These super soft chocolate chip cookies are so simple, doesn’t require any chilling, and is truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe on the planet!

I have over 100 cookie recipes on my site. And at least a dozen variations of chocolate chip cookies.

But these super soft chocolate chip cookies are easily the cookie recipe I make the most often. Like, weekly? That’s a fair estimate. They are crazy simple (no secret ingredients) and crazy delicious.

Golden chocolate chip cookie on metal spatula.

This cookie dough is extremely straightforward.

Mix the following:

  • butter
  • brown sugar + granulated sugar
  • vanilla
  • eggs

And when I say “mix” I mean “mix it real good.” Until the batter is light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips…and this time, mix until everything is just combined. You don’t want to over mix the cookie dough at this point.

Step-by-step mixing of chocolate chip cookies in glass bowl.

I scoop the cookie dough with a medium cookie scoop (#40). This equates to about 2-tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie. But you can make them smaller or larger, depending on how you are feeling in that particular moment.

The brilliant thing about this cookie recipe is that you don’t need to chill the dough prior to baking. HALLELUJAH.

If you find your cookies are flattening too much while baking or NOT flattening enough, here are a few tips:

  • For cookies that are flattening or spreading too much in the oven, try adding a couple tablespoons more flour to the dough and/or increasing the oven temperature to 370 or 375 degrees F.
  • For cookies that are staying mounded and not flattening well, try decreasing the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and/or using several tablespoons less flour next time around.
Super soft chocolate chip cookie broken in half on sheet pan.

These cookies freeze amazingly well. I almost always double the batch and freeze the baked and cooled cookies in gallon-sized freezer ziploc bags, pressing out as much air as possible.

Knowing there are ready-made chocolate chip cookies in my freezer at all times gives me a sense of peace and fulfillment that is hard to describe.

Pro Tip: if you take a cookie (ok, three) straight from the freezer and let them sit for about 3 1/2 minutes on the counter before eating, you’ll know what pure joy is. They’ll be super cold but not break-your-teeth hard, and listen, I know warm cookies are divine, but I have a special place in my heart for really-cold-almost-frozen-cookies.

You can also freeze the cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the cookie dough is frozen, transfer the cookie dough balls to a ziploc bag or other covered container and place in the freezer.

To bake frozen cookie dough, place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and add 1-3 minutes onto the baking time.

Huge pile of super soft chocolate chip cookies.

These super soft chocolate chip cookies have been a long-standing favorite for almost ten years. My kids have taken over the cookie making these days, and they always turn to this recipe.

Truly, for a good, classic, straightforward, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, this recipe cannot be beat.

Find room in your heart and your kitchen for this tried-and-true recipe. It’s a keeper!

Stack of three soft chocolate chip cookies with two half cookies on top.

One Year Ago: Rollup Blender Pancakes
Two Years Ago: Luscious Lemon Cream Pie
Three Years Ago: No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

broken in half chocolate chip cookie with super melty chocolate chips

Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.72 stars (254 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (159 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour and chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
  • Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon size mounds (I use a #40 cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Place several inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes until the edges are just set and the middles are still light and fluffy.
  • Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Butter: see this post about perfectly softened butter for cookies.
Flour Amount: if you want a slightly puffier cookie, increase the flour to 3 1/4 cups (16.25 ounces). These cookies freeze beautifully (both the formed cookie dough balls and the baked cookies).
Serving: 1 Cookie, Calories: 153kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 127mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g
Follow @MelsKitchenCafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (used this soft oatmeal coconut chewie recipe as a start to finding the best soft chocolate chip cookie recipe)

Recipe posted July 2015; updated June 2022 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

A baked chocolate chip cookie on a cookie sheet.