Perfect Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies {Melted Butter + No Chilling!}
Believe me when I say, these chocolate chip cookies are truly the best of the best! Soft and chewy, they start with melted butter and can be mixed by hand!
There are so many recipes out there for “the perfect chocolate chip cookie” but this one wins by a mile.
Not only are the cookies soft and chewy and everything a chocolate chip cookie should be, but they start with melted butter and don’t require any chilling. Easy and simple!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
The dough for these chocolate chip cookies can be made in a bowl (no stand mixer needed) and stirred by hand.
The ingredients are simple and pretty much what you’d expect for chocolate chip cookie dough.
- melted butter (brown the butter for even more delicious flavor!)
- granulated + brown sugar
- salt + baking soda
- egg + egg yolk
- vanilla
- flour + chocolate chips
Don’t be tempted to add the full egg for the egg yolk called for in the recipe. It will make the cookies cakey instead of chewy.
Scoop and Bake
The cookie dough can be baked right away. No chilling! (HOORRRAAAAYYYY!)
I use a #40 medium cookie scoop {aff. link} to plop the cookie dough onto baking sheets.
However, this cookie dough can be baked as smaller OR larger cookies. It’s pretty much a no-fail recipe, so scoop the cookies in whatever size you want!
A Classic Cookie
For a classic soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, this recipe can’t be beat.
The cookies literally always turn out amazing, and are met with rave reviews every single time I make them.
Feel free to sub in different kinds of chocolate chips (I’m a semisweet girl myself)!
A Tried-and-True Recipe
I’ve been making this cookie recipe for over ten years, and it never gets old. That’s the sign of a good recipe!
With over 200 five-star reviews, these cookies are a fan favorite!
Rachel says: I’ve made this recipe a million times and it’s the BEST! I use a silicone mat on my baking sheet and they come out perfect. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Loana says: This is the best freaking chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. The cookies look like bakery cookies and my entire family demolished all (52!!!) cookies this recipe made in a few days. Soooo good!
Jen says: OMG. I am converted! Melted butter IS key! These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made (and I have made a ton in my 50+ years). Thanks for sharing your recipe – now it is just our little secret!
FAQs for Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yes! They freeze great.
Increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
It needs to be completely melted then slightly cooled.
Shape the dough into balls, place in a covered container and put them in the freezer. I take them straight out of the freezer, place on a cookie sheet, and bake as directed, adding another 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup (212 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour (see note)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet or milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until well-combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter has lightened slightly in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until a few dry streaks remain. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly combined (don't over mix).
- Scoop the dough into heaping tablespoons (I use a #40 cookie scoop) and place a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Optional: roll the cookie dough into smooth balls.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Recipe posted May 2008; updated September 2022 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
418 Comments on “Perfect Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies {Melted Butter + No Chilling!}”
I normally make your super soft chocolate chip cookies, but today I needed to make some cookies and didn’t have softened butter. These are delicious!
I am slightly confused by the cookie scoop size and recipe yield. I have a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop. Your cookie scoop post says the #40 is about 1.5 tablespoons of dough (so maybe your scoop mounded is more like 2T?). But in order to get 24 cookies from this recipe, I abandoned mounding my scoop and just took what seemed like 2+ tablespoons of dough. I’ve had this issue with a cook’s illustrated oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. They said to use 2T of dough. But when I actually did that, I ended up with twice the recipe yield. Their dough amounts had to be more like 1/4 cup to yield the correct amount of cookies. I weigh my flour, I know the size of my scoop is accurate, and the cookies baked up fine. It’s all a little strange!
Hi Monica, it’s likely I mound the cookie dough into my cookie scoop and use more than what the cookie scoop technically holds…I’m not super exact about it but I hear what you’re saying about yield and how confusing it can be (especially when results differ even after weighing ingredients).
Hi Mel! I’ve been making this recipe since the early 2000s thanks to America’s Test Kitchen, and have tried your tweaks too! So yummy. I am making them today and thought after all these years, I might actually try measuring the flour. Yours says 320 grams, but every I lime co version calculator I’ve found says 2 1/4 cups of flour is 281 grams. Do you still follow a measurement of 320 grams for these?
Hi Shaynee, I use 142 grams of flour per cup to test all my recipes (I believe America’s Test Kitchen uses the same amount of flour per cup).
I have made this chocolate chip recipe my go to I love it so much and it doesn’t take very long even my grandma asked me for the recipe.
A friend brought these to a party and I couldn’t quit eating therm
They really are the Perfect ,Chocolate Chip Cookie!
These have become a family favorite. I always always double the recipe and make it with half milk chocolate chips half dark chocolate or all dark chocolate. I get asked to make them all the time. I bake to show my love and fill requests all the time, everyone gets their own homemade cake for birthdays.
A family friend was moving and requested a batch of these for his drive across a few states. My brothers new girlfriend loves them and she isn’t a big sweets fan, I always use straight dark chocolate chips for her to help cut through the sweetness.
These always get rave reviews no matter who tries them. My years long search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe is now over. They are great still warm or even the day after (if not overcooked) they are still soft inside and crispy on the outside. I am a big soft &/or chewy cookie fan while others in the family like crispy so this is the perfect middle ground! Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this for my daughters sweet 16 and she loved them #best cookies
This is our go to recipe! Just made two batches today for Christmas. We make larger cookies – so good!
The best
Hi Mel, did you change tte name of this one? Wasn’t it the perfected or best chocolate chip cookie before? SOOO glad I found it again finally because it is the best!! Crisp exterior but chewy perfection inside. So perfect and pretty too!! If you have not tried these, everyone, do yourself a favor and bake NOW!
You are the best! We love your recipes!! ❤️
Hey Kris, I updated the recipe a few weeks ago with new pictures and altered the title to make it more clear (that it has melted butter) but I think it actually confused people. Sorry about that!
I had a little panic recently as well when I was searching for this recipe to print for a gift and couldn’t find it under the Perfect Choc chip cookie! lol I agree, these ARE the best cookies!!
Hi Mel! I’ve been making your chocolate chip cookie recipe for years. I love them, and I get so many compliments on them. Sadly, I never saved the recipe, I just look it up every time I need it. I used to use the search terms ” the best chocolate chip cookies” and the recipe came up with [the best] in the recipe name. The recipe on this post looks the same. Did you just rename them? Sorry, if I am missing something obvious. Cookie panic arose last time I searched for the beloved recipe, haha!
Hi Trisha – sorry for the confusion! I recently updated this recipe with new photos and post text, and I did change the title. I’m sorry about that. These should be the ones you are looking for!
Do you have a favorite butter to use in cookie or bar recipes?
I just use Costco Kirkland brand butter 🙂
These were not my favorite. The mixture was super crumbly and too grainy.
I am wondering about the flour. Recipe shows 2-1/8 cups AP flour, but 302 grams seems too high. I am wondering if either the weight is too high or 2-1/8 cups should be more? Thanks!
Hi Bridget, I test all my recipes using 142 grams of flour per cup so 2 1/8 cups equals 302 grams by my testing and calculations. Hope that helps!
I am late replying, but when I first made these I under measured the flour. Long story short, I purchased a scale, weighed the flour, and perfection. These are a winner – I just needed to get the flour right. Thank you!
Mel I love all of your recipes! I think I’ve tried and loved most of them. This one turned out SUPER dry and crumbly. Even before I baked them they were almost sandy. I measured and weighed everything out to a T. I’ve read the recipe 3 times to see if I missed something, but it’s all there. I’m so sad they wouldn’t stay together, and didn’t really flatten either.
Lacey, the cookies shouldn’t be dry at all, mine were very moist but not too sticky. Did you melt the butter fully? The recipe also says to add the chocolate chips to the wet ingredients together with the flour (at the same time as the flour). That might be where you’re going wrong, as long as you’re sure you added the egg and an additional egg yolk. If you follow the recipe properly, they shouldn’t be dry at all. The dough should be soft, moist and it sticks together very easily, so something’s not right. They are definitely not crumbly or sandy. The only other thing I can think of is maybe you added too much flour? Try baking them again (without doubling or increasing the recipe) I’ve made them several times and they always turn out great! You maybe counted something wrong or made a small mistake that you’re not aware of. I hope that helps! Wishing you the best of luck next time!
