There’s a certain magic that fills the house when a tray of chocolate chip cookies is in the oven. It’s more than just a sweet treat; it’s the aroma of melting chocolate, caramelising sugar, and toasted butter weaving its way into every room. It’s a scent that promises warmth, comfort, and a moment of pure indulgence. After years of testing and tweaking, I’ve finally landed on what I believe is the ultimate chocolate chip cookies recipe. This isn’t just any recipe; it’s the one that delivers consistently brilliant results.

What makes this particular recipe so special is the texture. We’re talking about that glorious contrast: delicately crisp edges that give way to a wonderfully soft and chewy centre. Each bite is studded with generous pools of dark chocolate that stay just a little bit gooey, even after the cookies have cooled. This is my go-to recipe when I need something that feels special but comes together without a fuss. It’s a fantastic bake for a lazy Sunday afternoon, to share with friends over coffee, or simply to have a jar on the counter for when a craving strikes. While these cookies are my favourite weekend project, for a speedy weeknight dinner, I often turn to my Savory Beef And Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe.

This recipe is for anyone who truly appreciates a well-made chocolate chip cookie. It doesn’t rely on complicated techniques, but it does pay attention to the small details that elevate a good cookie to a great one. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting out, you’ll find the process straightforward and the results deeply rewarding. Let’s get our aprons on and bake something wonderful together.

Recipe Overview

This chocolate chip cookie recipe produces cookies that are rich with buttery, brown sugar notes and packed with high-quality chocolate. The key is using slightly melted butter and allowing the dough to rest, which develops a deeper flavour and prevents the cookies from spreading too much. I once tried skipping the rest time when I was in a hurry, and while the cookies were still nice, they didn’t have the same chewy texture and depth.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Rest Time: 30 minutes (minimum)
• Cook Time: 12-15 minutes per tray
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 5 minutes
• Makes: About 24 cookies
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

• Incredible Flavour and Texture: Using both light brown and granulated sugar creates a complex, caramel-like sweetness, while the melted butter ensures a wonderfully chewy centre that stays soft for days. The flaky sea salt on top cuts through the richness beautifully.
• Ready in Just Over an Hour: From creaming the butter to pulling the first hot tray from the oven, the whole process comes together in about an hour, including the essential resting time.
• A Truly Flexible Recipe: You can easily adapt the mix-ins. Swap dark chocolate for milk or white, or add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch. You can even use a mix of all three!
• Great for Sharing: This recipe works wonderfully for bake sales, afternoon tea, or as a homemade gift. A small bag of these cookies tied with a ribbon is always a welcome gesture.
• Family Tested and Approved: These cookies always get compliments. My husband, who’s usually picky about his biscuits, asked for seconds the first time I made this version!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

⏱️ 20 min prep  •  🍳 15 min cook  •  👥 24 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, using good quality ingredients makes all the difference, especially the chocolate. I prefer using dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids for a deep, rich flavour that balances the sweet dough. Callebaut or Green & Black’s are excellent choices that melt into lovely pools rather than just staying in chip form.

• 170g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 100g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 280g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (or good quality chips)
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Elena’s Tip: Ensure your eggs are at room temperature. Cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize and solidify, resulting in a lumpy batter. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, you can place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5-10 minutes.

How to Make This Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

The method here is straightforward. The most important part is creaming the sugars and butter properly, which creates the foundation for that perfect chewy texture. Follow these steps carefully, and you’ll be rewarded with fantastic cookies.

