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These soft-and-chewy chocolate chip cookies deliver bakery-level flavor at home. You ll get plush centers, golden edges, and melty pools of chocolate without complicated steps. Below you ll find the why-it-works tricks, clear substitutions, and exact bake-from-frozen directions so your cookies turn out perfect every time.

stack of 4 chocolate chip cookies
Reader Review
“This recipe was absolutely perfect! These cookies turned out so so good! THANK YOU! Best recipe I’ve ever used for Chocolate Chip cookies!!”
Katie

THIS chocolate chip cookie recipe is the only one that you need. It’s a soft and chewy cookie, full of chocolate, tons of flavor with the best taste, crisp edges and soft, gooey centers. They’re easy to make with no weird ingredients and you can change up the recipe to make any kind of cookie recipe you want.

Why This Works

  • Brown Sugar > White: More moisture equals soft centers plus caramel notes.
  • Use Melted Butter for a fudgy center.
  • Measured Flour: Properly spooned and leveled to prevent overspreading.
  • No mixer required to prevent over-aeration.
  • Bake timing: Pull when edges are set and centers look pale/puffy (they’ll set as they cool).
ingredients in chocolate chip cookies

Essential Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Butter – I use unsalted butter in all my cookie recipes, unless otherwise specified. I like being able to control the amount of salt added. But you can also use salted butter, just cut down on the added salt. I use MELTED butter in this recipe to create a rich toffee-like flavor, plus you don’t need a mixer!
  • If using unsalted butter, reduce added salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Sugar – I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar, but there is more brown than white. The brown sugar and melted butter combine to a toffee-like flavor and keep the cookies soft.
  • All Purpose Flour – be sure to measure it correctly. All-purpose flour is important for cookies – it helps create the structure and softness you expect. Too much and the cookie will be dense, too little and they will spread. Type of flour is also important – I don’t recommend substituting other flours in this recipe.
  • Chocolate Chips vs Chocolate Chunks – use your favorite milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips – chocolate chunks work too.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.

stack of 4 chocolate chip cookies with one cut in half
  • Melted butter is key to giving this recipe its unparalleled flavor with the brown sugar and helps avoid over mixing (which can affect texture). Brown sugar also keeps the cookie thicker – granulated sugar causes cookies to spread more.
  • Measure the flour correctly! Be sure not to pack your flour. I like to use a spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off. Too much flour makes a cake-like or dry cookie.
  • Stir by hand, not with a mixer if you can. Stirring by hand prevents over-aeration, which is why these cookies stay so dense and fudgy.
  • Baking this dough at room temperature is the fastest way to a ‘cookie puddle.’ Because we use melted butter to achieve that perfect, fudgy, chewy center, the fat is in a liquid state. The 30-minute chill is non-negotiable because it re-solidifies the butter. When the chilled dough hits the 350°F oven, the fat melts slowly, allowing the flour to set the structure before the cookie can spread too thin
  • Be sure not to over bake! The most common mistake is waiting for the center of the cookie to look ‘done.’ For the softest results, you must pull them when the edges are set and golden, but the center still looks pale and slightly puffed. The residual heat from the baking sheet will finish the cooking process as they rest, leaving you with that iconic gooey center.
A close-up of several chocolate chip cookies on a light surface, with some cookies broken in half to reveal the gooey centers—a perfect inspiration for your next Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. Scattered chocolate chips complete the delicious scene.

BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

4.90 from 970 votes
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is easy to make and a great base for so many other cookie recipes!

Recipe Video

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill time 2 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 24 cookies
Serving Size 1 cookie
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Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (104g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (255g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)

Instructions

  • Note: This dough requires chilling.
  • Place melted butter in a large bowl (stirring by hand is recommended but you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer). Add granulated and brown sugars and stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
  • Stir in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and stir just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during stirring. Slowly mix in chocolate chips.
  • Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. The longer you chill them the better the flavor!
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake (2 tablespoon sized cookies) for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cool on the cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
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Recipe Notes

  • Makes 22-24 (2-tablespoon) cookies or about 36 (1-tablespoon) size.
  • Double or triple this cookie recipe to make even more cookies.
  • How to freeze: Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to two months.
  • Freezing cookie dough: Freeze balls of cookie dough in a single layer. Once frozen you can put them in an airtight bag or container. Bake directly from frozen as directed (allow cookies to thaw on cookie sheet while oven preheats).
  • If your cookies don’t seem to be flattening, you can press them lightly before or during baking with the palm of your hand to help them along. This happens sometimes when they are very cold, and it can also happen with different brands of ingredients.
  • Try using white chocolate chips or a combination of milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips instead of all one flavor. You can even substitute butterscotch or peanut butter chips, or add your favorite nuts. Just keep the amount of add-ins to 1 1/2 cups.
  • Bake 1 tablespoon cookie dough balls for 8-12 minutes.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 16mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Scoop the balls of chocolate chip cookie dough onto your cookie sheet, cover with plastic, and freeze the cookie sheet until the dough balls are frozen. Then place them in an airtight container or bag and store in freezer.

