Get ready to meet the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s about to become a family favorite! These cookies are thick, chewy, and packed with melty chocolate in every bite – whether you chill the dough or skip straight to baking.
Perfect for busy moms, doting grandmas, or anyone who believes a warm cookie can fix just about anything!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No waiting necessary: While chilling the dough gives you bakery-style, ultra-thick cookies, you can skip it and still end up with perfectly soft, chewy cookies that are ready in no time.
- Double the chocolate: A mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips ensures every bite is perfectly rich and sweet without being too much.
- Kid-approved: These cookies are a hit with kids (and the kid in all of us!)—perfect for after-school snacks, bake sales, or sneaking one with your coffee. This is the kind of recipe you’ll pass down, the one your family will ask for time and time again.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best for controlling the salt level, but if you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon.
- Chocolate chips: The mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips creates the perfect balance of rich and sweet. Feel free to use dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even chopped chocolate bars for a twist.
- Flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for the best texture.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar gives a soft, chewy texture, but dark brown sugar will work in a pinch and adds a deeper molasses flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract makes all the difference in flavor, but imitation vanilla can be used if that’s what you have on hand.
How to make chocolate chip cookies
Let’s bake some amazing cookies together! This is going to be fun, and I promise, you’ll end up with the kind of cookies people dream about. Grab your apron, preheat your oven, and let’s do this step by step.
1. Mix up your dry ingredients: First, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. This part might feel basic, but trust me, it’s the foundation of those perfect cookies.
Go ahead and stir in your chocolate chips now, too – this way, they’ll be evenly distributed later. Set this bowl aside for now; we’ll come back to it in just a bit.
2. Cream together your butter and sugars: In a separate bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer. Keep it at medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and irresistible-looking. This step is what gives your cookies that dreamy softness.
Once it’s all fluffy and wonderful, lower the mixer speed and blend in the eggs and vanilla extract. Just mix until everything comes together – no need to overdo it. (Overmixing the eggs is the enemy of soft cookies!)
3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Here’s where the magic happens! Slowly add your dry ingredients into the wet mixture, a little at a time. This keeps the dough manageable and ensures everything blends beautifully.
Stir just until it all comes together—again, no overmixing. You’re looking for a thick, slightly sticky dough that smells like heaven already.
4. Chill or bake right away – your choice: Now you’ve got a decision to make: If you want ultra-thick, bakery-style cookies, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
If you’re like me and often can’t wait to bake, you can skip the chilling step and move straight to shaping the cookies. They’ll still be thick, chewy, and absolutely delicious.
5. Shape the cookies: Scoop out about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie (you want them nice and big!) and roll them into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
If your dough is chilled and a bit stiff, let it soften at room temperature just enough to scoop. If you didn’t chill the dough, this is where you can pop the cookie balls into the freezer for 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats – this will help them keep their shape.
6. Bake to golden perfection: Preheat your oven to 375°F, and bake one sheet at a time for 9–12 minutes. Keep an eye on them – pull them out when the edges are lightly golden and the tops look just set.
If you’ve chilled the dough, you might need an extra minute or two in the oven, but don’t overbake! Cookies continue to firm up as they cool.
7. Cool (just a little) and enjoy: Once you pull the cookies out of the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This helps them set up just enough to transfer without breaking. Then move them to a cooling rack – or straight to a plate if you can’t resist!
Now, pour yourself a cup of coffee or grab some milk, because it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your baking. These cookies are warm, gooey, and filled with love – you nailed it!
Top tips for baking success
Here are some tried-and-true tips to ensure your cookies turn out absolutely perfect every time:
- Don’t skip the butter softening: Make sure your butter is softened at cool room temperature – it should give just slightly when you press it, but not be greasy or melty. This is key to that light and fluffy creaming stage.
- Measure your flour carefully: Too much flour can make your cookies dense. Fluff it up in the bag, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife for accuracy.
- Chill for thicker cookies: Chilling the dough gives you thicker, bakery-style cookies with a chewier texture. If you’re short on time, freeze the scooped dough balls for 10–15 minutes before baking.
- Don’t overbake: Cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden, and the centers still look a bit soft. They’ll set up as they cool, so trust the process and resist the urge to keep them in the oven too long.
- Mix-ins matter: Gently stir in the chocolate chips with the dry ingredients to keep them evenly distributed throughout the dough. You can also get creative – try adding nuts, toffee bits, or even a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking.
- One sheet at a time: Baking one sheet in the center of the oven ensures even heat distribution and perfect cookies. It’s worth the extra step!
Helpful recipe hints
Recipe variations
- Nutty twist: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough for a delightful crunch.