1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter, soft light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until well combined. The mixture will look like wet sand.
2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again for another 2 minutes until the mixture becomes lighter in colour and texture, and looks glossy.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. This ensures the raising agents are evenly distributed.
4. Mix the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. What works best for me is finishing the last few turns with a spatula to avoid a tough cookie.
5. Fold in the Chocolate: Gently fold in the chopped dark chocolate with a spatula until it’s evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Rest the Dough: Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours. This step is crucial for flavour development and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
7. Preheat and Prepare: When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
8. Portion the Cookies: Scoop out portions of dough using a medium ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll them into balls and place them on the prepared baking trays, leaving at least 5cm (2 inches) of space between each one to allow for spreading.
9. Bake to Perfection: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the top of each dough ball, if using. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centres still look slightly soft and underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot tray.
10. Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set properly.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control is Key: Using melted butter is a deliberate choice for chewiness, but make sure it has cooled slightly. If it’s too hot, it will scramble the eggs. Likewise, room temperature eggs incorporate much more smoothly into the batter.
• The Secret Step: Chilling!: I can’t stress this enough – don’t skip the chilling time. I learned that letting the dough rest allows the flour to fully hydrate, which results in a chewier cookie and a much deeper, more complex flavour. Even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference.
• Make-Ahead Dough: This cookie dough is brilliant for making in advance. You can keep the covered dough in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. You can bake them straight from frozen; just add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
• Storage: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh and chewy for up to 4 days. You can even add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them soft.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer
• 2 large baking trays
• Parchment paper
• Wire cooling rack
• Medium ice cream scoop (optional, but great for uniform cookies)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the Baking Tray: Cookies need space to spread as they bake. If you place them too close together, they will merge into one giant cookie and won’t develop those lovely crisp edges. I always stick to 8-10 cookies per large tray.
• Using Butter That’s Too Cold or Hot: This recipe calls for melted butter. If your butter is cold, you won’t get the right texture. If it’s piping hot, it will melt the sugar and affect the final cookie structure. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes after melting.
• Skipping the Rest Time: As mentioned, chilling the dough is vital. It solidifies the fat, which means the cookies spread more slowly and bake up thicker and chewier. For an in-depth look at why this works, experts at Serious Eats have a great scientific explanation.

Delicious Variations to Try

While this classic chocolate chip cookie recipe is wonderful as it is, it also serves as a fantastic base for customisation. Here are a few ideas I’ve tried and loved:

• Nutty Chocolate Chip: Add 100g of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough along with the chocolate. The toasting really brings out their flavour.
• Triple Chocolate Dream: Use a combination of dark, milk, and white chocolate chunks for a cookie that offers a different flavour in every bite.
• Salted Caramel & Chocolate: Add 100g of soft caramel chunks or chopped soft toffees to the dough. The combination of salty, sweet, and rich chocolate is truly delightful.

What to Serve With Your Chocolate Chip Cookies

The beauty of a chocolate chip cookie is its simplicity, and it doesn’t need much to accompany it. Here are a few classic pairings:

• A Glass of Cold Milk: The ultimate classic pairing. The creaminess of the milk is the perfect counterpart to the rich chocolate cookie.
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Create a simple but magnificent dessert by sandwiching a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream between two warm cookies.
• A Mug of Tea or Coffee: For a more grown-up treat, a freshly baked cookie alongside a hot cup of English Breakfast tea or a flat white is a moment of pure bliss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

The ultimate recipe for classic, chewy chocolate chip cookies with a rich, buttery flavour, pools of melted dark chocolate, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 194

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 170 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• 200 g soft light brown sugar
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 280 g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 200 g dark chocolate roughly chopped (or good quality chips)
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Method

 

1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter, soft light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until well combined. The mixture will look like wet sand.
2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again for another 2 minutes until the mixture becomes lighter in colour and texture, and looks glossy.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. This ensures the raising agents are evenly distributed.
4. Mix the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. What works best for me is finishing the last few turns with a spatula to avoid a tough cookie.
5. Fold in the Chocolate: Gently fold in the chopped dark chocolate with a spatula until it's evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Rest the Dough: Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours. This step is crucial for flavour development and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
7. Preheat and Prepare: When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
8. Portion the Cookies: Scoop out portions of dough using a medium ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll them into balls and place them on the prepared baking trays, leaving at least 5cm (2 inches) of space between each one to allow for spreading.
9. Bake to Perfection: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the top of each dough ball, if using. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centres still look slightly soft and underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot tray.
10. Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set properly.

Notes

The 30-minute to 72-hour dough chilling step is crucial for flavour development and preventing spread. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I truly hope you enjoy making this chocolate chip cookies recipe as much as I do. There’s something so satisfying about pulling a tray of these golden, chocolate-studded beauties from the oven. After a long week, it’s the perfect way to unwind, and a great alternative to my usual weeknight Sticky Sweet Teriyaki Chicken Bowls. Give them a try, and please let me know how they turn out for you in the comments below. Happy baking!
– Elena