Come to my home any random day over the past 10+ years, and you’ll likely find a batch of these chocolate chip cookies in my cookie jar. This recipe is a staple in our household—warm, gooey, and delicious every single time. These cookies are so much more than a sweet treat; they’re a symbol of our family’s love for simple, honest food made with the best ingredients.

Why these chocolate chip cookies stand out:

Perfect Texture: A balance of crispy edges and soft, chewy centers makes these cookies irresistible, striking the ideal texture for any chocolate chip cookie lover.

High-Quality Ingredients: Using organic, unbleached flour, pure vanilla extract, and fresh eggs elevates the flavor, ensuring a richer and more authentic taste.

Room Temperature Magic: Starting with room temperature butter and eggs results in a dough that blends smoothly and bakes evenly, leading to a beautifully consistent batch every time.

Customizable Dough: This versatile recipe is a blank canvas—add dark chocolate chunks, a sprinkle of sea salt, or even a hint of cinnamon to make it your own without sacrificing the base’s quality.

Tried-and-True Family Favorite: Tested and perfected over nearly a decade, this recipe has become a reliable classic in our household, earning rave reviews fro

Quality Ingredients Make All the Difference

I’m a firm believer that a recipe is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. That’s why I’ve adjusted this recipe to include only the best options, and I encourage you to do the same. Here’s why each ingredient matters.

Butter:

Butter is the base of these cookies. I always use salted butter. I’ve never been in the group of unsalted butter. I don’t like to purchase two different kinds of butter and try to keep the kids using the correct one. I’ve made all my recipes with salted butter and adjust the salt to work with the salt already in the butter. It’s not that complicated.

Make sure it’s at room temperature—this allows the butter to blend seamlessly with the sugars and gives the cookies their perfect texture. If you can, choose a high-quality, organic butter for the best flavor.

Sugars: The Sweetness Balance

I use both light brown sugar and white sugar in this recipe to get a balance of chewy centers and a hint of crisp on the edges. The brown sugar’s molasses provides a richer flavor and contributes to the soft texture, while the white sugar creates those lovely golden brown edges.

Eggs: Fresh and Local if Possible

One whole fresh egg is all you need. I prefer to use eggs from our own hens—nothing beats the color and richness of a fresh, farm-raised egg. Using room temperature eggs helps the dough blend together smoothly, ensuring even baking.

Vanilla Extract: Go for the Real Deal

I can’t emphasize enough—skip the imitation and choose pure vanilla extract. It makes a noticeable difference in the flavor. This is one ingredient where quality really counts; true vanilla adds a depth that you simply can’t get with artificial alternatives. If you want to go a step further, you can easily make your own extract using this recipe.

Flour: Organic and Unbleached

We use organic, unbleached all-purpose flour, which makes the cookies taste better and aligns with our values. I’ve found that unbleached flour has a more natural flavor, and organic flour tends to be less processed, giving a slightly nuttier taste to the cookies. If possible, use a flour with a higher protein content. 7-14 grams is ideal.

Salt: The Perfect Touch

A pinch of good-quality salt elevates the entire recipe. I prefer Real Salt—a natural salt from ancient seabed in Utah where it’s safe from modern pollutants has trace minerals and no additives. Salt might seem insignificant, but it actually highlights the sweetness and balances the flavors.

Chocolate Chips: Semi-Sweet for Perfect Balance

We go through a lot of chocolate chips in this house—so much that I buy them in bulk from Costco. I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips for a balanced sweetness that doesn’t overpower the cookie dough. For an elevated touch, you can mix in a few dark chocolate chunks to add richness and texture.

Notes on making the best cookies:

Freezing the Dough: Yes, you can freeze the dough! Simply roll it into cookie dough balls and place them on a baking sheet to freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen by adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time—perfect for fresh-baked cookies on demand!
Refrigerating the Dough (Optional): While you don’t have to refrigerate the dough, doing so for at least 2 hours can improve the texture. Refrigerating allows the flour to fully hydrate, which reduces spreading during baking and results in a thicker, chewier cookie. The chilling process also gives the flavors more time to meld, leading to a richer taste.
Storage of Baked Cookies: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week to keep them fresh. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. Adding a slice of bread to the container helps maintain their soft texture, as the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.
Refrigeration Impact on Ingredients: Chilling the dough solidifies the butter, which means the cookies spread less as they bake. This leads to a thicker cookie with a chewier texture. The rest period in the fridge also allows the flour to fully absorb the moisture, which can result in a more developed flavor.
Cooling and Storing Tips: Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for a couple of minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents over-baking and helps them set perfectly.

How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Every Time

The process is simple, and with a little attention to detail, you’ll get perfect results every single time.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter until smooth. It should be creamy but not overly soft.
Add the light brown sugar and white sugar. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. This step is crucial—properly creaming the butter and sugars ensures a chewy texture.
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You want every ingredient to be well combined.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add this flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies tough.
Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips with a rubber spatula, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to drop balls of dough onto the cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. I usually fit 9 cookies on a standard-sized baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown. The centers should still look slightly underbaked—this gives them a chewy texture once cooled.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

erynwhalen

Get ready for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe—soft, chewy, and loaded with rich chocolate goodness. Made with pure vanilla extract and fresh eggs, these classic cookies are easy to bake and consistently delicious. These homemade cookies are sure to become a family favorite! Plus, you'll find expert tips for perfecting every batch and notes on how to freeze and store them for later.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 9

Total Time 19

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Servings 20

Calories 295 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup butter room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cup white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 bag chocolate chips we use semi-sweet or 2.5 cups

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Cream the butter and sugars: Place the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start mixing the butter on medium speed until it’s creamy. Slowly add the brown sugar and white sugar, and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial as properly creaming the butter and sugars creates tiny air pockets that give the cookies their soft, chewy texture. Don’t rush this part—take your time!

Add the egg and vanilla: Once the butter and sugars are well creamed, add the egg and pure vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Mix in dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, baking soda, and flour. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.

Fold in the chocolate chips: Once the dough is smooth, add the chocolate chips on low speed, mixing until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Shape and bake: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. I typically bake 9 cookies per sheet to allow enough space for them to spread.

Bake: Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown. The centers should still look slightly underbaked for a soft, chewy texture.

Cool and enjoy: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or let them cool fully for the best texture!

Notes

Freezing the Dough: Yes, you can freeze the dough! Simply roll it into cookie dough balls and place them on a baking sheet to freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen by adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time—perfect for fresh-baked cookies on demand!

Refrigerating the Dough (Optional): While you don't have to refrigerate the dough, doing so for at least 2 hours can improve the texture. Refrigerating allows the flour to fully hydrate, which reduces spreading during baking and results in a thicker, chewier cookie. The chilling process also gives the flavors more time to meld, leading to a richer taste.

Storage of Baked Cookies: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week to keep them fresh. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. Adding a slice of bread to the container helps maintain their soft texture, as the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.

Refrigeration Impact on Ingredients: Chilling the dough solidifies the butter, which means the cookies spread less as they bake. This leads to a thicker cookie with a chewier texture. The rest period in the fridge also allows the flour to fully absorb the moisture, which can result in a more developed flavor.

Cooling and Storing Tips: Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for a couple of minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents over-baking and helps them set perfectly.

Keyword chocolate chip cookies, cookies, desserts

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