Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bake chocolate chip cookies with buttery centers, golden edges, and plenty of chocolate using a dough that chills briefly before baking.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 24 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 24 min
- Servings
- 12
Brown sugar adds a soft texture while granulated sugar helps the edges crisp. Use butter that yields to a finger but is not melted, so the dough holds its shape. A short chill limits spreading and makes scooping easier. The recipe makes twenty-four cookies, or two per serving, baked on two trays in separate batches.
What controls a chocolate chip cookie's texture?
Butter temperature and flour measurement both affect how far a cookie spreads. Follow the recipe's instructions for the butter rather than swapping melted, cold, and softened butter as if they were the same. Measure the flour consistently and mix only as directed after it goes into the dough.
Use a cool baking sheet for the next batch. Dough placed on a hot sheet can start spreading before it reaches the oven. Space the portions evenly and let the cookies set on the tray for the time indicated before transferring them.
Troubleshooting this recipe
Why did my cookies spread into one another?
The dough may have been too warm, the sheet may have been hot, or there may have been too little flour. Check those details before changing the recipe. A crowded sheet also leaves less room for normal spreading.
How do I avoid dry cookies?
Do not wait for the entire cookie to look dark and firm in the oven. Follow the recipe's edge and center cues; cookies firm up while cooling. Overmeasuring flour can also produce a dry result.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Serves 12 · Prep 15 min · Cook 24 min · Rest 45 min · Total 1 hr 24 min
Ingredients
Step-by-step instructions
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. Beat butter with both sugars for 2 minutes until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Mix in flour on low speed just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop twenty-four portions, about 2 tablespoons each, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them.
- Bake one tray at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are set but soft.
- Cool each batch on its tray for 5 minutes, then on a rack for 10 minutes.
A few kitchen notes
- Let baking sheets cool before adding another batch of dough.
Ingredient substitutions
- Use chopped semisweet chocolate in the same weight as the chips.
Storage & reheating
Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 4 days, or freeze for 2 months.
What to serve with it
Serve with milk, coffee, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Comments & kitchen questions
Have a question, a useful substitution, or a result to share? Your feedback helps us make this recipe clearer and more useful.
Questions from the kitchen
Can I make Chocolate Chip Cookies ahead?
Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 4 days, or freeze for 2 months.
What if I can’t find an ingredient?
Use chopped semisweet chocolate in the same weight as the chips.
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