Love these cookies. Can you make these into bar cookies? And if so do you have to alter the recipe at all.
Yes, the dough can be pressed into a 9X13-inch pan (similar recipe here: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-bars/)
My cookies came out more rounded … they didn’t flatten out like the picture … what did I do wrong ?
If the dough was over floured, that can cause the cookies to not flatten (try not to pack the flour in the measuring cup).
I’m going to attempt these cookies for Christmas! My daughter has Celiac Disease so we are using Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour which contains Xanthan Gum. If you have ever attempted this recipe with gluten free flour, do you think I should make any other changes or just simply replace the flour? Thank you!!
I haven’t made these with gluten free flour so I can’t say for sure, but it’s worth a try doing a 1:1 replacement of all-purpose flour with the gluten free flour. Good luck!
Julie I’ve made with gluten free flour for my friends. And they are equally delicious. I believe I used the Bob’s Red mill 1:1 baking flour.
Love these! They have the perfect cookie-to-chip ratio. And using melted butter means I don’t have to drag out my stand mixer. (Or plan too far ahead.)
My go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s great as written, but I reduce the chocolate chips to 1-1/2 cups.
I’ve used so many of your recipes but I’ve only commented once. But I want you to know that I mainly use your recipes and love them all. I’m going to make this chocolate chip cookie recipe for the 1st time. I usually don’t have good luck making CC cookies. I know that one of your sons sells cookie dough (wish we lived closer so I could buy some) and was curious which recipe he uses.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes with us!
Hey, Vi…Cade uses this recipe:
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/super-soft-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I’ve made this recipe a million times and it’s the BEST! I use a silicone mat on my baking sheet and they come out perfect. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi, Mel!
Are the temps and times you give for this recipe for a conventional or convection oven? Thanks!
A conventional oven.
Do you just scoop and drop the dough on the cookie sheet? Or do you scoop and roll the dough in your hands before putting on the cookie sheet?
You can do either!
has anyone ever frozen these? How did they turn out?
Yes, they freeze great!
Hi! My boyfriend loves these cookies— it really is the best recipe! He also loves cookie cake… what are your thoughts on taking this recipe and using a 9” round pan? I was thinking of just keeping everything the same, and then using 50-75% of the batter for the round pan… and the rest I can use to make cookies!
Is there a way I can half this recipe
This is the best freaking chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. The cookies look like bakery cookies and my entire family demolished all (52!!!) cookies this recipe made in a few days. Soooo good!
I used a tbsp scooper for the cookies and it was the perfect size. Also baked at 325 for 11 min 30 sec – that was the perfect time for me! Thanks for such a great recipe, I’ll continue to make this for years to come!
OMG. I am converted! Melted butter IS key! These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made (and I have made a ton in my 50+ years). Thanks for sharing your recipe – now it is just our little secret!
Cookies are my jam to my peanut butter. Simply exquisite! I love them with all of my heart.
These Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best chocolate chip cookies that I have ever had! No joke! They are delicious!
I’ve been making these for a decade. Fantastic ever time.
These are so good. I absolutely love these cookies, and so do my family.
I’ve been searching for my favorite chocolate chip recipe that’s hiding somewhere in my hard drive…and since my craving won’t go away, I took to the internet to find a similar recipe. After scrolling through all the “best”’ Google had to offer, I remembered seeing cookie recipes on your site when baking that TO DIE FOR chocolate cake last week! Sure ‘nuff…these are quite possibly the best I’ve ever had! With exception to the one yolk instead of whole egg, and maybe this having a little less flour than my old recipe…this seems to be identical…but better because of the ease of the melted butter! They also bake up a little fatter, and you’re right…they are just beautiful!!
Thanks for sharing the recipe! I’m certainly your new biggest fan and can’t wait to try more treats!!
FYI: I made a double batch and forgot to double the egg and they are still absolutely perfect!! ❤️❤️❤️
During this “stay-at-home” time, I decided to experiment with different chocolate chip cookies recipes. So far, I’ve tested 7 out of 12 recipes and this one is at the top of my list thus far! The cookies turned out perfectly! Taste is very subjective, I realize. I prefer cookies that have a slight crisp on the edges, but are chewy in the middle and these ABSOLUTELY did not disappoint! This just might be my “go-to” recipe from now on! If I could post a picture of them, I would!
I have been making this recipe for years now, and it is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I make. I love that you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften whenever the mood strikes for cookies (because, really, who can wait that long?) I have recently started browning the butter when I make these, and oh man!! I didn’t think this recipe could get any better, but the browned butter is especially good here!
My daughter and I made these this afternoon. The softness, the crispness on the edges, the balance of salt and sugar was on point. In the words of my husband, “Perfect.”
Thank you Mel. I’ve baked a many of your cookies and they never disappoint.
Hi!
I have used a similar recipe, but my cookies have come out not perfectly round, kind of odd shaped. I believe this is due to the melted butter. What do you think is different about this recipe that makes them keep their round shape? If refrigerated overnight, does that make any difference? Thanks!
Do you roll them into smooth balls after you scoop the dough?
I measure them in scant half cups, then I do roll them and break in half. I also chill the dough.
I have mixed feelings about this recipe. Followed the directions exactly and baked them at 350 for 12 minutes for the first sheet of cookies. They didn’t look browned at 12 minutes but took them out of the oven anyway. They were not browned on the outside and were not done on the inside. For the next two sheets I let them bake for at least 15 to 16 minutes, then they looked browned and golden, and they were done inside. I know the directions say if they bake past 12 minutes they will be crunchy, and yes, my two sheets baked at 15 to 16 minutes were more crunchy, but with a delicate crunch but the inside was softer, but baked fully. That first sheet I baked at 12 minutes, I threw it out. keeping the rest of them as they are ok.
Hi, Mel…
Regarding your “perfect chocolate chip cookie” recipe:
Have you ever used brown butter? I think it would be amazing in this recipe!!! I haven’t made it, yet. It’s on my list!
Yes! Brown butter is delicious in these cookies.
These are indeed the best chocolate chip cookies. I doubt very much that I will ever try an other recipe. Love the fact that the butter is melted! I’ve made these often and they are always a big hit! I always follow the recipe exactly. However today I was making a DOUBLE batch and instead of adding two eggs AND 2 egg yolks, I added 3 eggs. And they are still perfect. Thank you Mel for all your tried and true recipes, you are my go to gal for delicious family friendly fare.
Just made these. OMG so good! My son loves them 🙂 Quick question- my daughter does not like chocolate (I know, weird!) so I am wondering if I could substitute cinnamon chips for the chocolate? I think it should work?
Or any good cinnamon chip recipes?
Thanks so much- love your site.
I think you totally could!
You could also try butterscotch chips. They are really good!
I was the person who could NEVER make cookies! Somehow I always overcooked or they tasted a little funny but THESE turned out amazing..This will be my go-to cookie recipe forever now! Im new to Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and now I’m obsessed!
Thank you so much, Courtney! I hope you find some other recipes to try!!
What temp/time for convection baking?
I usually bake at 325 on convection and check them about a minute before the cooking time in the recipe.
This is my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! I have been making this recipe for a few years now and haven’t tried any others, it is perfection!! Thank you Mel!
I’ve made these so many times and they are always fabulous! Thank you for this recipe!
Wow! Really tasty cookies! I used dark brown sugar and bourbon vanilla extract because that’s what I had. Turned out wonderful!
These are unbelievable! Amazing!!! Wow! Everyone should make these right now! Thank you, Mel!
Do you need to bake longer if you use a bigger scoop?
Yes, probably!
These are the perfect chocolate chip cookie! I brought them to a potluck and they really wowed.