- Salted chocolate dream: Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt for a decadent treat.
- Peanut butter lovers: Swap ½ cup of the butter for creamy peanut butter and use peanut butter chips for a rich, nutty flavor.
- Triple chocolate delight: Mix in white chocolate chips or chunks of dark chocolate along with the semi-sweet and milk chocolate for an extra indulgent experience.
- Holiday flair: Stir in crushed candy canes or festive sprinkles for a fun, seasonal touch.
Storage tips
Keep your cookies fresh and delicious with these simple storage tips:
- Countertop storage:
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them soft, add a slice of bread to the container – it helps maintain moisture without affecting the flavor.
- Freezing the dough:
- For ultimate convenience, scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid (about 1–2 hours).
- Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake, place the frozen dough on a baking sheet and bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezing baked cookies:
- Let the cookies cool completely, then layer them between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw them at room temperature or pop them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes to refresh their just-baked taste.
Serving and gifting ideas
These cookies are more than just a treat – they’re a way to make someone’s day extra special. Here’s how you can serve or gift them to spread the love:
- Serving ideas: Serve the cookies warm with a glass of milk for a classic pairing, or alongside coffee or hot chocolate for a cozy indulgence. For a special dessert, sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies to create an irresistible ice cream sandwich!
- Gifting tips: Stack a few cookies and wrap them in clear cellophane tied with a ribbon for a simple, thoughtful gift. Add a handwritten note or recipe card to make it personal!
- Holiday cheer: Fill a festive tin or decorative box with these cookies to gift to neighbors, teachers, or friends. Include a variety of cookie flavors for a fun mix-and-match treat. Some great choices are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, Snickerdoodles, Molasses Cookies and Snowball Cookies!
- Bake sale superstar: These cookies are a crowd-pleaser, perfect for school bake sales or fundraisers. Package them in individual bags with cute labels for an easy grab-and-go option.
More cookies to try
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup); softened at cool room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir through chocolate chips and set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Reduce speed to low and blend in eggs and vanilla extract until combined – do not overmix.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Do not overmix.
- Optional chill: EITHER wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. OR continue immediately with recipe, yielding slightly less chewy/thick but still perfectly delicious cookies.
- Shape cookies: Scoop dough into 3 tablespoon-sized balls, and space 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (If dough was refrigerated, allow to soften enough at room temperature to be scoopable. If dough was scooped without chilling, freeze dough balls on baking sheets for 10-15 minutes, while oven preheats.)
- Bake cookies: Heat oven to 375°F. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, in the preheated oven for 9–12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and tops are just set. Thoroughly chilled cookie dough may need 1-2 minutes longer to bake.
- Cool on pan: Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Butter: Use unsalted butter; if using salted, reduce added salt to ¼ tsp.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips create a perfect balance; swap in dark, white, or chopped chocolate as desired.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds softness; dark brown gives deeper flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla is best, but imitation works in a pinch.
Recipe tips
- Soft butter: Use butter softened at cool room temperature for the best texture.
- Measure carefully: Fluff, spoon, and level flour to avoid dense cookies.
- Chill or freeze dough: Chill for thicker cookies or freeze scooped dough for 10 – 15 minutes before baking.
- Don’t overbake: Pull cookies when edges are golden and centers look soft; they’ll set as they cool.
- Bake one sheet at a time: Ensures even baking for perfect results.
Storage tips
- Countertop: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days; add a slice of bread to keep them soft.
- Freezing dough: Freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freezing cookies: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven.
Chris says
Best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! I didn’t change anything, and they came out amazing. definitely chill the dough if you want them really thick. Thanks for such a great recipe!!
Nora says
I’m so glad to hear it, Chris!
Sarah says
omg these were delicious. made them for the kids after school, and they ate them all in like 5 mins 😂. added a little sea salt on top before baking—so good. will make again for sure!
Nora says
Haha, that’s what happens around here too, Sarah! Glad they were a hit – love the sea salt addition.
Tina says
These cookies are EVERYTHING!! buttery, soft, and full of chocolate. I doubled the recipe and froze some of the dough so I can bake more anytime. New fave cookie recipe for sure!
Nora says
That’s so smart, Tina! Glad you liked the cookies.
Maddie says
These cookies were SO good!! I made them for a family get-together and everyone kept asking me for the recipe. Soft in the middle, a little crispy on the edges. perfect. Def saving this one!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Maddie!
Jamie says
Such a good recipe! Super easy and the cookies came out chewy and gooey, just how I like them. I used half dark choc chips and half milk choc—so good. Already planning another batch this weekend!
Nora says
I love that, Jamie. So glad you enjoyed the cookies!