Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies | Classic Homemade Dessert Recipe
These are the chocolate chip cookies people ask for by name. They’re soft in the center, chewy around the edges, and loaded with melty chocolate. The dough comes together quickly with pantry staples, and you don’t need any special equipment.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (255 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Optional: 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
- Optional finish: Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pans: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix sugars and butter: In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with brown and granulated sugars until smooth and glossy, about 45 seconds.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Whisk in the egg, then the yolk, followed by the vanilla, until the mixture looks thick and creamy.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in chocolate (and nuts): Fold in chocolate chips or chunks, and nuts if using, until evenly distributed.
- Optional chill: Chill dough 20–30 minutes for thicker cookies and deeper flavor. If short on time, you can skip this step.
- Portion the dough: Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds (about 35–40 g each) onto lined sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake 9–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone. The tops should be pale golden with soft centers.
- Finish and cool: If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt right out of the oven. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool fully.