The problem with this recipe is that it WILL NEVER MAKE ENOUGH COOKIES!!!!!! They are TOOO GOOD!
These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies ever, hands down! Another “go to” recipe that I come back to, time and time again. Thanks, Mel!
This is a wonderful recipe. Fail proof. I currently cannot have to much dairy so I adapted for this by using melted coconut oil instead of butter. They turned out just as beautiful as your butter ones. They are soft and so delicious! If someone needs a dairy free cookie this is it! Just use dairy free chocolate chips and the coconut oil. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Just made these and they taste amazing! Like, definitely the best I’ve made. And like so many others I’ve made tons! Flavor is amazing and texture is even great.. but my shape we up a little more round than yours, higher and not as wide. I want to know what to do next time to get a slimmer, wider cookie? Did I let the butter cool too long? (It got to room temp) I’m high elevation but all your other recipes turn out perfect for me, so I can’t imagine that’s it. Maybe I didn’t cream eggs long enough/too long? Everything else I did exactly as called for. Any thoughts?? Thanks for a fabulous recipe, kids are LOVING them, I just want them to look as lovely as yours!
Hey Chelsea – the butter temp might be a contributing factor – but you also might cut the flour down by 1-2 tablespoons and see if that helps!
Hi there! You might recognize me from your cookie scoop post. 😉 I found this recipe from the link on there. What do you mean by this, when you said that you make a few tweaks, “I don’t mess around with the original fussy dough-forming instructions.” Do you no longer make them into balls?
I make it per the recipe as written right here in the blog post – the fussy instructions I’m referring to are on the original recipe (published by America’s Test Kitchen).
Ahh, okay. Thanks for all of your help! 🙂
Hi Mel, I made these the other day and while I haven’t had any problems in the past, this time the chocolate chips wouldn’t hold to the dough. I couldnt roll the dough and just had to kind of squish the dough together. Do you know what would have caused this? I weighed everything and let the butter cool slightly so I’m not sure what happened. Thanks!
Honestly, I’m not sure, Marcie! Was it a particularly cold or dry day where you live? That might make a difference!
Opps! This is the cookie I actually made! I commented on one of your other recipes but just realized I had the wrong recipe!
These are the best. I have been making Betty Crocker ‘s Chocolate Chip cookie recipe for over 40 years. As I try not to use shortening anymore, I thought I’d try this one. It was the best! I did add about 1 cup more chips per my husband’s request. I am making them again as the first batch from last week is long gone! Thank you!
Hi Mel,
For those of us not in the US – would you have a weight for the butter at all? We don’t get sticks round here – I sure wish we did! I found your site because of the reviews of cookie scoops, and bliss – now I have this great recipe too
Thank!
It’s 6 ounces of butter.
Hello Mel, I always thought a stick of butter was 4 ounces, but could be wrong! A box is a pound, which is 16 ounces, right? Just checking, cuz I’m from the UK.
Yes, one stick of butter (8 tablespoons) is 4 ounces.
After eating one of these cookies, my 8 year old just said, “these are the best cookies ever! … Mel’s blog?” They’re perfect!
Haha, so cute! 🙂
Hello!
Did you use salted butter for this recipe?
Yes
This is the best choc chip cookie recipe ever and I have tried many. I reserve some chocolate chips to press lightly onto the tops of them after I scoop, before baking it really makes them look amazing. I now have the bragging rights of making the best choc chip cookies, as awarded to me by everyone I have made them for.
Thanks again Mel for another fantastic recipe.
Truth be told – this IS the best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe! For months I think I had a terrible oven that would keep ruining my favorite cookies. When I came across this recipe and read the reviews, I had to try it out. SUPERB. My husband even said they are the best he’s every bad!
I made these last night, and they turned out perfect! Thank you!!
Hi Mel!
I’m totally confused about weighing the flour. I mistakenly thought to just put a bowl on a scale, hit tare to get to zero, then pour the flour until (in this case) 10 oz. I did read your post on measuring flour. So I still need to scoop the flour in a measuring cup, then weigh on the scale? But isn’t the end result the same if you reach 10oz? Hope this makes sense!
Your recipes are always a hit so I just want to clarify before I make these!
Thanks!!
Hey Lori – I don’t think you are mistaken! That’s how I do it. I put a bowl on the scale, tare it to zero, then add the ingredient until the ounces are correct. Then hit tare again to zero it out and add the next ingredient (if you are weighing another). Does that make sense?
These really are the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! They are quick and easy too. I looked a long time for truly great, chewy chocolate chip cookie, and these are it! I never bother with any other recipes now. Thank you!
By far the prettiest and yummiest cookies I’ve made.
Wow, Mel! This recipe makes me wonder why I have tried 8000 other chocolate chip cookie recipes. They are simply perfect, delicious, beautiful cookies! Thanks!!!!!
These are the BEST! My husband is super picky about chocolate chip cookies, and he loved these. I won’t make another chocolate chip recipe again. I just took them to our church Christmas pageant and they were all gone. Thank you for sharing!
These are the most amazing chocolate chip cookies. I’ve been baking for years and can’t believe that it has taken me this long to discover the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thank you, Mel.
This recipe is a keeper. I made these cookies several times and followed the recipe exactly as written. In between batches, I placed the dough in the refrigerator to prevent the dough from becoming too soft which causes flat cookies. Also, I made sure not to over mix the dough. I made this mistake in the past and my cookies ended up tough. Thanks Mel for another winner. 🙂
Mel, my husband is the pickiest chocolate chip cookie person I know- and this recipe is the winner! And I have tried a LOT. Thank you!
Awesome, Laurel!
I am a Tollhouse girl through and through but I thought I would try something new, because really I am a chocolate chip cookie girl and if they happen to be Tollhouse, that’s just a bonus. I would give these 5 stars for easiness; I didn’t even have to use my mixer! Everything stirred together beautifully with a spoon. That being said, the Tollhouse recipe uses two full sticks of butter and these only use 1.5, and I missed that extra half-stick of butter.
Mel, I am curious, what prompted you to use one egg and one egg yolk instead of two eggs? Also, do you bake these on convection or regular bake? I tried them at 350 and they took 15 minutes but I wonder if they would go faster if I tried convection.
I would definitely make these again, especially if I wanted cookies in a hurry. They really were super easy. I’m excited to try out the rest of your cookie recipes!
Hey Kimberly – this isn’t my original recipe (it’s from America’s Test Kitchen) and so I don’t know where the egg + egg yolk came from, but I think it’s for the chewy texture of the cookie (often times egg whites can dry out baked goods). I do often bake on convection, but I bake them for about the same amount of time (but that’s probably just my oven – often you can reduce the time for a minute or two on convection).
Hi Mel! Would it be possible to make these cookies into chocolate chocolate chip cookies by adding cocoa? Maybe substituting 1/4 cup cocoa for 1/4 cup flour? Your advice would be appreciated! Thanks for all your delicious recipes!! Easily more than half the recipes I make are yours and I sure apporeciate knowing that your recipes are fail-proof! 🙂
That’s a great question, Marcie – I haven’t ever tried it, so I’m not sure. This double chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe (https://www.melskitchencafe.com/double-chocolate-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/) uses 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1 1/4 cups flour (although there are oats, too), so you might want to increase the cocoa to 1/2 cup if you experiment?
Hi mel Can i use this recipe to make nutella sea salt cookies? Like by reducing the choco chips and adding a spoon of nutella. what do u suggest?
You could experiment, but you might be better off just googling a recipe for those type of cookies since they sound quite different.
These turned out great! Just a quick question though, i used the measurements on the outside of the butter package before melting it (i can only find blocks of butter, not sticks) and then once it was melted, i measured out by Tablespoon and it ended up being less. Could my measurement initially be off? Or does the amount of butter change once it’s melted…?
Thanks!