How to bake cookies from frozen cookie dough:

  • You can bake these directly from frozen as directed. Place them spaced on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat baking mats and bake until they just lose their glossy sheen.
  • You can also let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 30 minutes before baking. They’ll turn out perfect!

Storing & Freezing Baked Cookies

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
  • Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container or gallon size bag after they’ve cooled. Thaw on the counter or heat on 50% power in the microwave for the best chocolate chip cookie anytime you want.
chocolate chip cookies on gray background with one cut in half

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Pro Tips & Variations

How to Get Perfectly Round Cookies

  1. Roll them into a ball between your palms after scooping or before baking so there are no little edges or “feet”.
  2. Once out of the oven use the biscuit cutter hack: use a large round cookie cutter to nudge in any sticking out edges.
  3. Instead of the cookie cutter, use a fork to push in any sticking out edges while the cookies are still hot.

Pro Variations

  • Add an extra egg yolk or 1 tablespoon of corn syrup for a chewier cookie.
  • Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a delicious flavor boost (salted chocolate chip cookies are fabulous!)
  • Brown the butter before mixing in the sugars. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies have more depth of flavor.
  • Double the recipe for even more cookies!

Size and Bake Time Variations

  • Make 1-tablespoon small chocolate chip cookies. They’ll bake in about 8-12 minutes.
  • Make XL giant chocolate chip cookies using 3-4 tablespoons of cookie dough. Bake at 340°F for approximately 15 minutes (they will be very gooey in the center).
  • Turn this into a chocolate chip cookie cake by baking in a 9-inch round cake pan.
  • Make chocolate chip cookie bars by baking in a 9-inch square pan or double the recipe to bake in a 9×13-inch pan.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies step-by-step

glass bowl with melted butter and sugars.

1. Melt your butter in a large bowl. You don’t even need to use a mixer unless you want to. Measure your sugars correctly and if you remember, allow your eggs to come to room temperature. It’s important to mix the sugars with the butter first, to allow the sugar to start to dissolve to create that toffee-like flavor.

cookie mixture with egg and baking soda.

2. Add white sugar and brown sugar to the melted butter and stir until combined. Add a whole egg, baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir. Again, you don’t need a mixer unless you want to use one.

cookie dough in bowl.

3. Combine flour into the wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate.

cookie dough balls on cookie sheet.

4. Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1- or 2-tablespoon balls and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a baking mat. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes! Chilling the dough allows the butter to harden so they stay soft in the oven and don’t flatten too much, and it also allows the flavors to come together.

5. Once chilled, space cookies 2-inches apart on baking sheet bake at 350° until they’re just no longer glossy and light golden around the edges.

FAQ about Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why didn’t my cookies spread?

They might be TOO cold! If you’ve chilled them longer than an hour or two, or if you’ve frozen the dough, then they might be so cold the heat of the oven can’t catch up. What to do: press them slightly with the palm of your hand before they go into the oven. This helps start them to spread out – but don’t worry they won’t spread too much!

How do you keep cookies soft and gooey?

Do not over bake these – they are done as soon as the edges are light golden and the center is no longer glossy.

Why did my cookies turn out flat?

Cookies turn out flat if they’re not chilled properly or if the ingredients are changed or not measured properly. Use real butter and don’t skip the chilling step.

Why are they cakey?

Cookies turn out cakey if they have too much flour, so be sure not to pack it. Also don’t over mix and make sure to heat in the center of the oven.

Why are they dry?

If your cookies turn out dry then they were most likely baked too long. Be sure to take them out as soon as they lose their glossy sheen and are light golden.

Can I chill cookie dough overnight?

The longer you chill chocolate chip cookie dough, the better it tastes. If they’ve been in the fridge for that long, press lightly with the palm of your hand get them started flattening.

Can I freeze dough and bake from frozen?

Yes you can make cookie dough from frozen, just add a few minutes bake time.

What’s the best rack placement for cookies?

It’s always best to bake on the center rack. If you’re baking two pans at once, I recommend rotating the pans halfway through baking for evenness.

Can I double the recipe?

You can double the recipe by just multiplying all the ingredients by 2.

Favorite Cookie Recipes

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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650 Comments

    1. I use table salt. Rule of thumb (for my recipes, and the standard for what *should* be done) is that if it does not specify kosher or sea or whatever, use table salt.

      Reply

  3. These cookies are the BEST. I made them with assistance from my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter. The perfect recipe for us to work together on. I really liked that we didn’t need to use a mixer! The bake was perfect and the taste was as well. A new family favorite for sure. 🥰

    Reply