The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
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This chocolate chip cookie recipe creates soft, thick and buttery cookies with perfectly crisp edges and soft chewy centers. With no chilling required, you will be enjoying a warm chocolate chip cookie in just 30 minutes. Get those glasses of milk ready!

Why You Will Love This Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The hunt is officially over! These chocolate chip cookies are going to disappear quicker than you can make them! Here’s why you will love this recipe:

  • Simple Ingredients: Made with 100% butter and a few pantry staple ingredients, these cookies are a classic with the perfect chocolate chip to cookie ratio.
  • Soft & Chewy: A special stacked dough technique guarantees your cookies will be nice and thick with crispy edges and a soft chewy center.
  • Zero Chilling: No one wants to wait when you are craving cookies! Thankfully this chocolate chip cookie recipe does not require you to chill the dough.
  • Freezer Friendly: Make a double batch and freeze this cookie dough for freshly baked, warm chocolate chip cookies whenever the mood strikes!

Looking for something a little different? Try these variations of the classic: brown butter chocolate chip cookies, giant peanut butter chocolate chip cookies or these chocolate chip marshmallow cookies.

Ingredients for chocolate chip cookie recipe arranged in bowls, top to bottom: Baking soda, flour, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, salt, chocolate chips, cornstarch and granulated sugar.

Ingredients Needed

Everything you need is a baking staple, so you may already have all the ingredients you need! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

  • Flour: Regular, all-purpose flour.
  • Cornstarch: This helps to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
  • Butter: Use softened, unsalted butter. If using salted butter, only add 1/4 teaspoon more salt.
  • Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar. You can use all brown sugar if you prefer a deeper flavor.
  • Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for best flavor.
  • Chocolate Chips: You’ll need semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips. Pick a good quality brand for best results. You can also use chocolate chunks for more chocolate flavor!
  • Egg
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
Easy chocolate chip cookies arranged on a marble countertop with a bite taken out of one cookie showing how chewy they are.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

Besides a special stacked dough method, this easy chocolate chip cookie recipe is a simple and classic preparation. Stacking two balls of dough on top of each other creates extra thick cookies with crisp edges.

As the dough bakes, the bottom dough ball spreads faster and creates the cookie edges. The top dough ball becomes the soft and chewy center! Scroll down to the recipe card for full step by step instructions. 

  • Dough: Whisk to combine the dry ingredients, set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until the dough is just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Roll: Roll two balls of dough and stack them vertically on top of each other. Continue with remaining dough, ensuring you leave enough space between for spreading.
  • Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until the edges are set and cookies are lightly golden brown. Cookies will look slightly underdone in the middle, but will finish setting up as they cool.
  • Cool: Let cookies rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Enjoy them warm, or transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Four large chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers arranged on a cooling rack lined with parchment paper after baking.

Bakers’ Tips

A few tips to ensure your homemade chocolate chip cookies turn out perfectly!

  • Measure Flour: Do not scoop from a packed bag of flour, it will create overly dense cookies. Instead, fluff the flour with a fork. Then spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
  • Don’t Over-Bake: To ensure your cookies have a soft and chewy center, you want to remove them from the oven as soon as the edges are set and they are a nice light brown color. The center will continue to set up as they cool on the baking sheet. Leaving the cookies in longer, can lead to crunchy, crumbly cookies.
  • Picture-Perfect: If looks matter to you, form the dough as shown and press a few chocolate chips directly on top. Immediately after baking, use a large biscuit cutter to swirl around the cookies edges. This will give them perfectly round and even edges.
  • Flaky Sea Salt: I love to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right as they come out of the oven. It gives them the perfect sweet and salty balance!
  • Chill The Dough: If you have the extra time, you can chill the chocolate chip cookie dough for up 48 hours before baking. This helps the flour to absorb and will create an even thicker cookie!