Hmmm, that’s a good question. It should be the same, but sometimes the lines measuring the butter on the outside of the package can be a little off (it’s hard to cut it exactly on those measurements). How many tablespoons was it off once you measured the melted butter?
If you can weigh the butter, 12 tablespoons = 6 oz
If you can weigh the butter, 12 tablespoons = 6 oz
If you can weigh the butter, 12 tablespoons = 6 oz
I didn’t think I could bake a perfect chocolate chip cookie and this recipe proved me wrong! I am so excited! Thanks!
Thank you for a lovely, straightforward recipe. They came out perfectly. I baked the cookies at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, then turned the pan around and baked for 2 to 4 minutes more, as they were a bit underbaked at 12 minutes. And, for those of you still using measuring cups, do try weighing your ingreduents. You will be assured flawless, consistent results. A keeper of a chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I have tried many! P.S. I used King Arthur All-Purpose Flour for making these cookies.
My go to recipe for several years. Thanks Mel!!!
This is an exquisite cookie that I always make. It really is the best recipe!!
We love these cookies! They are the only ones we make =)
Our town has received so much rain, it is flooding in many areas and damaging homes and property. Thankfully we have stayed dry. I made a big batch of these cookies today to go with some meals we were making for people dealing with flooded homes. They were a hit with everyone who ate them. They will now be my go-to cookie. I love that you melt the butter. I never want to take the time to soften it for other recipes. I’m not sure what makes them so much better than the others, but I’m happy to have discovered the recipe on your site! Thank you 🙂
Good luck with the flooding, Tanya. My area was in that same situation a couple months ago, and it is scary and so hard for those whose homes have flooded. Glad the cookies have brought some measure of happiness!
I’ve made this so many times and each time I get asked where they came from cuz these cookies are so darn good no one believes I made them thanks and god bless!
Hi Mel! I have a question that I’m hoping you can answer. I’ve been making and loving these cookies for at least three or four years using bread flour. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me that I was using the wrong type of flour until now! Anyway, we’re have loved these cookies with bread flour but I thought I should try and use all purpose flour the way the recipe states. My first attempt tonight with all purpose flour and doing everything exactly the way I have been doing it for years (measuring with a scale) and the cookies came out delicious still but much flatter. Is that because of the all purpose flour? Does all purpose flour cause more spreading? Any insight you can provide would be appreciated! I really appreciate all your recipes! 🙂
Hi Marcie – that’s a great question! And yes, it probably is because of the all-purpose flour. Bread flour has a higher gluten (and sometimes protein) content and so the result of baked goods will usually be chewier (and in this case, probably puffier). I say if the cookies have worked well for you using bread flour, stick with it! 🙂
Thanks, Mel! We love all your recipes! 🙂
I use bread flour in my chocolate chip cookies and think it makes them thicker/puffier.
here you say that this recipe uses 10 tablespoons of butter, but in the actual recipe it says 12. i guess it is a typo that it says 10 in the article, so i just thought i would point that out!!
These really are the BEST cookies. Children said to Save whatever recipe I used because it’s their favorite ever. Nicely done!!
I finally decided to try something other than my dad’s famous chocolate chip cookie recipe and thought these would be perfect, since none of your other recipes have ever steered me wrong!
And I was right! These turned out fantastic and they were so easy. I didn’t even use a mixer, just a spoon. They were so thick and chewy. I even added some coconut into the last half of the batter.. yum! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
My family and I have been using this recipe for about a year! Best recipe and I swear by it!
Tip: best results when you weigh it all out!
They were good, yes, but to be honest, I believe that I like my old family recipe much better. These cookies didn’t seem to want to attach to the chocolate chips when in dough form, and when being rolled into balls the chips kept separating the dough and falling out or crumbling the ball. Also, they weren’t as crispy as the family recipe, something that I love most about chocolate chip cookies. The type of crispy I’m talking about itsn’t in the baking time, but in the way the dough is made.
I’ve been searching for the perfect cookie recipe for YEARS. Somehow, they’ve always turned out either too flat, too puffy, too greasy etc. But these – gosh, they are amazing. I wasn’t quite sure about my conversion from cups to grams, but they came out perfect ♥
Hi I tried these cookies this morning for my hubby to take to work tonight. I’m not sure what I did wrong but they still tasted good. What do you think went wrong? They flattened out while baking and even cracked a bit on top. They were still soft and chewy but they just didn’t look anything like yours.
Sounds like they might have needed a bit more flour? Do you think you might have under measured the flour?
Im looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe that would ship well – not crumble and will still taste good after two days in the mail. Would this be a good one? Or do you have another cookie idea to ship to my son at college? Thank you – and thank you for all the wonderful dependable recipes. And all your work! You’re a favorite in our family.
~ Alicia
I think if these are well packaged, this recipe would work great!
I just wanted to let you know that I shared this recipe on my blog, teepeegirl.com. Thanks for all your awesome recipes! I am a huge fan!! ♥
FINALLY. DONE. LOOKING. Thank you! It’s everything you said it would be!
Hi,
So this might be a stupid question but do you shape the dough balls into a cookie shape before baking or do the balls ‘melt’ into that shape whilst in the oven? Thanks!
Keep them as balls – they’ll flatten in the oven.
Making these for the second time this week.CASE CLOSED!
Awesome biscuits ! Ilove your page
LOVE LOVE LOVE these cookies, I’ve made them many times and they turn out beautifully, however, the last few times I’ve made them they flatten out and I can’t figure out what I’ve been doing differently. Any thoughts?
Have you changed anything like baking pan? How you are lining the pans? What about ingredients, have you changed brands? Honestly, it’s almost impossible for me to know why they might not be working out like normal but those few factors may be a good place to start.
Being in the UK I have absolutely no idea what a ‘stick’ of butter is. Can you give me a gram or ounce conversion please?
One stick of butter is 1/4 pound = 1/2 cup = 113 grams = 4 ounces
Mel
I made these cookies last night and when they cooled they went hard – the flavor is amazing but I like them soft. I am wondering if i overcooked them. How brown do you get the bottoms? Also, I used my new silicone pan liners for the first time with these– could that have been the problem?
Hi Natalie – it sounds like what you suggested – that the cookies were baked too long. I don’t think silicone pan liners would make the cookies harden but it definitely can impact how long they need to bake (I find that I like to bake for less time when using my silpats, although these days I use mostly parchment paper). I’d try cutting a minute or so off the baking time. Mine barely have any color on the bottom – maybe just a bit of brown (and I cook them slightly less time now than in the pictures for the post).
Mel, you said above that you cook the cookies for slightly less time now than you did for the cookies in the photos. How much less time? I don’t want to over-bake, but I don’t want raw dough in the center either! ;D
With my oven (disclaimer that each oven could be a bit different in temp), it’s right on the 10 min 30 sec dot. 🙂
Made these cookies tonight for IDK…the 100th time. A great recipe! I appreciate all your sourcing and recipe testing. Thank you for all your hard work!
Mel! I adore you and your food! I’m 13 and love baking and cooking and I love this recipe and making it for my brothers and parents! They love it too! Your my hero.
love, your #1 fan. thanks for being ligit!
Thank you so much, Reanna! You are a rock star!
I made these yesterday, and they turned out to be the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve tried! It was chewy, thick but not too thick, and crispy on the edges. After previously failing and getting a super flat and thin chocolate chip cookies from another recipe from another blog…I was determined to search again and came across your blog 🙂 So glad with how it turned out, thank you so much!
So happy to hear this, Karen, thank you!
So I thought I already had “the best chocolate chip cookie recipe,” but after trying these I realize I was mistaken. Thank you for these irresistible cookies!
What adjustments would I need to make if I used unsalted butter?
Just increase the salt a bit – maybe 1/4 teaspoon extra.
Wow…THE perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for the great recipe.
i made these today… yum!!! i think they will be my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi there,
Forgive me if I just missed it, but what would the high altitude recipe be? Thanks!
I haven’t made adjustments for high altitude but you could try googling tips for high altitude baking.
