If you’re like me, you’ve tried EVERY Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe on the internet. Plus a couple dozen in various cookbooks.
Cake flour. Extra egg yolk. Melted butter. Cold butter. You name it, I’ve tried it. Some are a waste of ingredients. Some are fine, but nothing to write home about. Some are flat. Some are just too time consuming.
After ALL. Those. Recipes. I’ve combined all the key elements that actually make a difference into one perfect cookie. I know there are a couple ingredients + waiting that are annoying – but I promise, it’s worth your while!!
If you want to learn all my tips for magical Chocolate Chip Cookies, read just below.
My MOST Important Tips for Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Weigh your flour. I don’t provide cup measurements here for a reason! Too much flour is SO easy to accidentally compact into a measuring cup, resulting in boring, lackluster, flavorless cookies. Buy a scale. I promise it’s worth it!
- Use COOL Room Temperature Butter. If your butter is too warm when you cream it with the sugar, your cookies will spread too much in the oven. Aim for butter around 65°F / 18°C.
- Bread Flour. I fully acknowledge that bread flour isn’t something everyone has sitting around at home … but go buy a bag. It changes the texture of your cookies dramatically thanks to the extra protein. But if you refuse (no hard feelings), just use more all-purpose flour in its place.
- Chop Chocolate Bars (instead of using chocolate chips). Chopping your chocolate results in little flakes of chocolate throughout every bite, with larger puddles of chocolate in some parts. Who wouldn’t want chocolate puddles!? But yes, you can use the same amount of chocolate chips instead, if needed.
- Use Good Quality Chocolate. I like Ghirardelli bittersweet bars, but you can use any chocolate you enjoy eating. If it’s gross by itself, it’ll be gross in a cookie.
- Don’t Overbake. Pull the cookies from the oven when they still look damp in the middle, but set and slightly golden brown at the edges, for perfectly baked cookies.
Want to learn more about the science behind baking the best cookies of your life? Check out my How to Bake the Perfect Cookies post!
Do I Have to Use Dark Brown Sugar?
I like the rich depth of flavor it brings, but it’s not 100% vital. Feel free to use the same amount of light brown sugar instead.
The Best Baking Pan for Cookies
It doesn’t feel like the baking pan should matter all that much, but believe me when I tell you that it can. Don’t use a nonstick baking pan, or any pan that’s too dark in color. And please, never ever grease your cookie pan or spray it with anything. Just line the pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Also, be sure to cool the pan before baking on it again, to prevent cookie puddles.
Chilling Cookie Dough: Is it Necessary?
I know, I know. It’s annoying and you don’t want to wait. I get it. But I promise it’s worth the wait. You need to wait at least a couple hours here, but if you have the time (and the patience), store the shaped cookie dough balls inside an airtight container in the fridge overnight, or for up to 3 days prior to baking. So much good stuff happens in this chill time! The flour becomes more hydrated and bakes into thicker cookies, and the flavors all mingle and intensify, for the best tasting cookies.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?
Absolutely! BUT, I do recommend chilling in the fridge for a day or two before freezing (for all those flavor and textural benefits, as explained above), as freezing simply can’t provide those benefits. So chill for a day or two inside an airtight container, then freeze for up to 1 month. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed below, or bake from frozen at 325°F / 160°C for about 13 to 15 minutes.
More Cookie Recipes to Try:
- Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Cookies
- Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Halloween Cookies (black cocoa chocolate chip cookies!)
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 150 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 140 grams butter, at a cool room temperature (65°F/18°C)
- 110 grams granulated sugar
- 140 grams dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 190 grams chopped chocolate, I prefer bittersweet
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar, until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour mix, and combine on low speed until almost combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add chopped chocolate and mix until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Using a large 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough into balls, and place in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 2 hours, before baking.
- When ready to bake, line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat, and preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through. You want the cookies to just be golden brown at the edges and slightly damp in the middle.
- Cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before serving (if you can!). Cookies will keep inside an airtight container for up to 4 days.