Variations to Try

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork for the best chocolate chip cookies, you can make them your own! Here are some ideas: 

  • Add Crunch: Go nuts! Try peanuts, almonds, macadamias, pecans or hazelnuts to add texture.
  • Candy: Mix in mini peanut butter cups, Reese’s pieces, M&M’s, toffee pieces, etc.
  • Chip Trifecta: Try white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or even peanut butter chips mixed in with your chocolate chips!
  • Dried Fruit: Mix in 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or cherries, chopped dried apricots or crystallized ginger.
  • Brown Butter: One of my personal favorites! Follow my how to brown butter tutorial and let it cool completely and continue with the recipe as written.
  • Shortening: If you want your cookies to stay extra soft like bakery-style cookies from the grocery store, swap half of the butter for butter flavored shortening.
Chocolate chip cookies arranged on a cooling rack with a bite taken out of one of the cookies to show the soft center.

Storage & Freezing

Bake them fresh or freeze them for later, here are your options:

  • Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Store with a slice of bread to keep soft, replacing the slice as it becomes stale.
  • Freeze Cookies: For extra protection, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
  • Freeze Dough: Freeze unbaked dough balls on a sheet pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on prepared baking sheets. Bake as directed, but add about 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
A thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie resting on a cooling rack lined with parchment paper.
4.6 from 26 votes
Print Pin Recipe
Yield: 24 cookies

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Who doesn't love a warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie, just out of the oven? This chocolate chip cookie recipe creates thick and buttery cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers. With no chilling required, you will be enjoying a warm cookie in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Additional Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract.
  • Add dry ingredients, mixing until completely combined. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
  • Roll two balls of dough (each ball consisting of 1 heaping tablespoon of dough) and stack them vertically on top of each other. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about two inches for spreading. Continue with remaining dough.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and cookies are a light golden brown. The cookies will not look set in the center, but they will finish cooking while cooling on cookie sheet!
  • Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, for the centers to set. Serve warm, or transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.

Notes

Store: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Store with a slice of bread to keep soft, replacing the slice as it becomes stale.
Freeze Cookies: For extra protection, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
Freeze Dough: Freeze unbaked dough balls on a sheet pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on prepared baking sheets. Bake as directed, but add about 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Measure Flour: Do not scoop from a packed bag of flour, it will create overly dense cookies. Instead, fluff the flour with a fork. Then spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
Don’t Over-Bake: To ensure your cookies have a soft and chewy center, you want to remove them from the oven as soon as the edges are set and they are a nice light brown color. The center will continue to set up as they cool on the baking sheet. Leaving the cookies in longer, can lead to crunchy, crumbly cookies.
Picture-Perfect: If looks matter to you, form the dough as shown and press a few chocolate chips directly on top. Immediately after baking, use a large biscuit cutter to swirl around the cookies edges. This will give them perfectly round and even edges.
Flaky Sea Salt: I love to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right as they come out of the oven. It gives them the perfect sweet and salty balance!
Chill The Dough: If you have the extra time, you can chill the chocolate chip cookie dough for up 48 hours before baking. This helps the flour to absorb and will create an even thicker cookie!
Brown Butter: One of my personal favorites! Follow my how to brown butter tutorial and let it cool completely and continue with the recipe as written.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookie, Calories: 179kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 101mg, Potassium: 68mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 219IU, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg

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Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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63 Responses
  1. Manolo

    Ive been making these perfect for about a year. but recently, my dough sometimes turns out wet/unformed. i have to add more flour to make the dough form. i thought it was the butter as i changed brands. but it started happening consistently even with the original butter i used (kroger). im thinking it might besomething in my technique. would over-beating the butter/egg cause this? any suggestions would be appreciated.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      That’s very strange and I don’t have an answer. I remade them tonight trying to think of what it might possibly be, but I can’t figure out what could be causing this issue. :-( So strange!