I always double the recipe because my family loves these cookies soo much! I freeze or refrigerate the extra dough often and they still turn out delicious. Really this recipe is pretty adaptable. We make it with various chocolate chips- white, dark, peanut butter, whatever we have around and then call them “Wookie Cookies” because we first served them at my son’s Star Wars party. Everyone who tries them loves these cookies. Thanks so much- these are a perfect cookie!
I always double the recipe.
Hi Mel. I just wanted to let you know, I’ve made these cookies for the 4th of July for the last 3 or 4 years. Instead of using chocolate chips, I use a bag of white chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups ea of dried blueberries and crasions. They are so yummy and have become a requested staple at our celebrations.
Terrific cookies, Mel. No worries about “room temperature” butter! I tried a half package of choc. chips and a half package of those bits of brickle in the recipe, and I definately recommend that mixture! Very chewy. Love you, Mel
I doubled this recipe and it worked out well. The cookies turned out crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. I would definitely only bake them for the time stated above or else they turn out really hard. Oh for the doubling, I just did two regular eggs and one yolk. That seemed to work just fine.
I’m wondering if this cookieis is soft and chewy?
If So, I prefer a crispy chocolate cookie not real sweet. Can this recipe be adjusted or would you have a recipe for a crispy chocolate chip cookie.
IHave read somewhere the differents in baking with butter- margarine – shorting
What baking soda does and what baking powerd do in baking, and how to adjust these for differents results.
Do you know about this information and can you share
I use many of your recipe always with GOOD results
Thank you for sharing your recipes
Yes, this cookie is soft and chewy. My only crispy cookie recipe is this oatmeal cookie recipe. You will just have to adjust sweetness according to your taste. I always cook with butter so I am not sure how the results would be with margarine or shortening. There are a lot of great resources online about baking soda and baking powder and how they work in baking. Good luck!
Thank you, thank you!!! I’ve been searching for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe and this is perfect! I’ve been having a hard time recently with cookies spreading in the oven, so I added a couple extra Tablespoons flour and the cookies baked up perfectly. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I was skeptical since the dough was on the soft side, but I’ll definitely be turning to this recipe again.
I love your website, I use it a few times a week. When we eat dinner my husband says “Is this from Mel?” (as if we personally know you.) We LOVE this recipe. Have you ever frozen the dough? I’m wondering if they will taste as amazing if I double the recipe and freeze half to pop in the oven in a few days?
I just thoroughly read the recipe and imagine that, you already answered my question!
.
Mel! Weird question… My go to chocolate chip cookie for years has been the America’s Test Kitchen perfect chocate chip cookies with browned butter. Is your recipe a variation of this? The measurements seem similar. If so I’m just interested in finding out if you’ve tried the browned butter one and how you’d compare it to yours? I love the one I’ve been making but sometimes I don’t like making them because I feel that they’re a bit inconsistent. Sometimes I brown the butter a little more than others or less. They’re delicious I just am hoping yours are as good without that added step!
Yes – this recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated although lately I’ve been modifying it quite a bit for my browned butter version (increasing all the amounts slightly to use 2 sticks butter). I agree that browning the butter makes the outcome a little inconsistent. I usually brown the butter and put it in the fridge to cool until it’s thick and cool to the touch. However, this non-browned butter version is probably my favorite of all time. Let me know if you try it!
Hi! First I’d like to say, you have an amazing website with even more amazing recipes! I’ve made quite a few of your recipes, and they’ve all turned out fantastic… so THANK YOU for sharing!!
For your chocolate chip cookies, you say to ‘melted and cooled slightly’ butter… am I to microwave the butter until completely melted? To the point of it being liquid, or are you talking sort of melted with some kind of soft form still? Thanks for clarifying!
Hi Grace – I usually melt it completely and then let it cool until it is kind of syrupy and not hot too the touch.
Thank you for clarifying! I’ve never baked a cookie with completely melted butter before, this will be a first! 🙂
Wow, these are so good dude. I made these with trader joes chocolate chuck instead of chips (which gave them a really nice rustic feel) I might try to reduce the chocolate amount so that every bit that does have chocolate in it will be savored more.
Also I used a tsp of almond extract and a normal tsp of vanilla and my class and professor seemed to really like that addition but I wasn’t a fan. Leaving them in the fridge for 48 hours really changed the texture for me, they looked more like your picture, evenly raised (I called them “more mature looking”) whereas when I baked them directly they look like a mountain range, with really big bumps and shallow areas which is great if you really want that rustic look and people seemed to like more but I’m on the fence.
I’m gonna try to add some pecans next, hopefully that goes well.
Anyways I just wanted to say thanks for the recipe, and I guess share my experience with them, (it’s hard to find another college guy to talk cookies with haha)
The weighted measurements are a lifesaver, and when you use a silicone baking mat, its dangerously too easy to make these
Thanks!
These cookies are awesome. First time I made them they turned out kind of flat…totally my fault bc I didn’t cool the butter long enough, but they tasted really good. Made them again this morning with properly melted and cooled butter and they we plump and tasty. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Mel,
Your recipe calls for 1 large egg + 1 large yolk, now i only can get my hands on medium-sized eggs… So how many medium sized eggs should i use for this recipe?
Btw, i’m new to your blog and honestly i’m so happy i’ve found you!
Hi Ruby – glad you found your way here! You know, I’m not certain on the medium eggs issue. Have you tried googling to see the difference in mass between a large egg and a medium egg? I have no idea really but maybe start with three medium eggs and two yolks? Just a suggestion – good luck!
Thanks for replying!
Hi mel! Im just starting to bake and I tried baking this today but the cookie did not spread at all. What can be the problem? Thanks!
Hi Cathy – it sounds like the dough might have been over floured. How do you measure your flour? Here’s a post I have on measuring flour using the dip and sweep method.
Thank you for your reply! I measured thru a scale, but I will try baking them again!
These are the BEST! I have made so many chocolate chip cookie recipes, these are hands down the best, truly amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Just wanted to send you a THANK YOU! My 13 year old son makes these pretty much every week (for at least a year). He now has our 2 year old as his apprentice and they bake way too much. They are whipping up cookies now for a meeting he has later today. Thanks for a great recipe and an excellent site- you have done so much for families!
Love this, thanks, Suzanne!
Mel, how many cookies does this recipe make? Also, do you have the calculated nutritional info anywhere?
Hi Ben – this makes between 2-3 dozen depending on how big you make them. And sorry, I don’t have the nutritional info but there are several online calculators if you google.
Hello Mel,
I’m looking for a crispy chocolate chip cookie recipe. Do you have one or can you suggest how to alter your recipe so the cookie is crispy?
Thanks.
I don’t have one like that, Sharon – but I suppose you could try making these with a few tablespoons milk and then baking them several minutes longer.
This is a delicious recipe for crispy chocolate chip cookies. Everyone loves them!
http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-crispy-crunchy-delights
I can honestly say these were the PRETTIEST cookies I’ve ever made. I usually just follow the recipe on the back of the chocolate chips. But these are delicious and look like the traditional,non flat choco chip cookie.
There’s just one weird thing about them… they’re kind of shiny. The tops look almost waxy in appearance, although still delish. I don’t know if it’s because I let the butter cool for too long, or because I didn’t line my baking pans like instructed. Those were the only differences in following the recipe.
Either way, a great cookie recipe!
These turned out perfectly!! Another great recipe. Thank you, Mel!
A note to cookie researchers: This is my second time making these cookies. The first time, I did not totally melt the butter because I’m lazy and impulsive and didn’t want to wait for it to cool. The texture was off. They turned out too thick. I also used unsalted butter and didn’t increase the salt and they were bland. This time, I followed instructions (when will I ever learn?) and used salted melted butter, cooled to room temp. I doubled the recipe and it made exactly 36, large (4 inch) bakery-style cookies. They have perfect texture and delicious flavor. The larger cookies definitely did better in my gas oven on the lower temp, longer time. At 350 the edges got too crisp with middle slightly raw. Thank you, Mel!
