Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip {or Chocolate Chunk} Cookies
These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are perfect! Seriously, perfect. And thanks to a simple and unique mixing method, this recipe is easy as can be!
I feel all sorts of nervous and also excited posting this soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe today.
I want you to love it.
And I want you to trust me when I say, these cookies really are perfection.
But I also feel slightly disloyal since I quite often profess my love about quote-unquote perfect chocolate chip cookie recipes.
Like these classic (and perfect) chocolate chip cookies.
Or these super soft chocolate chip cookies.
Not to mention other favorite spin-offs like these cream cheese {egg-free} chocolate chip cookies.
A ten years younger blogging me thought I’d only ever have one “best” recipe or one “favorite of all time” recipe for a certain category.
But I guess in all my maturity (ha), I’m realizing that I really can have several favorites.
Like, solid, steady, tried-and-true, stellar favorites.
There’s room in my heart for more than just The One. Even for chocolate chip cookies.
And you gotta trust me, I’m not posting every recipe I’ve ever tried for chocolate chip cookies.
Cause I try a lot (I know, I have issues).
And I cross my heart and swear to die that I will only ever post a recipe (especially another recipe for the same thing) if it’s going to knock your socks off.
And these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies (or chocolate chunk cookies – yum!) will do just that.
I’m not saying they’ll be the last chocolate chip cookies you and I will ever make (what fun is that?). But I have a feeling they are going to become a very strong favorite for you, just like they have for me.
In fact, these are the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve been making for the last little (ok, kind of long) while.
And for a girl who makes an abnormal amount of chocolate chip cookies (and always has them baked and waiting in the freezer), this is kind of a big deal.
I just love these cookies so much! And I’ve converted several friends to them as well (hallelujah for cookies that don’t require chilling time).
Whenever I’ve taken these cookies anywhere the last month or so, I get asked for the recipe.
I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that a few of those times, I’ve loaded the cookies with salted caramel baking chips + chopped snickers bars + regular ol’ chocolate chips (I died, that combo is SO good).
If you are wondering how these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies differ from other favorites, there is less egg (just one overall), and the flour to sugar to butter ratio is a bit lower.
It’s too late (typing this post at midnight, FYI) to analyze the baking science behind it all.
All that really matters is, these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are terrific. I just grabbed a couple out of the freezer, in fact.
And I didn’t get them out just to stare at them, if you know what I mean.
Also, one last quick note: I love, love the mixing method of these cookies (and kind of wonder why I didn’t think of it before).
The baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla are all mixed right in with the sugar and butter. Kind of brilliant if you think about it.
This saves having to clean a separate mixing bowl for whisking together the dry ingredients, and I’ll never complain about one less dish to wash.
And if you’ve always been a rebel and never whisked dry ingredients together anyway before throwing them all in the bowl, this will minimize any miniature, pesky baking soda or baking powder lumps that inevitably find their way into the baked cookies.
Basically, it’s easier. And it’s awesome.
Just like these cookies.
One Year Ago: Perfect Pot Roast and Gravy
Two Years Ago: Quick and Easy Quinoa Enchilada Skillet Meal
Three Years Ago: Slow Cooker Applesauce {No Sugar Added}
Four Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
Five Years Ago: Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip {or Chocolate Chunk} Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened to cool room temperature (not overly warm or melty)
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (212 g) brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour (see note)
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet (or milk) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (see note about convection). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Mix on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and mix until evenly combined.
- Add the flour and the chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks) and mix until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls (about 2 tablespoons in size; I use my #40 cookie scoop), spacing them an inch or so apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until just very lightly golden (or no color at all) and set around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from BraveTart (omitted nutmeg, altered weight/amount of flour, used salted butter, changed up the method a bit)
139 Comments on “Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip {or Chocolate Chunk} Cookies”
I have to start by saying you are my go-to recipe person, Mel, but we did not love these cookies. Like others have said, they were grainy and even though I added the sugar by weight, I kept feeling like it was too much. They aren’t bad enough that we won’t eat them, of course! 😉 I just won’t make this recipe again.
Love these soft chewy cookies. I was intrigued by the order of adding the ingredients and had to try it out. They turned out perfectly. It’s definitely a recipe I’ll try again. Thanks.
These tasted amazing first day, then like many others said, on the second day the texture was very grainy. I generally love everything Mels Kitchen Cafe! I have many recipes in my regular rotation. This one didn’t work the best for me, I’d like to try out the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe next time.
I’m going to have to agree with the reviewers who found this recipe grainy and overly sweet. I creamed the butter and sugar in my stand mixer for 4 minutes, so I’m not sure what the issue is. I definitely prefer the older recipe on your site! My son also asked for that recipe after trying these.
Hi Mel! We love these cookies!! My kids and I were thinking about making cookie mix jars for xmas presents. Looking at the recipe I wasn’t sure if it would work since we would have to separate the flour and chocolate chips. Any suggestions?
I think you could add the chocolate chips and flour at the same time!
