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There are few things more comforting than the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven.
The butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and chocolate come together to fill the kitchen
with that unmistakable homemade-cookie aroma, and the hardest part is waiting
those few minutes for the cookies to cool enough to eat.
What makes this recipe especially appealing is the texture. These cookies bake up thick, soft,
and chewy, with lightly golden edges and plenty of chocolate in every bite.
The dough does need some time in the refrigerator, but that extra step is worth it—
it helps keep the cookies from spreading too much while they bake.
Make a batch for a weekend treat, keep a few tucked away for afternoon cravings,
or freeze some dough so you can have freshly baked cookies whenever the mood strikes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These are the cookies to reach for when you’re after that classic homemade chocolate chip cookie experience.
- Soft and chewy: Brown sugar and chilled dough help create a tender, satisfying texture.
- Thick and golden: The cookies hold their shape while developing lightly browned edges.
- Chocolate-packed: Two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips make sure there’s plenty of chocolate throughout.
- Simple ingredients: Everything comes together with familiar baking staples.
- Great for making ahead: The dough can be refrigerated or frozen, and baked cookies freeze well too.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredient list is simple, but each component has a job to do.
- All-purpose flour gives the cookies their structure. Measuring it accurately is especially important because too much flour can leave the dough too firm and keep the cookies from spreading properly.
- Baking soda and salt help with the cookies’ rise and overall flavor.
- Unsalted butter brings richness and helps create that tender texture. Using unsalted butter also gives you better control over the amount of salt in the finished cookies.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar work together to balance texture and sweetness. The brown sugar contributes moisture and chewiness, while the granulated sugar helps the cookies spread.
- Eggs and vanilla extract bring the dough together while adding richness and flavor. Room-temperature eggs blend more evenly into the butter mixture.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips provide the classic chocolate chip cookie flavor without making the cookies overly sweet. You can also change the type of chocolate if you’d like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start with the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Setting them aside means they’re ready to add evenly to the dough later.
Cream the butter and sugars
Beat the softened butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar for 1 to 2 minutes, until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Bring the dough together
Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the chocolate chips on low speed and mix until they’re distributed throughout the dough.
Chill the dough
Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. This is an important part of the recipe and helps the cookies maintain their thickness as they bake.
Portion and bake
Once the dough is chilled, scoop it using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and arrange the portions on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them.
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10–12 minutes. Look for lightly golden edges and set tops.
Let them cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
Expert Tips
Measure your flour carefully. Stir the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife. This helps prevent accidentally adding too much.
Give the dough enough time to chill. If the dough is too warm, the cookies can spread excessively. The full 2-hour chilling period helps produce the intended texture.
Don’t overmix after adding flour. Mix only until the ingredients are combined, then add the chocolate chips.
Use room-temperature eggs. If you forgot to take them out ahead of time, place them in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Keep an eye on the oven. The cookies should have lightly golden edges and set tops. Avoid waiting for them to become deeply browned, or the centers may lose some of their softness.
Want perfectly round cookies? Shape the warm cookies gently with a spoon immediately after they come out of the oven.
Recipe Variations
The basic recipe is easy to customize without changing the dough itself.
- Dark chocolate: Use dark chocolate chips for a deeper, less-sweet chocolate flavor.
- Milk chocolate: Choose milk chocolate chips for a sweeter cookie.
- White chocolate: Swap in white chocolate chips for a creamy contrast.
- Salted butter: If using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Storage & Reheating
Keep completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
For longer storage, baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
The cookie dough can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. If it becomes too firm to scoop, leave it at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
For freezing the dough, scoop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen portions to a freezer bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen dough with an additional 1 to 2 minutes of baking time.
For a warm, freshly baked feel, gently reheat a thawed cookie before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are especially good while they’re still slightly warm, when the centers are soft and the chocolate is wonderfully melty.
Serve them with a cold glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or tea. For an easy dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside a warm cookie and let the ice cream melt into all those chocolate-filled crevices.
They’re also perfect for cookie platters, lunchboxes, bake sales, holiday gatherings, or simply keeping on hand when a homemade sweet is in order.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and continue mixing until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once the dough is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Freezing Instructions: Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the cookie dough is frozen, store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake the cookie dough from frozen, bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Baked cookies that have cooled completely will freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
To prepare the cookie dough ahead of time: The cookie dough may be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it’s too hard to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
Unsalted Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in these cookies. If using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs are best for this recipe. If you forget to sit them out ahead of time, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Feel free to swap out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips.
Recipe FAQs
1. Why are my chocolate chip cookies spreading too much?
This usually happens when the cookie dough is too warm. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 2 hours before baking. If the cookies are still spreading more than you’d like, you can chill the dough balls in the freezer for about 20 minutes before putting them in the oven.
2. What should I do if my cookies aren’t spreading enough?
This can happen when there’s too much flour in the dough. Make sure you spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping it directly from the container. If the dough still seems too thick, gently press the cookie dough balls down before baking.
3. Can I skip chilling the cookie dough?
I wouldn’t recommend it. Chilling the dough helps keep the cookies from spreading too much and is an important step for getting those soft, thick, chewy cookies. Give the dough at least 2 hours in the refrigerator for the best results.
4. How do I know when the cookies are done?
You don’t want to wait until the cookies are deeply browned. They’re ready when the tops are set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven before transferring them to a wire rack. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
5. Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can definitely prepare the dough in advance. Cover it tightly and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the dough becomes too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before portioning.
Make Ahead + Freezing
To make in advance: You can prepare the cookie dough up to 3 days ahead. Cover it tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to scoop and bake. If it becomes difficult to scoop, let it rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
To freeze: Scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the dough is frozen, transfer it to a freezer bag or airtight container and store for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen, add an additional 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
To freeze baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup (345 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (230 grams; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce package (2 cups; 340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and continue mixing until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once the dough is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Recipe Notes
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