First time I’ve taken the time to comment… 2nd cookie recipe of yours I’ve made. All I can say is YOU ROCK!!! I’ll be making more of your recipes!
I have never in my life been able to make thick chewy chocolate chip cookies…even when I used recipes with shortening. These turned out beautifully. I particularly appreciate the weight measures. For me, that method is much faster and more precise than scooping and leveling off measuring cups. These are keepers, for sure.
Mel, I have been a fan of your page for a while now, and tried different recipes. They always turn out wonderful. This one is no less! I just made a batch of chocolate chip cookies the other day but they were so runny and flat. But these ones are just the best! The shape is perfect. The texture is crunchy on the edge but soft inside. And most importantly, they are so delicious! I won’t have to go look for any other recipes anymore. Thank you! 😀
I tried these yesterday. Super yummy! They were a little flat despite adding in extra flour. I’ll probably add a little more in next time so they can look as good as yours.
Classic and delicious!
I made your cookies about a month ago, although once baked they looked pretty but were very hard. Also, I’ve read comments about the dough being gooey, mine was crumbly and hard to get it to stick together when I rolled them into balls to bake. What could I have done wrong? I made another cookie recipe from someone else this weekend and the same thing happened with the dough & same taste & look.
Claudia – Sounds like too much flour…are you weighing the flour or using measuring cups? Everyone measures flour differently and if too much flour gets packed in the cup, it can affect the outcome. Try cutting back a bit in the flour.
I have made these twice and, while they are very good, they are kind of “crunchy” (even though I bake them the bare minimum of brown-nesss). I would prefer a softer cookie. Any ideas on how to achieve that? I follow your recipe exactly.
Isabelle – Try dropping the oven temp to 325 and baking a minute less.
Hi, Mel! I hope you’re having a great family weekend!
I am wondering – as I just “met” you through the coconut oil post – if you think adding CO or substituting it for some of the butter would work. I don’t bake much – well, not at all, really. My oven is not trustworthy and I live in a mobile home in Florida – nuff said!
But, I am looking for a house and when I move I hope to make up for all the years I couldn’t bake!
Hi Christine! I’m glad you found your way here! Have you seen this cookie post?
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/whole-wheat-coconut-oil-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/
It’s tailored specifically for coconut oil. Give it a try!
Hi… I’ve been wondering for a long time now, baking with cocoa powder and chocolate blocks. I keep wanting to try baking chocolate mint cookies and they always ask for cocoa powder, I don’t want my chocolate blocks to go to waste. Would you mind helping me? 🙁
Amanda – You will have to google information on that. It really depends on the recipe and I usually don’t swap out chocolate for cocoa powder. Good luck if you try it!
Melted butter?
Do i have to melted until into to liquid state or just look creamy.
Noke – It needs to be completely melted then slightly cooled.
Hi… I’ve been wondering for a long time now, baking with cocoa powder and chocolate blocks. I keep wanting to try baking chocolate mint cookies and they always ask for cocoa powder, I don’t want my chocolate blocks to go to waste. Would you mind helping me? 🙁
Sorry, I meant the whole 2 minutes, not 2-3 minutes!
I just want to tell you I absolutely love your site. It’s always my first go-to and most trusted cooking blog! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and your talent of cooking! I love these cookies. I made them once and they turned out so fluffy and were perfect! They were so good that I have made them at least 10 times since hoping they will turn out again. Each time they have always had a great flavor, but they are very thin. I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong and it’s driving me slightly crazy! I have tried adding more flour with no success. I was wondering how long you let the butter cool and also how long you cream the sugar and butter? What should the consistency look like with melted butter? Then, I use a stand mixer and it seems that after I add the eggs it turns light very quickly so I’ve wondered if I shouldn’t beat it the whole 2-3 minutes? How light should it be? Anyway, this is probably just due to my lack of baking talent but if you have time for a few tips I would be so grateful! Thank you again for a wonderful site!!
Tiffanie – Thank you for the nice comments. I think a good starting point would be to make sure the butter is cooled to slightly warm or room temperature before using it in the batter. That can go a long way to help the cookies not bake up so thin. Give that a try next time and see if it solves the problem. Good luck!
It has taken me 37 years of life to find a choc chip recipe i love! I try chocolate chip cookie recipes all the time too. This recipe by far is the best I’ve ever made. Wow! Thank you!
I already have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, but i love this site and will try anything once. I tried these today and the flavor is awesome, but they were not thick at all. Before i cooked them i thought the dough looked a little thin. Have you ever used your bosch mixer to make these? I always use my mixer to make cookies, but maybe i shouldn’t? I’m wondering if i over mixed them? Or maybe I should have weighed my flour? Thoughts?
Hi Michelle – I always use my Bosch or my handheld electric mixer for these cookies. Some people swear by mixing cookie dough by hand but I always use an electric mixer. Weighing the flour definitely makes a difference if you underflour (which sounds like may have happened if the dough was thin and the cookies were flat). I think weighing the flour or adding a bit extra may help. Good luck!
These cookies have been my standby for a few years now and I brought them to a large dinner last night, after which a girl came up to me and begged for the recipe, describing them as the most perfect chocolate chip cookie she’s ever had and went on to detail HOW they earned that title. I made 6 dozen and I’m glad that if there were any left they didn’t come home with me, because I would have probably eaten them to the last crumb by myself last night! These turn out perfect for me every single time and I never alter the recipe a bit.
Maybe a dumb question but I’m a novice baker. What do you mean by tablespoon sized balls of dough? Do I measure out a tbsp of dough and then roll it up into a ball? Thanks!
Shannonm905 – yep, that’s pretty much it. You just scoop up the same amount of dough that would fit in a tablespoon and roll it into a ball – although to be honest, I usually use about 2 tablespoons for a ball of dough.
I am always on the look out for new cookie recipes so I made these yesterday. Kind of a mixed review on them. First I will say they are an absolutely gorgeous cookie, definitely giftable, even DH walked by the oven and said Wow babe those are some nice looking cookies LOL
First thing I noticed was my dough was sticky, I’ve never had a sticky cookie dough, I assume the flour needed increased for some reason but I didn’t want to alter the recipe the first time I tried it. It took much longer than normal to cook them too the centers of the bottom of the cookies wouldn’t finish cooking, they were kind a buttery goo in the middle even though the cookie wasn’t big or thick and the heat in my oven was spot on 350.
Finally got them baked and the kids liked them ok, but I’m not a fan. They are way too chewy for me (think this also could be attributed to mine needing more flour). But the overall flavor wasn’t bad just not mmm perfect. I may try them again and increase the flour a bit.
So while this wasn’t my perfect cookie soulmate in taste or texture it was by far the prettiest chocolate chip cookie to come out of my kitchen and I’ve made a lot of cookies 🙂
Do you prefer to use salted or unsalted butter when you make these cookies?
Sheri – I always use salted butter (I know it’s not popular among real foodies, but it’s what I always have on hand. If you use unsalted you would probably want to increase the salt just slightly).
Hi Mel,
We had a snow day today so I thought I’d mix up a batch too. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough AP flour so it was 2/3 AP, and 1/3 bread flour. Keeping my fingers crossed. Won’t bake until Friday. Looking forward to hearing about yours. Wow! That browned butter and vanilla combo smelled so delicious, even before baking.
Ha! Can’t wait to hear about them.
Hi Mel,
I love your blog and I love chocolate chip cookies. Since you are now a CC cookie professional, you might love looking a someone else’s testing to get their perfect cookie:
http://manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/2840-the-science-behind-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies-ever
That was fascinating, Alonna! I had to make them of course…the dough is resting in the fridge. 🙂
Hmm… I went ahead & used the dark brown sugar. Idk why but they turned out horribly! I followed the recipe exactly w the dark bs for light. They didn’t spread at all & they burned on the bottom. So I moved the rack up for the second batch but still had the same thing happen. They’re hard as rocks & crumbly. I can’t begin to guess what went wrong!
