The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies – Your search for the best chocolate chip cookie is over. This cookie is the perfect balance of butter, chocolate, sugar, and flour that does not need to chill before baking.
You can stop your search for the greatest chocolate chip cookie recipe because I’ve got here for you today. It took me decades of testing and eating and more testing and more eating to perfect this recipe but man, all that time was totally worth it.
After all those years, I’ve narrowed down what exactly makes a chocolate chip cookie recipe “perfect”:
- Very few ingredients that you always have on hand
- A no-chill dough that can immediately into the oven after mixing
- A beautiful golden brown color
- The perfect ratio of flour to sugar to butter to chocolate that makes the edges crispy but the centers soft and gooey
All of the above criteria are so essential to what makes these cookies incredible that it’s so hard for me to pick my favorite one. The flavor is incredible but I also love that I can make these cookies whenever I get a craving. And on top of everything, the cookies look bakery-worthy! See, I told you these were the BEST chocolate chip cookies!
Without further ado, here they are!
Very few ingredients required
I cannot stand a cookie recipe that promises to be incredible but uses a bunch of random ingredients (see: cream cheese). I’m sorry, but if you need 10+ ingredients to make a great chocolate chip cookie recipe, then I’m not into it.
No-chill dough
It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize why my cookies were spreading into flat pancakes – I didn’t properly chill the dough. Ever since I found that out, I always chill my dough until it’s almost solid. This ensures the butter in the dough doesn’t melt too fast, causing a pancake cookie.
However, in this recipe, the extra flour and chocolate chips keep the cookie from spreading so you don’t need to chill it before baking. Hallelujah! Now, if you decide to chill the dough, the cookies will be thicker, which some prefer. I go back and forth with my preferences and usually end up baking half the dough and chilling the rest for later consumption.
Golden brown color
There are a few reasons for this golden brown color:
- Dark brown sugar vs the more traditional light brown sugar
- Baking them past their initial hint of golden tops
Dark brown sugar
Most chocolate chip cookie recipes call for light brown sugar. However, I have found that the dark brown sugar is key to getting a beautiful golden color that you see in bakery versions of cookies.
Baking time
When I bake, I like to take cookies out of the oven just as they turn golden brown to prevent overbaking. However, my fear of overbaking would tend to make me too anxious and I would end up taking the cookies out too soon. Now, I let them bake for 1 more minute so that they can get a crunch on the top but still maintain that gooeyness inside.
Incredible flavor
All the above criteria don’t matter if the cookies don’t taste good. And I can definitively say that these cookies are some of the best I’ve ever had. They are buttery, but not too rich, and chocolatey but not super sweet. There’s really no beating how yummy these cookies are!
Tips & Tricks
- Dark brown sugar is key to getting these cookies to turn that perfect golden color.
- Try to hold back the temptation to remove the cookies from the oven at the first sign of golden color on top. If you leave them for one more minute, the cookies will look better and taste crispier but still have a gooey center.
- The size of these cookies is large, similar to a cookie that would get at a bakery. You can make smaller cookies – just make sure to adjust the bake time since smaller cookies are done sooner.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix slowly. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.
- Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets in balls of about 2 tablespoons. Make sure to keep at least 2 inches between each dough ball, with 12 cookies on one baking sheet and 6 cookies on the other.
- Bake cookies in a preheated oven for 13 minutes or until the edges are deep brown and the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.
Notes
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Those look so yummy and I’m LOVING the picture of the little one holding the cookie. These look uber chocolate-filled and perfect any day of the week!
From the golden brown shade and perfect looking texture, I can already tell that these cookies are going to be tasty! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
They look like the absolute best chocolate chip cookies! The texture just looks perfect. Can’t wait to try them!
These look incredibly delicious. I wish these cookies were in front of me. They make me drool!
Chocolate chip cookies are my love language! Seriously the best dessert in my opinion! YUM!!!
I will never pass up a chocolate chip cookie! These look so soft and delicious! I wish I could reach in and grab one…cannot wait to give yours a try! 😀
I have been meaning to make the perfect chocolate chip cookies, and i think this recipe is the one! I cant wait to make these, thank you for sharing this recipe!
I was looking for the best chocolate chip cookies and I think you nailed this! What a fabulous cookie. It really came together great.
This is a wonderful cookie recipe such a fun treat and the look on that babies face is priceless!
I never get tired of trying new chocolate chip cookie recipes! I like that the dough doesn’t need to chill before baking because my kids and I never have the patience to wait while the dough chills. Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks. Simple yet so delicious. Love the quick and immediate Baking option too. Looks yum.Perfect for any time snack.
The kids LOVED these chocolate chip cookies. The perfect balance of chewiness in the middle and a crisp outside!
I have been on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie and this is it! OMG so good – I think the dark brown sugar helps put them over the top!
Thanks. Would definitely go with your recipe. A lovely snack box or tea time treat option.
Chocolate chip cookies are a huge hit around here! Love to find new recipes to try
Every chocolate chip is the best chocolate chip (in my book). These were the perfect balance of buttery, sweet & chocolate.
OMG i haven’t made chocolate chips cookies in forever! I hate chilling the dough so I need to try this