My sweet-loving husband won’t eat them. He thinks they are far too sweet and grainy (like granulated sugar). I may have undertaker them the tiniest bit, but that wouldn’t make them less sweet. I had been making your super soft cc cookie recipe, and tried this one on a whim. Comparing the two, this one has less flour, less egg, and more sugar (same amount of cookies), so maybe he is accurate. I ate them, my kiddos didn’t complain, but I will be sticking with the other recipe.
*underbaked
We had the same experience, husband opinion and all! I thought it might have been the brand of brown sugar I was using, so good to know we weren’t the only ones to feel this way. These were good, but we’ll probably stick with the other recipe (the one with melted butter!) from now on.
Hi Mel. I made these and they were perfect right out of the oven. (I mean what cookie isnt). The next day they were hard and crumbly. What did I do wrong? Should I try using shortening? Should I add a little more butter? Help!
I have never made a good cookie until now. For the first time I feel like I can actually cook. My cookies either are super flat, burned, taste horrible, etc. I live in a high elevation so I added two tablespoons of flour to the cookies. I am so grateful for this recipe because it is so easy and helps me feel good about myself.
So happy to hear this, Kinsey! Way to go!
I have a tried and true CCC recipe I always use but know you have the best taste for anything so I decided to give these a try. My normal recipe calls for 3 cups of flour, I must have been on autopilot because I added 3 c of flour to these. Whoops. I could tell it was too much right away but I still baked them. They came out thicker than we typically like them but the flavor and the little crispy outside and soft inside was there and sooo good. Can’t wait to try these again with the correct amount of flour.
These have the best flavor of any chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made! This is definitely a keeper!
These are incredible cookies!! So buttery and soft, chewy but slightly crispy on the outside. I used half milk chocolate and half semisweet chips… delightful.
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes! I made these exactly as written and baked for 9 mins. Next time I’ll go for 10, hubby thought they were a tad under baked. I thought they were perfect!!
I’ve made this recipe twice and they have been awesome both times! They are just a really pretty cookie! ..which is awesome, because mine are usually really flat. Haha! I think this will be my go-to recipe from now on!
Also, this is random, but most of your recipes print to 2 pages, I’d love it if they could be on just one page, without having to copy, paste and reformat in Word. Just a thought. You’re the best!
Hey Tracey – I’m actually working on my print format and should have it all snazzy and updated in the next month or two so this doesn’t happen!
So delicious, and thank you for the extra tips about puffy cookies. I tried the upside-down glass on a few that didn’t spread as much. I like that this recipe is quick and no-fail!
Utah must have more humidity than Southern CA. It was 14% humidity today. After 2 recipes, I see that your cookie recipes strain my mixer. No problem, I add a few tsp water.
A big hit! Everyone loves the texture—crispy on outside and soft on the inside!
I didn’t see the recipe saying salted butter, so I used unsalted
These cookies are phenomenal!!! They turned out perfect! 10/10
Perfect Chocolate Chip cookie! All my life I swore by the Tollhouse recipe. This is better!!
I love the one bowl mixing. If you cream the ingredients for the 4 -5 minutes, you get a perfect texture! Crisp on the outside, chewy/chocolatey in the middle. My husband grunted, so it’s a keeper!
This is the absolute BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have been on the hunt for years, and tried so so so many recipes. And so many from your website, Mel! But this one is perfection! I always keep this in my freezer, either in the form of baked cookies or frozen dough balls. (I’m not big on tons of chocolate chips in my cookies so I use 3.5 oz semi sweet and 3.5 oz milk chocolate) Oh my goodness it’s the greatest. Thank you!!!
I’m so happy you love this one so much, Annie! Thank you!
I made these cookies today and loved them! I did cut back on both sugars to about 3/4 cup each. They were super yummy.
Made these for a Sunday night treat tonight and…. Wow! So yummy! I was surprised when you posted another chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I trust you, so I knew I had to try it. And yes, it is as good as you said! I now understand why you had to add it to the group. My husband said these are his new favorite cookies. I think they belong in the “favorite” section on your blog! Thanks again for another fantastic cookie recipe!
I gave this recipe a whirl today and subbed out the chocolate chunks for half mini chocolate chips and half M&Ms because that’s what I had on hand. Also all this Halloween candy needed used up in some way. This made a dent in the M&Ms! Delicious! The kids loved them and I know my husband will too. 😀
Great way to repurpose that Halloween candy!
I finally made these cookies today with my new Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks! The cookies were fantastic and I loved the chunks so much. I will definitely be buying another bag or two of those. I always seem to make my standard Dorie Greenspan chocolate chip cookies, which are delicious. These were a little different in texture, almost “sandy” and pretty sweet. We really enjoyed them. Thank you!!!
Thanks, Teresa – glad you loved those Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks!
Made them! Tried to sneak them past my son, but he knew the difference between the recipe I usually make and these. Mine were crisp around the edges and soft in the center and probably would have been even softer and chewier if I had left them in the oven for a tad less time. Thanks for another winner, Mel!!
Not sure what I did wrong but dough was crumbley….kept thinking I shoulda added an extra egg yolk. Cookies were heavy and I was heartbroken
I’ll stick with your “best” cc cookie recipe
Darn, sorry to hear that, Kim!