      1. Manolo

        Omg I just made these again after having another batch fail. This time I used gold medal all purpose flour instead of the good and gather brand from target. They are back to being perfectly chewy and crispy!!!!! I didn’t know different flour reacts differently.

        I’m so beyond happy right now (and so are my son and wifey)!!!!

        Thanks for your wonderful recipe.

        1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
          Jessica

          So glad you enjoyed them! Usually using a generic flour shouldn’t be an issue, but sometimes it can be. One thing to watch for is the amount of protein in your flour. Some all purpose flours will have a higher amount (or lower amount) of protein which can change how recipes come out. All purpose flour usually has around 10% to 12% protein. You want to make sure your all purpose flour is within that range!

  2. Lance

    I tried the peanut butter cookie recipe. It’s like you know my taste buds. Exemplary flavor and texture.
    I want to try these chocolate chip because of the success of the other recipe, but I have a question. Can I use salted butter, or will it compromise the recipe. I usually do not have unsalted butter in my house.
    Thanks for the recipes that have given me hope that I can bake now.

  3. Brenda

    OHMYGOODNESS!  I made these cookies and they are fabulous.  In the recipe, I put in half chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips and created a chocolate/peanut butter chip cookie that was the best cookie that I have ever tasted.  I am now looking for an equally wonderful oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.  This was the first recipe that I tried from your blog…  needless to say, I have subscribed and will follow you!

  4. Jeanette Vivier

    I am a senior and I made your chocolate chip cookies, not only delicious, easy turned out so great looked just like a picture. Thank you

  5. Jessica

    Made these tonight and they are seriously SO GOOD!! My husband said they might be his favorite ever. Thank you!

  6. Katrina

    These are the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever!
    I made them for our SuperBowl party –  now I have to hide them!!
    They are nice and soft and a little chewy – so yummy. 
    Thank you for this recipe. 

  7. Alice

    Can you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter and is it the same measurement of butter and not use the salt?

  8. Holly

    I started making these cookies my sophomore year of college… Five years later and my college roommates STILL ask for them when we reunite. As far as I’m concerned, these cookies are LEGENDARY.

  9. Brooke

    These were moist but had too strong of a butter taste. Not my cup of tea. So if you like more a butter taste in your cookie these are perfect for you

  10. Kimberly

    So far the dough is AH-mazing! Who needs to bake them when they taste this good straight out of the bowl. 7 more minutes, tick-tock, tick-tock. I can’t wait to try them! Thanks for sharing! I never would have thought of adding corn starch.

  11. ErinsFoodFiles

    I wondered when I saw the photo if these had cornstarch in them. I think I’ve made a cookie or two with that in them, and there’s something about it’s look I can tell. Anyway, they look delicious!!

  12. Lauren

    Made these last night and have never had a better chocolate chip cookie (and I’ve eaten numerous…). This is our new official (and lifelong) chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thanks!

  13. Shelby

    I made these last night and my husband and I loved them! I love how big they are but I think next time I’ll make a double batch so we got more :) My husband can never have too many chocolate chip cookies waiting for him in the kitchen. I love how soft these are — soft but not too soft that they are falling apart. Great recipe, all of your trial and errors were worth it!! Thanks for sharing.

  14. Jean H

    I’m going to try these in just a few minutes, but I saw that you had posted that someone else beat you to making this recipe and that is just fine being as how we found you first and that’s all that really matters anyway isn’t it. YES it is :)

  15. Ann GG

    You are amazing! I wish I could just give you the biggest hug right now. I have been trying so many different ways to get the ‘perfect cookie’ and you nailed it! I just took the first batch off the cookie sheet – and gobbled up two of them! I don’t know if there will be any left when the kiddos get home.. haha Thank you for sharing all your scrumptious recipes. I get so excited when I see a new one posted.

  16. Louise

    I don’t know what people are talking about “too pale”. They are already way more brown sugar than white!

