont miss a video on Facebook and I’ve learned so much already.
All the way from South Africa
Hello from Idaho! Thank you so much for stopping by! I’m so glad to hear you’re liking our recipes.
These are by far, the BEST chocolate chips cookies we’ve ever had! Made these tonight with my oldest to bring to school, and was quite impressed how simple and delicious (yes, we taste tested) these cookies are! I will most definitely be making these again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Ok I will and thank-you
Hi Natashas, wanted to make your Chocolate Chip Cookies but it called for unsalted butter if I don’t have can I still use salted butter in stead thank-you
Hi Alice, that should work fine. You might add a little less salt if using salted butter.
I made these cookies to the letter except I added candied bacon to half and they were the BEST chocolate chip cookies I ever made! Your recipe was so informative and gave me tips I never knew about. Thank you sooo much. Cookies disappeared before I could take pics. Next time
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I don’t know what I did wrong but these were so bland! I used 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. Other recipes I’ve found says 1 cup of each. Was that a typo? They tasted like just plain dough with chocolate chips in them. Help!
Hi Lora, these are normally pretty sweet with the added chocolate chips. Did you possibly cut down on chocolate?
Lora YES!!!! Same here bland and lacked color. Should have known better when I tasted the dough. Tried to fix it after the first batch no go.
The cookies came out great. But they are way too sweet!!!!! I will use half the sugar next time.
Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha. I made these cookies this morning. Although I always spoon and level, I was inclined to weigh the flour and baking powder. I also ran the dry ingredients through the KitchenAid Sifter attachment that also weighs. They came out fantastic! I baked them for a tad bit longer than 15 minutes as they didn’t spread too much. Simply delicious!!!! Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
My daughter wants to make a cookie cake. Do you think this would work as 1 big cookie?
Hi Mary, I have not tested that as one big cookie. It sounds like a cookie cake! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha! So i made these cookies but they did not turn out anything like yours. They were not super soft, they did not even flatten. The chocolate chips did not melt, they only got warm. I followed every step, where is my mistake??
Hi Lyuda, I’d be happy to troubleshoot. With the chocolate chips not melting I’m curious if your oven is not calibrated? Was anything altered in the recipe?
I made this today and they are ooey gooey delicious…thank you for the recipe and the video..and for the tip on measuring flour..I didn’t know that and I know it will help me…You do a great job and I enjoy your site!
I’m so glad that was helpful, Charlotte!
Hi Natasha! So mine don’t look anything like yours. They did not flatten at all. They were not moist and soft, and they were very light/pale. Yours look very delicious. I wonder what I did wrong… I followed the recipe … please help, I haven’t found yet cookies that would be awesome. Oh, the chocolate did not even melt, it was just soft…very weird..
Hi Lyuda, Sorry to hear that. Did you make sure to measure the flour correctly by spooning flour into the measuring cup and then leveling off the top? If you push the measuring cup into the flour bin, you can get up to 25% too much flour being compacted. Too much flour would cause that issue.
My cookies tasted great. Huge hit with family and friends. However my copies don’t look brown enough. Do you know why? I used light brown sugar.. should I use dark brown sugar?
Hi LaShea, to achieve a truly soft chocolate chip cookie (without over-baking), the color will be lighter. If you are looking for a darker cookie, you might try a dark brown sugar for richer color.
I don’t know what I did wrong, I measured everything to a T and my cookies did not flatten what so ever, like not even a little bit… I went over reviews and see that a lot of others had the same issue.. maybe it’s the type of flour we’re using? I just have all purpose from target… so sad I could cry
Inna its not just you. I have the same issue. Found another recipe.
Great recipe!! Thanks for sharing wanted to add a pic but didn’t know how
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. If you post your photo on Instagram or Facebook tag natashaskitchen.com or #natashaskitchen and I will be able to see it.
I made these cookie for Christmas and and they came out soooooo delicious. They are so moist and soft. I did make some minor changes in the recipe… I added one cup of brown sugar only to reduce the sweetness. I added one cup of semi-sweetened chocolate chips and one cup of chopped pecans. My family and I couldn’t stop eating these cookies! Thank you so much for the recipe. Merry Christmas!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Lydia!
Bake some yesterday with my little helpers for Santa 🙂 I put less sugar in the recipe but taste soooo good !
Awww that is so sweet!! Thanks for sharing that with me. These do make for great Santa cookies! Have a Merry Christmas!
can’t wait to try this recipe for holiday! can I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour? also, is it ok to just use brown sugar without white sugar? thank you.
Hi Lydia, I haven’t tested that to advise but here is what one of our readers wrote “I used almond flour instead of multipurpose flour and all white sugar because my brown sugar was too old to use. They are soooooo yummy!!! Natasha’s recipes are soooo good! I love the video instructions too!!!” I hope that helps.
Natasha, I made your recipe for easy chocolate chip cookies and they did not look like yours at all and didn’t like the taste either.
I have checked out other CCC recipe’s and I noticed that it calls for baking soda and yours calls for Baking powder. Would that be the problem?
Hi Donna, the Baking powder is correct. I haven’t tested this recipe with baking soda and it most likely won’t work because there is nothing to activate baking soda. Hope this helps. Did you by chance make it with soda? Also, our post on measuring should help with making sure the dry ingredients were measured properly. I hope this helps.
Natasha,
There are about 400 recipes for chocolate chip cookies out there all using baking soda. Still, yours look great so I think I’ll try your version.
Hi John, well, I’m glad I stand out from the crowd! I hope you love this recipe for chocolate chip cookies.