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 made these fillers the recipe exactly but my cookies did not spread. I put the dough in the fridge and did a batch that didn’t work. I thawed and did a batch still didn’t spread. What could I be doing wrong?
This is usually due to having the wrong balance of ingredients. I recommend checking the tips in this part of the recipe: Why did my Cookies not Flatten? If your cookies ended up too thick and did not flatten, the usual culprit is too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape it off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Hi Natasha,. Love, love, love all your recipes and you !
What adjustments would I need to make these chocolate chip cookies with a 1 tablespoon scoop instead of a 3 tablespoon scoop as suggested in the recipe? Or would you not recommend using a 1 tbsp. scoop?
Thank you!
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tested that to advise. I recommend using a 3 tbsp scoop for starters or you can do an experiment and test it out using 1 tbsp too!
The flavor in these cookies is terrific! I used a 1 1/2 tbsp. scoop and baked them for 10 minutes, cooled on pan for 3 minutes and they are soft and chewy, making approximately 50 cookies. I did make a few batches and one batch bake with a crackly top and I’m not sure why. I used a new box of baking powder and I did scoop out the cookies on 3 parchment lined pans, so I’m not sure why it would have a crackle top on the final product. The flavor was still amazing!
Very nice to know that, thanks for sharing that with us, Patti! We’re glad that you love these cookies!
You should’ve use baking soda, not baking powder. Make sure you use the right ingredients not baking powder baking soda
Hi Miss Natasha, My name is Natalia I am 11 years old and I am from the Caribbean I tried several times and they always come out perfect everytime. I totally enjoy learning to bake using your recipe’s are they are easy to follow and your added tips are very helpfull. 😀
Hi Natalia! Great job. I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for sharing that with me.
The best cookie recipe I have ever tried!! Super tasty and easy!!
My husband (a sweet tooth) loved them!
But I was wondering why didn’t my cookies flatten the way they should? Although the inner texture is super soft and they are crunchy from the outside.
Hi Yarah! See my recipe notes above for “why did my cookies not flatten?” I hope that helps!
These were the best chocolate chip cookies I had ever made. I made them for my family they finished them so fast. Thank You
You’re welcome, Linda! I’m so glad you loved them.
I make cookies all the time, I don’t know why these turned out so much better but they are the best I have made! I added a little bit more vanilla (cause I love vanilla), and only had a half cup of brown sugar so I used coconut sugar for the other half, they turned out great. The flavor and texture was excellent. My new go to cookie recipe.
That’s great, Jenny! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
This is the best cookie recipe ever!! I tried it on Christmas and as it barely lasted 24 hours, my son and relatives asked me to make the cookies again! They’re really amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Eliane!
One of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes! Came out so soft and delicious.And they were so easy to make. Thank you
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Brandie! 🙂
Hi this the best recipe, I use M&m instead of choc chips! Rave feedback from the grandkids.
Question I want to bake these today 4 days before Christmas party. If I store the already baked cookies in fridge would they be ok?
Hi Sandy! That’s great. The cookies should stay soft for days, We store ours in an air-tight container for a few days. You can also refrigerate or freeze the dough until ready to bake and they bake up perfectly every time.
Although my cookies don’t look like yours, they are wonderful. I also measured very carefully (fluffing flour) but they didn’t spread much. It doesn’t matter though as they are super yummy and my friend will love them.
Hi Caroline! I’m so glad they were still enjoyed. Usually, this is due to using too much flour. Also, make sure to form the cookies with 3 Tbsp of dough. If you make them too large, they will take longer to spread. This is how I measure my ingredients.
I let my butter set out too long would this make my cookies spread ……. I use your recipes a lot and love them all !!!!
Hi Martha! If the butter is too soft it could cause the cookies to spread. You can refrigerate the dough for a little while before baking if that’s the case.
Most of my chocolate chip cookie recipes require chilling, but I needed to make a batch really quick so I chose this one and I have to say this is one of the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! I made the cookies exactly as written, except, I added a half a teaspoon of almond extract just for kicks 🙂
That’s wonderful, Farah! So glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Turned out great! Super soft and yummy! I tried white chips too! :))
So glad to hear that, Candace! I’m sure they were delicious with white chips. 🙂
Great recipe! The last time I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies I used the mini morsels (that is all I had at the time). I liked them alot better.
I’m so glad that worked out well, Linda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
BEST COOKIES EVER!!! Everyone is hooked on them. I changed it up a bit by adding 1/4 cup of peanut butter and split the chips as 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup of peanut butter chips. Outstanding! Love all of your recipes – keep them coming.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Donna!
Hi Natasha, I did have correct measurement of ingredients and spoon flour into a dry ingredient measuring cup but the cookies not flattening very much and thick. Is it because I packed the dough too tight in the ice cream scoop? Thanks.
Hi Donna! The usual culprit is too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. Also, form cookies with 3 Tbsp of dough. If you make them too large, they will take longer to spread.
I don’t have a stand up mixer can I use a hand held mixer?
Hi Doreen, you could use a hand mixer instead. If the batter gets too thick for your hand mixer, use a spatula to mix the rest of the way.
I like most of your recipe. I tried the chocolate chips cookies three times already and always doesn’t turn right:( I don’t know what Im Doing wrong. I measured the ingredients carefully specially the flour but the dough doesn’t flatten and the chips doesn’t even melt and is very dry 🙁
Hi Irene, I recommend checking the tips in this part of the recipe: Why did my Cookies not Flatten? If your cookies ended up too thick and did not flatten, the usual culprit is too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape it off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Love this recipe! It’s a BIG hit in our house. I was wondering if you’ve ever tried this as a pan cookie?
Hi Carole! I’m so glad you they’re a hit! I have not tested that but if you experiment, I’d love to know how it turns out.
made them and half of the first two dozen disappeared before they were cool
Haha! That’s quite common in our household too. I’m glad they were a hit.