“Sometimes, a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.”
Soft, gooey chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite treats. A few years ago I set out to discover a reliably soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe after testing many that turned out too flat or too crispy. I wanted a simple, foolproof method that produced tender cookies every time.
I tried classic recipes printed on chocolate packaging and a few popular online versions. They were tasty, but still fell short of the texture I wanted. I even experimented with recipes that used instant pudding mix to keep cookies soft—those worked well but required a pantry item I didn’t always have on hand. I tested doughs that needed lengthy refrigeration and recipes with unusual ingredients like cornstarch, but none felt like the perfect, simple solution.
Eventually I found a very straightforward recipe that delivered exactly what I was after. It was almost too easy to be true, but as soon as the cookies came out of the oven I knew I’d found the winner: soft, gooey, and richly flavored. Since then I’ve made this batch countless times.
The recipe calls for melted butter, which is convenient because you don’t need to wait for sticks of butter to soften. The dough doesn’t require refrigeration before baking, and the entire process needs only a bowl and a spoon—no stand mixer required. From pulling ingredients out to pulling cookies from the oven, you can have warm cookies ready in about 20–30 minutes. Enjoy!
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Perfect Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
18 large cookies or 36 smaller cookies
Liv
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional (enhances chocolate flavor slightly)
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
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In a large bowl, stir the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Add the egg, the extra yolk, and vanilla, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
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Add the baking soda, salt, optional espresso powder, and flour. Mix until a dough almost forms, then fold in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips until just combined.
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If you prefer, cover the dough and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Chilling is optional but can deepen the flavor.
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Portion the dough as desired—about 1/4 cup scoops for 18 large cookies or 2-tablespoon scoops for 36 smaller cookies. Place large scoops about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Press the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips onto the tops of each dough ball for a more chocolatey appearance.
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Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 13–15 minutes for large cookies or 10–12 minutes for smaller cookies. Bake until the edges are set and the centers remain soft and slightly puffy. Avoid overbaking. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
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Store leftover cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 6 months in a sealed bag or container.
Notes
Just slightly adapted from Baking Illustrated.