Cass – you’ll have to try them with light brown sugar and see if you get a better result. Did you weigh your ingredients or use cup measures? The fact that they didn’t spread makes me think you may have had too much flour. I hope you have better luck if you make them again!
Cass I always buy dark brown sugar because I like it better and it’s turned out great!
Hi! Could I do this recipe w dark brown sugar instead of light brown? That’s what I have.
Hi Mel, I just made these cookies tonight and they turned out delicious! I am wondering if I can mix up the dough, bake a dozen and then put the remaining dough in a Tupperware container in the fridge? Do you have any recommendations for storing the dough in the fridge and how long to bake them for? Thanks so much!
Hi Marcie – yes, that should work great! I do that a lot if I don’t have time to bake them all. I shape the remaining dough into cookie dough balls, place them in a covered container and put them in the fridge. I take them straight out of the fridge, place on a cookie sheet, and just add another 30 seconds to 1 minute to the baking time. Good luck if you try it!
Oh bother, yet another CCC recipe! What will I ever do? How will I ever find the one?
Can’t wait to try this though! Hopefully, it’ll be THE ONE FOR ME :’)
Have you ever tried Allrecipes’ Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie before?
the 1 c br sugar and 1/2 c white sugar, I made the cookies today. Way too sweet, I did get an upset stomach. So I am going to make them with 1/2 c br sugar and 1/4 c. white next time.
So Mel, I’m going to a cookie exchange this week & loved the sound of your oatsies, but absolutely love these tried and true cookies. Thinking about using the chocolate, white & butterscotch chips trio in this recipe instead. Is there any reason that wouldn’t work? I think it sounds good, but you’re the pro!
Carolyn – yum, I think the trio of chocolate chips would be delicious in these cookies!
Mel thank u so much!! They turned out perfect again!!! My favorite cookie recipe:) I share it with everyone. Thanks again!
Hi Mel,
Can you please advise how long the melted butter should fridge cool before I add to the recipe? I’ve made these probably over a dozen times, and the last couple batches have been complete failures, delicious but flat as pancakes. I’m thinking the butter has to be the issue, so would just like to know how many minutes you chill yours for? Thank you so much for any help!
Hi Shannon – I actually don’t put the butter in the refrigerator at all, I just let it cool at room temperature. I melt it until there are still a few solid pieces of butter left. Then I stir to melt everything and then let it sit on the counter until I can dip a finger in and it feels room temp, maybe slightly, slightly warm, but mostly just room temp. Hope that helps!
Greetings from South Africa! Never made cookies before, made these and they turned out fantastic! Loved them so much I made the Crispy Oatmeal ones the following weekend and now my husband thinks I’m lying that I’ve never made cookies before 🙂 love your blog!! Thank you !!
If you freeze the cookie dough, do you have to thaw it before you bake it or can it go straight from freezer to oven? Delicious recipe!
Bessie – I always go straight from freezer to oven – usually need to add another minute onto the baking (more or less, just keep an eye on it) but it works great!
WOW. They really are perfect. I followed the directions exactly- they are a bit different. The texture is AMAZING. Perfect is the only way to describe them. I am looking forward to experimenting with variations in chips and maybe nuts. This time I did just semi-sweet chips. I love your blog so much, you are scoring me mega points with the husband!!!
I made these last Sunday and they were incredible! I was out of chocolate chips (the horror!!) but I had a bag of mini Reeses Pieces, so I threw those in instead, and it was perfection! So much so that I am going to make up another batch today the exact same way and mail them to my brother who is serving a mission across the country! He is going to love them!! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
These turned out perfect! Our favorite is to use Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips, yum!
When I made these they totally flattened out when I took them out of the oven! I was super bummed, but I am wondering if I can do anything to fix it…?
Hi Katie – do you live at high altitude? You might try adding another tablespoon or two of flour and see if that helps.
I can’t believe it, but I think these need to supplant my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’ve used for the past 13 years. The texture on these is better. I’ve avoided melted butter recipes like this one because of a bad experience before, but these were fail proof. We did half milk chocolate, half semi-sweet and they were delicious. I just need to write a note to double the recipe, because they went fast!
Chilling the dough helped the cookies not turn out so flat…but I’ll keep looking for a recipe with a bit more flavour.
Mel ~ I just found your website today and have your pork roast in my crockpot and just finished baking your perfect chocolate chip cookies. They turned out awesome! My son came home from school & ate 3. I had to tell him to stop because I’m afraid they won’t last but a couple days. I can’t wait to try the pork roast. You are my new favorite for recipes! Thanks!
Kim
These honestly WERE the most perfect chocolate chip cookies – and after eating almost the entire batch, I feel like somewhat of an expert 🙂
I haven’t baked all summer. I made these up and the hubby said that these were the BEST cookies I’ve ever made. Wow! (Quite the compliment because I normally bake pretty frequently.). Kids ate them all before I could share them with a neighbor. So my advice is to save time and just go ahead and make a double batch!!
I’ll be making these again, as soon as I get more brown sugar and chocolate chips! I’ve always made the recipe off the chocolate chip bag…but not anymore! Thanks for posting ingredients by weight, too. It saved me a step of having to convert.
I have made these cookies countless times now! They are perfect every time! EXCEPT:
-when you use margarine. No can do ever again. Margarine stinks.
-when you over bake. They just aren’t the same. Nope.
-when you add oatmeal. I haven’t been able to get the proportions right.
I like this recipe best with dark brown sugar. They’re even really good with coconut added in! I’ll never use another chocolate chip cookie recipe again!
Just made these today. Mine came out absolutely delicious but they weren’t as “thick” as yours. I don’t know why my chocolate chip cookies always come out flatter! 🙁 I baked them at 350 in my convection oven (automatically adjusts to 325) for 11 minutes. I will make them again because they are delicious. Just wish mine were as pretty as yours!!
Um, DARK brown sugar all the way! I don’t know if a bag is exactly 12 oz or 2 cups, but I’m a whole-bag-of-chips-in kind of girl! I’ll let you know if these two alterations excelled your recipe or ruined perfection!! (He he 🙂 )
I have been trying to make Chocolate Chip cookies for years, all being a fail. They taste fine but would look awful, usually all spread out and flat/crispy. Just tried this recipe and they are PERFECT. I am so excited to have finally conquered the Chocolate Chip cookie. I will only use this recipe from now on. LOVE LOVE LOVE the melted butter part. I think that is where I have always screwed up, forgetting to soften the butter and then putting in the microwave, only to partially melt it!! Thanks!!! 🙂 🙂
Hi Mel – I just wanted to say that I’ve tried dozens of chocolate chip recipes and did your butter test on a whim today. You’re right – the cool room temp butter makes the PERFECT cookie. I’m currently fighting off members of my family so I can even get them off the tray!
New to your site and just love it.
Mel, do you use your Bosch or a hand mixer when you make these? I’m only used my hand mixer, but I’m just starting a batch in my Bosch. Just curious if you’ve done both and could tell a difference. Thanks!
Hi Brittany – I almost always use my hand mixer for these cookies unless I’m doubling the batch, then I pull out my Bosch. I haven’t seen a huge difference in outcome either way.
I’ve made these twice and they are awesome! I thought they’d go flat, but sure enough they turned out perfect. I’m at high altitude and have never had success with all butter chocolate chip cookies, so I’m excited to have this recipe!
My cookies turned out delicious but flat. What did I do wrong?
Carina – several things can make a cookie flatten; even though the butter is melted here, make sure that it isn’t really hot (cooled slightly like the recipe indicates). Also, you might need to add a few tablespoons more flour, especially if you live at a high elevation. Good luck if you try them again!
Hi! I’ve been making these bad boys for a couple of years now. The first several times, they turned out perfectly! But lately, my dough has been really sticky. Any idea why? I don’t think I’m doing anything differently! I did just realize I used unsalted butter after reading that you NEVER use it. Could that make that big of a difference in the texture of the dough? The cookies themselves turn out great usually, but to form the dough is a little tricky when its so sticky.
