I've spent years perfecting this recipe, tweaking ingredients and methods until I achieved what I believe are the ultimate soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. They're ridiculously simple to make but deliver bakery-quality results. Whether you're an experienced baker or a complete novice, these foolproof cookies are guaranteed to bring smiles all around.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate chips
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
Begin by preheating your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This preparation step is crucial for even baking and easy removal of the cookies. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. You should be able to make a slight indent with your finger, but it shouldn't be melting or shiny.
Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with both brown and white sugar. Using an electric mixer (either hand-held or stand), beat these ingredients together for a full 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes noticeably lighter in both colour and texture. Many bakers rush this step, but proper creaming incorporates air into the dough, which is essential for that perfect chewy texture.
Add the Wet Ingredients
Once your butter and sugars are well creamed, add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Follow with the vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth and uniform.
Mix in the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and salt throughout your cookies.
Gradually add this dry mixture to your wet ingredients, stirring just until no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; as soon as the flour disappears, stop mixing. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cookies tough rather than tender.
Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the chocolate chips into your dough. Make sure they're evenly distributed so every cookie has a good amount of chocolate. Feel free to save a small handful to press into the tops of the cookies before baking – this gives them that bakery-style appearance with visible chocolate on top.
Scoop and Bake
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave about 5 cm (2 inches) between each cookie to allow for spreading. For perfectly round cookies, roll the portioned dough between your palms to form smooth balls.
Bake in your preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. This is the critical moment for achieving that perfect soft and chewy texture! The cookies are done when the edges are just turning golden brown, but the centres still look slightly underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after removing from the oven, so it's better to slightly underbake than overbake.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes (during which time they'll firm up a bit) before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely—if you can resist eating them warm, that is!
Hint: For even more control over your cookie texture, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking. This prevents excessive spreading and creates a thicker, chewier cookie. If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step, but it's worth trying if you have the time!
Substitutions
- Butter: For a dairy-free version, you can use plant-based butter, though the texture may differ slightly.
- Flour: You can substitute an all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version. Look for one that contains xanthan gum for best results.
- Sugars: If you're out of brown sugar, you can use all white sugar with a tablespoon of molasses. You can also use all brown sugar, which will make for a softer, more caramel-flavoured cookie.
- Chocolate chips—any chocolate works here! Try dark chocolate chunks, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate, or a mixture for different flavours.
Variations
- Nutty: Add 100g of chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough for a delicious crunch.
- Triple chocolate: Use a mixture of dark, milk, and white chocolate chips for the ultimate chocolate experience.
- Orange chocolate: Add the zest of one orange to the dough for a chocolate-orange flavour that's particularly lovely during the holidays.
- Sea salt finish: Sprinkle a small amount of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies immediately after baking for a sophisticated sweet-salty balance.
Equipment
A standard electric mixer (either hand-held or stand) will make creaming the butter and sugar much easier, but you can do it by hand with a wooden spoon and some good old-fashioned elbow grease if needed.
Heavy-duty baking sheets are best for even heat distribution. If your baking sheets are thin, consider doubling them up to prevent the bottoms of your cookies from browning too quickly.
A cookie scoop, while not essential, helps ensure uniform-sized cookies that will bake evenly. If you don't have one, a tablespoon measure works perfectly well.
Storage
These cookies stay soft and chewy for 3–4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Add a slice of bread to the container to help maintain moisture (the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them soft longer).
For longer storage, the baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
The unbaked dough also freezes exceptionally well. You can either freeze the entire batch of dough or, even better, portion it into individual cookie dough balls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. This way, you can bake just a few cookies whenever the craving strikes! Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Top Tip
The secret to truly chewy cookies is to slightly underbake them! They should look almost done but still a bit soft in the centre when you remove them from the oven. They'll continue cooking for a few minutes on the hot baking sheet. If you wait until they look completely done in the oven, they'll end up overbaked and crispy rather than chewy. Remember, they should be golden around the edges but still soft in the middle.
This usually happens when the butter is too warm or melted. Make sure it's softened but still cool to the touch. Chilling the dough before baking can also help prevent excessive spreading.
Absolutely! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Many bakers find that chilling the dough overnight improves the flavour and texture of the cookies.
The most common reason is overbaking. Remember, they should still look slightly underdone in the centre when you remove them from the oven. Also, make sure you're using the right proportion of brown to white sugar, as brown sugar helps create that chewy texture.
This comes down to personal preference. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are traditional, but you can use milk chocolate for a sweeter cookie or dark chocolate for a more intense flavour. For the best quality, consider chopping a good chocolate bar instead of using pre-packaged chips.
Pairing
These chocolate chip cookies pair wonderfully with:
- A cold glass of milk (the classic pairing!)
- Hot chocolate or coffee for a double chocolate experience
- Vanilla ice cream – try making ice cream sandwiches with two cookies
- A dessert cheese board featuring mild cheeses like brie or mascarpone
- A nightcap of Bailey's or Kahlúa for the adults
📖 Recipe
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup White Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- A Pinch of Salt
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will ensure even baking and prevent your cookies from sticking.
Cream the Butter and Sugars
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for creating the soft, chewy texture we all love in chocolate chip cookies.
Add the Wet Ingredients
- Once the butter and sugars are creamed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, making sure everything is evenly combined.
Mix in the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in tougher cookies.
Fold in the Chocolate Chips
- Now for the fun part! Gently fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. You want every bite to be packed with chocolatey goodness.
Scoop and Bake
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out the dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. For soft, chewy cookies, bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centres are still soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so be careful not to overbake!
Notes
- Chill the Dough for Thicker Cookies: If you like thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and enhances the flavour.
- Adjusting Baking Times: If you prefer crispier edges with a soft centre, stick to the 10-12 minute baking time. For crispier cookies, bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Perfect Golden Edges: The key to soft cookies with golden edges is taking them out of the oven when the edges are slightly golden but the centres still look a bit underbaked. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Substitutions: You can make these cookies dairy-free by using plant-based butter, or gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend. You can also experiment with different sugars or sugar substitutes to adjust sweetness levels.
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