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Your quest for the best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is over! Look no further! This cookie is soft, chewy and crispy on the edges and the flavor is amazing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
I seem to be on an eternal quest for the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have several dozen chocolate chip cookie recipes here on the blog but I keep searching and am always game to try a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. After trying dozens of recipes over the year I can honestly say this is the best chocolate cookie recipe!
This chocolate chip cookie is everything a chocolate chip cookie should be, at least in my opinion. Crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the middle.
NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have found that chocolate chip cookie recipes seem to go in and out of popularity, especially in the blogosphere. Several years ago a certain chocolate chip cookie recipe hit the blogosphere. It is one that was featured in the New York Times when they set out to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. Their winner was a recipe adapted from Jacques Torres.
The recipe takes a bit longer than your typical chocolate chip cookie recipe because it needs to be chilled. But let’s just say that little bit of extra effort is totally worth it.
Ingredients
- Flour. You will need both cake four and bread flour. Substituting with all purpose flour will effect the texture of the cookies.
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt. You will need sea salt and a coarse or flaky for sprinkling on top.
- Butter. This recipe uses unsalted butter.
- Sugar. Both brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Bittersweet chocolate. You can also use any type of chocolate chunks or chocolate chips. I use either semi sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
Tips for Making the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
- Use a combination of cake flour and bread flour. Don’t cheat on this one. Cake flour is finer than bread flour but the bread flour has gluten in it which is important. There is a difference in the texture if you don’t use cake flour and bread flour but they still taste delicious.
- Room Temperature Ingredients. Have eggs and butter at room temperature. You don’t want your butter really soft. Soft butter is when you can use your finger to easily indent into the butter.
- Cream your butter and sugar for 3 -5 minutes. This may seem like a long time but do it!
- Chill your dough. The recipe calls for you to chill it for 24-36 hours but seriously, who could wait that long. I chilled it for a few hours and baked a batch and they were delicious.. I then exercised self control and chilled it for 12 hours – they were still delicious. Again at 24 hours – delicious! Maybe my chocolate chip cookie tastebuds aren’t that highly developed but I couldn’t see any big difference between those chilled only a few hours and those chilled the recommended 24 hours. So why wait!?
- Big Cookies! The other trick is to be sure and not make your cookies too small. The recipe calls for you to make them 1/3 cup. Do it! I use this cookie scoop to make large cookies.
- Sprinkle with sea salt. A slight sprinkling of sea salt on the top gives it that extra special touch and flavor. (I did leave the salt off of one of my batches and they were still the BEST.)
How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Be sure and read all the tips above first.
- Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- In your mixer, with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and stir in vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour in chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. (or just a few hours if you can’t wait!)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Scoop dough (the size of generous golf balls) or about 1/3 cup onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more.
Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Variations:
- Change up the type of chocolate chip you use! Use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate or a combination of all three!
- Add in some nuts, pecans or walnuts work great.
- Try Reese’s pieces, M & M’s or cut up a candy bar!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the cookie dough last?
The dough for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. After 72 hours it should be put in the freezer. For tips on freezing cookie dough check out this post.
What is the best way to freeze cookie dough?
After 72 hours the dough should be put in the freezer. Follow the directions here for freezing cookie dough. I also like to bake these cookies and then freeze them – find those tips here.
One of my favorite ways to eat these cookies is frozen, right out of the freezer!
Why do you need to chill the dough?
It helps to the butter to set up again and prevents from the cookies from spreading too much.
You end up with a chewier cookie and the flavors have more time to meld together.
Tip: Scoop the dough into balls before you chill the dough, it’s easy to scoop.
How To Bake Cookies from Frozen Dough:
- Bake the cookies frozen. Just place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake. They will just take a minute or two longer to bake.
- Allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator on the counter or in the refrigerator over night.
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Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour minus 2 tablespoons
- 1 2/3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 Tbsp
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- In your mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. (or just a few hours if you can’t wait!)
- Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Scoop dough (the size of generous golf balls) or about 1/3 cup onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more.
- Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Change up the type of chocolate chip you use! Use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate or a combination of all three!
- Add in some nuts, pecans or walnuts work great.
- Try Reese’s pieces, M & M’s or cut up a candy bar!
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Nutrition Facts:
Tara B says
Hi Leigh Anne, this is Tara’s mom Robin. I want to make these cookies for a few girlfriends that are coming to visit me for a gettaway weekend. We will watch Downton Abbey and of course eat treats aka cc cookies. I am wondering what you mean by bread flour. Can it be regular all purpose flour or should it be the real “bread flour” with higher gluten content. I am thinking from your comments that it should be bread flour not all purpose. Also, what are your favorite things to do in UT aside from visit those cute girls and Logan.
Leigh Anne says
Hi Robin! I do use bread flour – not all purpose flour. I think it gives the cookies a better texture. Your girlfriend weekend sounds so fun – I want to come!! My favorite things to do it Utah – they usually include eating and shopping and some more eating! Of course there is always a trip to Cafe Rio and Tai Pan in there. If they are cooks Gygi’s would be on the list too I guess it would depend on what your friends like. Gardner Village is always fun too. Lots of fun little boutiques for clothes and crafts – so many possibilities!! Have fun! I’m headed to Utah next weekend. Let me know if you find some fun new places I need to check out!!
Jody says
Leigh Ann, have you tried the “Best Chocolate Chip Cookie” on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe website? I just tried them last week and they are the best I’ve ever made. (I haven’t tried this recipe yet) I’m curious how they stack up against these.
Leigh Anne says
Her recipe is a good one – in fact I have almost the exact same recipe here on the blog too – it is a popular one that went around the blogosphere a few years ago. The melted butter gives the cookie a good texture but I think I might like this recipe even better but that recipe was my favorite until this one!
Wendy Webster says
The ultimate test was when I made these since my CC cookies NEVER turn out. My husband and I chuckled with delight when the first batch came out SUPER beautiful and delicious. THANKS!
Jackie says
Hi Leigh Anne
Did you use a 1/3 cup measuring cup or a cookie scoop that measures 1/3 cup.
Leigh Anne says
I used a ice cream scoop that holds 1/3 of cup, it is easier to get the dough out of it than a measuring cup but a measuring cup will work too. You’ll just need a spoon to lift the dough out with.
Rachel says
My favourite CCC recipe has oatmeal in it and if baked on a pizza stone is to DIE for – I agree – the chilling of the dough makes it taste SO MUCH better!
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
all creamed together until fluffy
add 1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract ( I use real)
Mix well
Add 1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
mix until blended
Then add 3 cup oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix until combined
Put in fridge for 1 hour
Bake at 350 F for 14 minutes (or there abouts) on a pizza stone – when the cookies are done – they don’t look done yet… they still look wobbly in the middle. Take them out of the oven and keep on pizza stone until firm (about 90 sec) and then transfer to cooling rack. Don’t leave on pizza stone too long or they will continue to cook and no longer be chewy in the middle… don’t move too soon to cooling rack or cookie will fall apart.