The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These soft chocolate chip cookies are perfectly chewy, buttery, and packed with melty chocolate chips. Using a method that partially melts the butter and carefully timed baking helps achieve the ideal soft texture that stays fresh for days. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious, these cookies are a classic treat that everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons of salted butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar (preferably raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (6.75 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus a little extra as preferred)
Add-ins
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat and Melt Butter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds until it is just barely melted but not hot—mostly in liquid form to ensure a soft texture in the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the melted butter with white sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add vanilla extract and the egg, then beat on low speed just until combined (about 10-15 seconds) to prevent stiffening the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Form Dough: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add these into the wet mix and stir until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles into a cohesive dough ball that is slightly wet but manageable. Fold in the chocolate chips and chunks with your hands until evenly distributed.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for extra-large cookies). Place them evenly spaced on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until cookies look puffy, dry on the edges, and just starting to golden. Be careful not to overbake; remove when pale and puffy for maximum softness.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes. During cooling, the cookies will flatten slightly and become dense and soft. Store in an airtight container to keep soft for several days or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Do not overbeat the egg to keep the cookies soft and not stiff.
- Watch the baking time carefully; underbaking slightly is key to softness.
- Using a combination of chocolate chips and chunks adds texture and richer flavor.
- Cooling on the pan is essential to set the softness and shape.
- Cookies keep well for several days in an airtight container and can be frozen.
