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These are the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies that turn out perfectly every single time and don’t require any chilling. This is a classic tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe that you will make again and again!

These Chocolate Chip Cookies are traditional cookies that melt in your mouth with every bite. Let the chocolate warm you with its decadent taste and overwhelming comfort from every cookie. If you are looking for other classic cookie recipes try these Perfectly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies, these yummy Butter Pecan Cookies, or these classic Chewy Oatmeal Cookies.

A chocolate chip cookie that is split open on parchment paper.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven don’t last long in our home. We love the sweet classic taste it brings to our family! With a few simple ingredients that you have in your pantry year-round, these chocolate chip cookies are the very BEST!

My kids love making these cooking together as a family every Sunday afternoon. They love to bake in the kitchen and create lasting memories each week. I love watching them measure, stir and patiently watch through the oven window as the cookies slowly bake to perfection. Baking with kids can be so much fun, you should try these other easy recipes to make with them like these Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats or these classic Peanut Butter Bars.

Ingredients in the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

These classic, pantry staple ingredients are all that you need to make these yummy cookies. Don’t doubt the simple ingredients. Once they are combined then you will have a melt-in-your-mouth cookie that you won’t be able to resist! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Unsalted Butter: This adds richness and a creamy texture.
  • Brown Sugar: I love how brown sugar brings a caramel-like flavor and moisture.
  • Sugar: Provides sweetness to the cookies.
  • Eggs: I always use large eggs when baking because they add moisture and structure.
  • Vanilla: A splash of vanilla gives a sweet flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Gives structure and a soft texture.
  • Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and become tender.
  • Baking Powder: Gives the cookies a light and fluffy texture.
  • Salt: This balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
  • Milk Chocolate Chips: Melts to create gooey pockets of sweetness.

Salted or Unsalted Butter for Cookies?

I like to use unsalted butter that is left out for a few hours prior to baking the chocolate chip cookies. Having the butter sit out of the refrigerator for an hour or so is best for these cookies when mixing. If you prefer salted butter then I recommend cutting back on the salt measurement to 1/2 teaspoon.

How to Make The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies?

These cookies come together so fast, you will want to make them all the time! In fact, they are so good, i would recommend doubling the batch so that you have some leftovers.

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cream: In a medium bowl, and using a mixer on medium, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  3. Beat: Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy.
  4. Mix: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips, and mix well.
  5. Scoop and Bake: Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 or 8 minutes per batch.
  6. Cool: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
4 pictures in a collage showing how to mix all of the ingredients together.

How to Make Cookies Soft and Chewy

Everyone loves a soft and chewy cookie! Here are some tips to make sure that your chocolate chip cookies turn out just like that!

  • Adjust the baking temperature and time: Bake your cookie dough at a slightly higher temperature for a shorter period.
  • Add sweetener: Mix in 1 tablespoon of molasses or honey to make your cookies sweeter.
  • Change the sugar: Use more brown sugar and less white sugar in a 1:1 ratio for richer and softer cookies.
  • Let them cool on the baking sheet: Instead of baking them all the way through, leave them on the baking sheet for a while before moving them to a cooling rack. Then your cookies will be soft and chewy.
Cookie dough in rows on a baking sheet.

Yes! It is always great to freeze dough! This is a great way to make these chocolate chip cookies ahead of time and make them last much longer.

  • To Freeze Cookie Dough: If you are not quite ready to bake your cookie dough after mixing it together then place the dough in an airtight container and freeze up to a year in the freezer.
  • To Refrigerate Cookie Dough: If you know you will be baking these cookies within the next few days then you can just refrigerate the dough. Store it in an airtight container and it will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

To save time, roll the dough into balls and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour, then layer the cookie dough balls in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer.

Chocolate chip cookies baked on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Substitutions

Get creative and switch things up! By using different ingredients instead of chocolate chips in your cookies, you can make them taste delicious in new and exciting ways. It means you can bake them more often and then have a different kind of cookie each time.

  • Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Milk Chocolate Chips
  • Dark Chocolate Chips
  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
  • Butterscotch Chips
  • Peanut Butter Chips
  • Mint Chocolate Chips
  • White Chocolate Chips
Baked chocolate chip cookies on a counter.

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The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.81 from 21 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies that turn out perfect every single time and don't require any chilling time. This is a classic tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe that you will make again and again!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Servings: 24 Cookies

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, and using a mixer on medium, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy.
  • Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips, and mix well.
  • Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 or 8 minutes per batch.
  • Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Video

Notes

Originally Posted on May 2012.
Updated on July 20, 2023
The Cookies won’t look quite done but the trick is not to over-bake so they stay chewy.  

