The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve been on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookies, your search is officially over. These cookies combine the rich, nutty goodness of browned butter with big, melty chunks of chocolate to create a treat that’s crispy on the edges and soft and chewy right in the middle—just like you’ve always wanted. Grab your favorite cold glass of milk and get ready for a classic cookies-and-milk combo that feels like a comforting hug in every bite.
Want even more chocolate chip cookie inspiration? Try my twist on s’mores cookies or my espresso chocolate chip cookies to spice things up!
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Take a deep breath, friend. We’re about to dive into what I genuinely consider my all-time best creation: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. After a decade of tweaking and testing, I’m thrilled to share these perfectly soft, chewy, slightly crisp-edged cookies filled with pockets of gooey chocolate and just the right touch of salt. When you bake these, be ready to share—they’re just too good to keep all to yourself.
Alright, let’s jump right in with my failproof recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients for Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Delicious cookies always start with good ingredients. Don’t cut corners here—quality makes all the difference for flavor and texture. Here’s your shopping list for these irresistible cookies:
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter lets you control salt levels perfectly, and browning it adds that deep, nutty flavor that takes these cookies to the next level. Trust me, it’s worth the extra step.
- Light Brown Sugar: I love combining light brown sugar with granulated sugar. The brown sugar keeps the cookies tender and chewy while giving a subtle molasses sweetness.
- Granulated Sugar: This adds just a hint of crunch around the edges, balancing the softness in the middle beautifully.
- Eggs: One whole egg plus an extra yolk creates that soft, tender texture without turning cakey. Eggs are the glue that holds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of good vanilla brings every flavor to life. Pure vanilla extract is totally worth it; Aldi’s has a great affordable option, or go fancy with Rodelle if you’re feeling indulgent!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for these. It builds a cookie tender enough to bite through easily yet sturdy enough to hold up to the chocolate. When measuring flour, gently spoon it into your cup to keep it light. Start with about 1 cup and then add the rest slowly. Since browned butter loses some water, you may need a tiny bit less flour—go easy.
- Baking Soda: This little helper gives your cookies a lovely rise and that iconic crackly top. Make sure it’s baking soda, not powder! I usually sprinkle in the flour, salt, and baking soda together and fold them in without a separate dry mix.
- Chocolate: Now, here’s the star of the show. Forget those typical chocolate chips. Use good quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate bars chopped into chunky bits. Aim for about 1 ½ to 2 cups so every bite has those melty chocolate surprises.
- Salt: Salt balances the sweetness like a charm. I use kosher salt in the dough and finish with flaky sea salt sprinkled on top for a little flavor pop that makes these cookies unforgettable.
How to Make Brown Butter
If you’ve never browned butter before, you’re in for a treat. It has this amazing toasty, nutty aroma that takes your chocolate chip cookies to a whole new place.
- Put the unsalted butter into a small saucepan and heat it over medium-low. Keeping the heat low helps the butter brown slowly and evenly without burning. Use a silicone spatula to stir and scrape the bottom and sides every 10 to 15 seconds.
- The butter will melt, then start to foam. Slowly, the bubbles will get smaller, and you’ll catch that warm, nutty smell filling your kitchen—that’s your cue it’s browning.
- Keep cooking until the butter turns a gorgeous golden brown and you see tiny dark bits forming—these are the toasted milk solids packed with flavor. Take it off the heat right away to avoid burning, and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before using.
The Three Don’ts of Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking
After way too many batches and a few flour-dusted kitchen disasters, I’ve learned the top three don’ts for perfect cookies. Keep these in mind to skip the common pitfalls!
- Don’t skip on salt and vanilla: These little ingredients pack a huge punch. Use good vanilla extract and dot your cookies with flaky sea salt for that homemade, unforgettable flavor.
- Don’t overmix your dough: Just mix until everything is combined. Overmixing builds gluten, which makes cookies thick and dry. Fold in the flour until you barely see any streaks, then stop!
