Name: Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-491238H3M14S
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups (170g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed; 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 large egg; 1 1/2 cups (250g) semisweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s, Guittard, or Ghirardelli recommended) plus more for topping; Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Introduction

These BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfectly soft, chewy, and packed full of melty chocolate chips. With a touch of flaky sea salt on top, they offer the ideal balance of sweet and salty in every bite. Whether you enjoy them warm or at room temperature, these cookies are sure to please any crowd.

The image shows multiple soft chocolate chip cookies on a black wire cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cookie has a golden-brown, slightly crispy edge with a lighter, soft center filled with dark brown chocolate chips scattered throughout. Some cookies have a light sprinkle of coarse salt on top, adding a slight texture contrast. Chocolate chips are also scattered casually on the surface near the cookies. In the background, there is a small glass jar with coarse salt visible, adding to the scene's detail. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups (170g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups (250g) semisweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s, Guittard, or Ghirardelli recommended) + more for topping

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes paste-like in consistency.

Step 4: Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a rubber spatula, leaving some streaks of flour. Add the chocolate chips and continue folding until fully combined. Avoid over mixing.

Step 6: Using a 2 oz cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop 5 cookies onto the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes; 12 minutes for gooey cookies and 15 minutes for slightly firmer ones. For smaller cookies, scoop 6 per sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

Step 7: The cookies are done when they have a golden ring around the edges but remain pale and puffed in the center. If cookies spread too much, gently nudge the sides in with a fork right after removing from the oven.

Step 8: While still warm, top each cookie with extra chocolate chips and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Step 9: Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and continue baking the remaining dough in batches.

Step 10: Let cookies cool for about 20 minutes before serving. They are best enjoyed slightly warm with melty chocolate chips.

Tips & Variations

Use room temperature egg and melted butter that’s cooled slightly to ensure proper texture and mixing.

Try using different types of chocolate chips like dark chocolate or white chocolate for flavor variations.

Add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.

For a richer flavor, substitute half the all-purpose flour with bread flour.

If you prefer chewier cookies, reduce the baking powder to 1/4 tsp.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce the added kosher salt to about 1/4 teaspoon to avoid over-salting the cookies.

Why is my cookie dough too runny or too dry?

Be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can compact the flour. Also, make sure the melted butter is cooled before mixing; hot butter can make the dough too loose.