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 292IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
 

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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51 Comments

  1. I have tried this recipe 3 times and have finally found the right ratio but it’s really off in this recipe for me. I do a little more than half of what the recipe calls for. The other two times the cookies came out so flour tasting it was awful. I threw out the batches both times and I figured I’d give it a try one last time, and the 3rd try with about half the flour came out fine. They weren’t really anything special, just normal chocolate chip cookies, but I wasn’t going to be beat to figure out why the recipe wasn’t working quite right, but I wouldn’t recommend this recipe. There are recipes out there are that are better and have the correct ingredient amount.

    But I hope the reecipe worked out for someone 🙂

  2. I followed the recipe as noted above and 3 1/2 cups flour was just too much. The mixture did not come together as a cookie dough; it was just dry. I understand flour can be different region to region, so maybe mine was drier. I ended up throwing it all away, wasting ingredients. I hope others have had a better experience.

  3. 5 stars
    I am an avid baker and have been cooking and baking the last 40 years. I’ve tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes and this is the best one that I’ve tried so far. Pure perfection. Did not change a thing.

  4. 4 stars
    Like others have said, way too much flour here. However I know what a good cookie dough looks like, so I added liquid (molasses) until it felt like a good cookie dough consistency. I also baked them for 10 minutes

  5. 5 stars
    I made these for the first time for my family and they LOVED them! Definitely a keeper! I did have to bake them for 9 minutes, but they were the perfect chocolate chip cookie at 9 minutes.

  6. 5 stars
    We are a gluten-free household due to celiac but recently I’ve been trying using King Arthur flour measure for measure as a substitute and regular recipes, regular meaning not gluten-free specific. The substitution worked well with these cookies. And baking time had to be almost doubled, 14 minutes, but they are really delicious

  7. I’ve been making these cookies for about a year. They come out perfect every time, except it takes about 14 minutes. My family actually hordes them! I make them for friends and the same thing happens. They really are simple and the best chocolate chip cookie ever.

  8. 4 stars
    I followed the directions but am now going on 16 minutes at 350 – yes it was fully preheated;) feel like it’s going to be maybe 30 min before they are done they still look raw

  9. These have WAY too much flour. More like scones. My cookies didn’t flatten down at all. They look just like they did when they went in. However, they do taste amazing!

  10. 5 stars
    I haven’t made cookies since I was like 10 and these came out perfect. Gooey in the middle with a little crunch on the outside and very fluffy on the inside! I ended up getting about 30 or more out of a table spoon scoop but I definitely added too much flour (balanced with two eggs until the consistency was fixed) so that may have contributed to the extra dough. Anyway, thanks for sharing and I look forward to trying your other recipes!

  11. 5 stars
    I was looking for a really good chocolate chip cookie recipe which was chewy and not flat like a pancake when they come out. I found it with your recipe, Alyssa! I have tried plenty of chocolate chip cookie recipes and they were never chewy enough, or thick enough or maybe too thick, or too thin and crackly or tastes doughy. etc. THIS IS THE BOMB. THE IT CHOC CHIP COOKIE. It is perfect for holding its shape – whether you like it chunky thick or just thick enough, it stays chewy. Most of all, IT IS DELICIOUS! This is THE chocolate chip cookie I will be handing down to my kids. Thank you!!!!

  12. 5 stars
    These indeed are THE ABSOLUTE BEST! Added the tablespoon of honey, rested the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Baked for 11 minutes. I too used bittersweet chocolate chips and will try milk chocolate next time. All other recipes have been thrown away. Thank you!

  13. These turned out so yummy! I did need to increase cook time to 11 mins and they were still nice and chewy. In the upper portion, it mentions adding baking powder, but I did not see in the baking directions. How much needs to be added? Thanks!

  14. 5 stars
    I needed a chocolate chip cookie for a friend and knew if you had one on your site, I couldn’t go wrong. You’re my go to for new ideas and have never been disappointed. They are the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve tried and I’ve made a lot of them. I used semi sweet because I didn’t have any milk chocolate on hand and they were great. Can’t wait to try them with milk chocolate.
    Keep up the good work.

  15. just made these using 1 inch ice cream scoop, got 37. Baking time about
    11 minutes. They are delicious!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!