    Anyways, I’m commenting because I made these with my daughter last night and they are PERFECT. Exactly what I have been looking for in a CCC for years. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I followed your directions exactly and they were so good.

  17. Megan {Country Cleaver}

    I’ ma sucker for a good CCC!! And totally agreed – Shortening DOES NOT belong in cookies. Butter all the way!

  18. Tina | My Life as a Mrs

    CANNOT wait to try these! I’m a sucker for a soft cookie… i ALWAYS pull my cookies out early – crispy cookies are no bueno in my book! ;) Gorgeous work girl!

  19. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious

    I love that this is no a fuss recipe! I’ve been meaning to make the new york times cookies that takes 72 hours but hey – I’d much rather make your version!

  20. Lauren iversen

    Hi! I made these exactly as your recipe states and my first batch yielded huge thin cookies. My second batch were smaller but didn’t quite look the same. What would cause them to do this? I used two tablespoons per cookie, split in two as you said. I wanted them to be perfect :(

  21. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor

    I always love trying different chocolate chip cookie recipes. Thanks for sharing, they look perfect!

  22. Nikki @Seeded at the Table

    I love the looks of these chocolate chip cookies! Diana’s comment above proves that everyone has different preferences for their perfect CCC. Some like them crunchy, some like them soft. And, evidently some like them dark and some like them pale. :) Well, I like them in my belly!

  23. Diana Hipsley

    as far as i’m concerned the best ccc recipe is from my kitchen aid cookbook. these cookies are too pale. I have made these since 1992 and alway gets requests for them. I like to try new recilpes but these are just too good to change. It’s a good basic dough and can be changed for m&m, nuts, no nuts, etc.

  24. Larissa

    This is a little different from the recipe I usually use. I may have to try adding cornstarch to mine. Or maybe I’ll just try yours and see if I like it better!
    That bread tip is wonderful! I learned it from Martha Stewart years ago. The ONE thing I’ve learned from her and actually do consistently. LOL
    Thanks for figuring out the perfect recipe for us all!

  25. Beth @ bethcakes

    I’m going to have to try this out because my chocolate chip cookies never turn out right. Always hard and crispy and very few people like that, haha. :)

  26. December

    Don’t say someone else did it already because their recipe is different than yours and so is the technique! This one is all yours baby and it’s awesome! That you for taking the legwork out of my own search. It’s frustrating when you aren’t that handy in a kitchen and you just want a perfect chocolate chip cookie that pretty much anyone can agree on. Love your site! :)

  27. Annabelle

    Don’t understand your comment about not putting them on a cookie sheet because they spread too much. What do you put them on then?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hey Annabelle –

      Meaning, I do not put my cookies directly onto the metal of a cookie sheet. I like to use a silpat (or parchment paper). Silpat is a silicone mat that you can use to keep cookies from sticking (like parchment paper), except it’s reusable. It’s my favorite kitchen item for great cookies!

  28. Tieghan

    Oh my gosh!! Girl you rule!! No chilling!! Yes, please!! These look perfect and I will be making them and soon!!

  29. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    They look incredible! This is the exact recipe I use, except mine has 12 tbsp butter rather than 14 like yours does. Everything else – same! It’s my favorite dough base and I’ve relayed and parlayed it so.many.times. Glad you found your perfect recipe! I may try bumping up the butter by 2 tbsp next time. Pinned!

  30. Whitney @ The Newlywed Chefs

    Well, hello! These are stunning. I’ve never used cornstarch in a cookie recipe. Does it add a different texture? I’ll have to try!

  31. Emily

    I have been searching for the perfect recipe for ages too and these sound like it! And I had no idea about the whole piece of bread thing – cookies have a short life span in our house!!

  32. Zainab @ Blahnik Baker

    I’ve been waiting for these since the FB post!! They look amazing and I can’t wait to try.

  33. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking

    OH my goodness, where have these been all my life?! I LOVE that they’re so easy. Pinning to try soon! Thanks Jess!

Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.