If there is one cookie recipe everyone should know, it is this one. These chocolate chip cookies are simple, reliable, and honestly hard to mess up. No chilling, no complicated steps, just buttery cookies with crisp edges, soft centers, and melty chocolate in every bite. This is the recipe people come back to again and again because it works every single time.
Yield: 36 cookies
Total time: 30 minutes (10 minutes prep + 8 to 10 minutes baking)
Ingredients
- 3 cups (405 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature2 cups (340 g or 12 oz) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Substitutions
Use unsalted butter if preferred and add a small extra pinch of salt.
Dairy free butter works well.
Gluten free all purpose flour blend can be used.
Choose milk, semi sweet, or dark halal certified chocolate chips.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir well and set aside.
Tip: Scoop flour into a dry measuring cup and level it with a knife. Too much flour makes dry cookies. - Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl using a mixer or whisk. Mix until smooth and creamy. The mixture should look fluffy, not greasy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for about 1 minute until the mixture looks lighter in color and fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl. Mix just until combined. Stop mixing once you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing can make cookies flat or tough.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and optional nuts. Use plenty of chocolate. You want chocolate in every bite.
- Scoop 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place them on the baking sheet about 4 to 5 cm apart so they have space to spread.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should look lightly golden while the centers still look slightly underdone. This is exactly what you want.
- Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking. They continue cooking from the heat and become perfectly soft and chewy.
- Transfer to a cooling rack or eat them warm while the chocolate is still melted.
Notes and Serving Tips
Do not overbake. The cookies will look a little doughy when you remove them from the oven and that is the secret to soft cookies.
If cookies spread too much, your butter may be too warm or your baking soda might be old.
If cookies do not spread, you may have added too much flour or your dough is too cold.
Use a cookie scoop so all cookies bake evenly.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
How to freeze cookie dough
Roll dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Transfer frozen dough balls into a sealed container and freeze up to 2 months.
How to bake frozen dough
Let dough thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour and bake normally, or bake directly from frozen at 175°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information (Per Cookie Estimated)
Calories: 183 kcal
Total Fat: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 26 g
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 153 mg
Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimated using online tools and may vary based on your ingredients and preparation. Please consult a nutritionist for precise dietary advice.
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