- Don’t overbake: When in doubt, take them out a touch early. The cookies will keep cooking on the hot baking sheet. Aim for those soft, slightly gooey centers that make the cookies feel fresh-baked and dreamy.
Do You Need to Chill Your Cookie Dough Before Baking?
Short answer: yes, but I’ve got options. I highly recommend chilling your dough for at least 30 minutes. This rest time lets the flour soak up moisture and flavors meld, which means you get soft, gooey centers and those perfect crispy edges.
If you bake right after mixing, your cookies will spread out more and may taste a little less rounded. Still delicious, just different. My personal sweet spot? At least 2 hours in the fridge, and often I chill overnight to bake fresh the next day.
Chilling also firms the dough, making it way easier to scoop. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion even dough balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then cover or store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready.
Can You Freeze These Cookies?
Absolutely! Freezing is my go-to for having fresh cookies on hand anytime. You can freeze raw cookie dough or baked cookies. Here’s how to do both:
- Freeze the cookie dough: This is my favorite method. After making your dough, portion it into balls and freeze them in a freezer bag. When a craving hits, just thaw a ball on the counter for 30 minutes and bake fresh cookies. No fuss, pure magic.
- Freeze baked cookies: Bake your cookies fully and cool them completely to avoid ice crystals. Freeze flat in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. When you want a treat, thaw and enjoy. To keep them soft after freezing, underbake slightly before freezing.
Just look at that ooey-gooey chocolate! Honestly, who could say no?
How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can You Make These Cookies Ahead? How to Freeze Them? All Your Questions Answered!
These cookies are the absolute best fresh out of the oven—soft, chewy, and totally irresistible. They don’t hold up well for mailing or baking days ahead for a party because they will lose their ideal texture pretty quickly after a few days. You can safely store them in an airtight container for about 3 days, but after 2 days, they start to get stale.
Planning ahead? Make the dough in advance, scoop the dough balls, and freeze them in a sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just thaw for 30 minutes at room temperature and enjoy fresh homemade cookies anytime. Seriously, it’s that simple.
You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Just cool them completely before freezing so ice crystals don’t form. And remember—slightly underbake before freezing to keep that soft texture after thawing.
Don’t forget to treat yourself to a little cookies and milk break today with these chewy chocolate chip cookie wonders! I hope you love them as much as my family does.
PrintThe best chocolate chip cookies with browned butter, crispy edges, and soft chewy centers filled with melty chunks of semi-sweet or dark chocolate.
- Total Time: about 3 hours including chilling
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (to be browned)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk (extra)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (measured by gently spooning)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (in dough)
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate bars
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Brown the unsalted butter: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring every 10-15 seconds until it turns golden brown and has nutty aroma, then remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well mixed.
- Add one whole egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the wet mixture; mix just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients carefully, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the chopped chocolate chunks.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours or overnight, to let flavors meld and dough firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion dough balls evenly and place on prepared baking sheets with spacing.
- Optionally, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each dough ball before baking.
- Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until edges are crispy and centers are soft and slightly gooey; avoid overbaking.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Using unsalted butter allows precise control over saltiness; browning the butter adds a deep, nutty flavor., Combine light brown sugar with granulated sugar for a balanced chewy and slightly crunchy texture., Use good quality pure vanilla extract for best flavor., Use chopped chocolate bars instead of standard chocolate chips for bigger melty chunks., Fold in dry ingredients gently and avoid overmixing to prevent tough, dry cookies., Chilling dough improves texture and flavor; scooping chilled dough is easier and helps cookies hold shape., Cookies keep best fresh; store in airtight container up to 3 days., You can freeze raw dough balls for up to 3 months and bake fresh as needed; thaw for 30 minutes before baking., Baked cookies can also be frozen up to 3 months; underbake slightly for best texture after thawing., Sprinkling flaky sea salt on top gives a nice flavor contrast to the sweetness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Approx. 150-170 calories per cookie
- Fat: 8 grams per serving
- Carbohydrates: 20 grams per serving
- Protein: 2 grams per serving