Hi Amanda – I don’t think the unsalted vs salted butter would impact the stickiness of the dough. That’s strange that the texture of the dough is different from before. I honestly don’t know what to tell you other than perhaps add a tablespoon or two more flour. Good luck!
Lady you are the best!! I’ve been searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie for years!! I love you lol
Ok… wow. I will never make another chocolate chip cookie recipe ever again. I used 1 stick of butter and subbed the rest with coconut oil, used half milk chocolate chips and half semi sweet chips. Other than those two changes, everything was the same. And they are amazing. Which is dangerous, because now I have a whole bunch of cookies in my house that I can’t stop eating. =]
Love your blog! If you haven’t tried the New York Times chocolate chip recipe, you are missing out. The “aging” in the fridge for 24 to 26 hours does something magical: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html?_r=0
Hi Mel, the first time I made these cookies they turned out awesome! But I’m baking them right now and they look terrible! All flatten out like pancakes..i don’t know what went wrong..pls help.. Could it be bcos my butter melted before I put it in the oven? My cookie batter looked really soft, like yogurt type..
Kenny – if your batter was as soft as yogurt then yes, that is most definitely the problem. The butter should be melted but not hot – cooled to room temperature before using in the recipe.
These are so yummy! I love that melted butter is actually called for because that’s what I usually end up with because I forget to soften the butter.
Just a question, it says for flour that you need 2 1/8 cups and that it equals to about 10 1/2 oz. I might be reading this wrong but if one cup is 8oz, how can 2 cups plus 1/8cups equal only 10 1/2 oz? Or do you mean (2) of 1/8 cups of flour, not 2 cups plus 1/8?
Hi Melanie – you are thinking of two different types of measurements. A measuring cup is 8 fluid ounces but if you measured out an 8 ounce cup of flour and then weighed just the flour, it should only weigh 5 ounces or so. Does that make sense?
I just made these cookies. Baked 16 of them and put the rest of the dough in the freezer for another time. For some reason mine didn’t spread out to a flat cookie. They stayed in a dome shape. They do taste delicious though of course so I could care less what they look like haha
My husband, two girls (almost 2 and 4), and I made these cookies tonight after dinner. The cookies were easy to make, and they turned out amazing. These cookies will definitely be my go to chocolate chip cookie.
I made these tonight, with the help of my 5 year old niece. I can admit 100% that I am one of the worst cooks ever, but these came out PERFECT! Just like the picture, chewy and crispy, and delicious! I love your blog because you break down the instructions for those like me! I will def be trying more recipes! Bookmarking you right now! Thanks 🙂
This recipe is awesome! I timed it exactly 11mins and they came out soft. I left them to cool on tray for 10 mins then they became crispy/crumbly on the outside but yet soft n chocolaty inside. I don’t usually eat cookies (these are for friends) but I ended up clearing 6 with a glass of milk. N they look so pretty! They cracked up a little n look even tastier. Yum Yum!
Made these tonight! The best cookies ever! Thanks for the recipe!
These are amazing cookies! Every time I have made them, they have turned out delicious and always get compliments. My favorite part is I don’t have to wait for the butter to soften!!! : )
For years my fave chocolate chip cookie was the copycat “Mrs Fields” choco chip cookie, but for some reason, I could only get it to work at home in my parents oven! Weird. It didn’t work in my own oven, nor my friend’s and nor when I lived in Asia or where I now live, Europe! How strange. Anyway, I now make THIS recipe and it works EVERYWHERE! Best cookie ever and closest recipe I’ve ever been able to find to chewy bakery cookies.
So, I’m sure long after you posted this recipe, I have tried it. A lot. AMAZING:) I made them the first time for my family and they were gone in -3 days. Then I made over 50 for a bake sale and they ALL SOLD! Not one cookie remained. Now just today I replaced the chocolate chips with peanut butter M&M’s (just for fun) and they are SO delicious! thanks so much for this recipe, the dough probably would taste good with any chocolate chip replacement!
My husband made these today!! 🙂 Loved them! Yum!
Denise – I’m sorry these cookies didn’t work out for you! A couple of things based on your comment, I think it would help to let your butter cool longer. Warm butter (or too soft if the recipe calls for softened butter) can definitely impact how cookies turn out. Also, try adding 1-2 tablespoons extra flour. It’s a small amount but it can help the cookies not flatten in the oven.
I’ve made these at least once a week for the past month now. I’m also making a batch to freeze as we speak. My husband and I have loved each and every recipe of yours that we’ve tried so far, but this one is our favorite. Sooo good and sooo bad for my post-babyness.
Well, I made these cookies and failed! I live in a cold, dry area; elevation 4800. They were flat soon after taking them out of the oven. Dang it! I noticed you’ve recommended that several people increase the amount of flour if their cookies are flat. Would you just recommend 1-2 TBSP for my elevation. Also, how long should I allow the butter to cool? I’m wondering if that effected my bad results. I probably let my butter sit for 10 minutes, or so, before dumping in the mixer. Also, I ALWAYS have struggled on when to take cookies out of the oven. My cookies were crispy! Help, I’ll take any advice I can take in order to get these to turn out!!! Thanks in advice, Melanie!
Kayla – yes, the dough is pretty buttery for these cookies but they should bake up just fine.
I made these and just put them in the oven but were they supposed to be very buttery? the dough was buttery i could smell the butter and when I touched it my hands were buttery. Is that because its melted?
These are awesome. Don’t eat te dough though, because you’ll end up eating to much and getting sick! =)
These ARE the “best chocolate chip cookies”. I’ve made them repeatedly!!
I’ve never posted a comment, but I love your site, Mel! Thanks.
Tiffany – real foodies will tell you to always use unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of saltiness by adding salt yourself. Having said that, I’m lazy and I NEVER buy unsalted butter. If you do use unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt in the recipe by 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. Conversely, if a recipe calls for unsalted butter and you only have salted butter, decrease the salt in the recipe by the same amount. Apparently each butter company can include different amounts of salt in salted butter so that’s kind of the wild card, but I’ve used salted butter for years and years in my baking and haven’t ever had issues with it.
I only ever use butter, never margarine, in my baking. I never knew what difference salted vs unsalted butter made in a recipe, so I just buy the unsalted (I figure we get too much of it anyway, right?!). What difference does it make in this recipe, and should I add extra salt to compensate?
Always get frustrated when I make Chocolate Chip Cookies because they never seem to work, but these worked beautifully!! Love your recipes and always come here when I’m looking for something new to try.
Hi Judy – the ingredients are given in weight and cup measures. If you have a kitchen scale use the weight measure (the ounces), if not, just measure the cup amount (1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar).
for the chocolate chip cookies, do
I use 1/2 C sugar or 3 1/2 oz. ? Also, do I use 7oz of brown sugar or 1 C?
Thank you. I would love to try these. They sound and look wonderful!
I made this recipe over the weekend and it was DIVINE!! 🙂 Thanks so much!
Mel,
I never leave comments, but this recipe has restored my faith in my baking ability. I have a gas oven, and live at 4500 feet, and I have never, ever been able to make a thick cookie. I usually have to use shortening to give them a little lift. These are crazy! I have tried everybod else’s “best cookie” recipe, and they have all failed. This is super fantastic! I feel like they would be great for gifts or entertaining. I hand-mixed them and weighed the dry ingredients, which I think is key for getting the right abount of flour. They are crunchy at first, then chewy, chewy. Yummo!
I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. I am with you on the soaked white bread issue, so I think the sausage/cheese dish will be my next go. thanks a million!!
Jackie – 1/8 cup is 2 tablespoons.
How do I measure 1/8 of a cup?
Mel…ANOTHER winning recipe! We are chocolate chip cookie connoisseurs round this house and lemme tell you these were a HUGE hit. I was skeptical of the softness sticking around the morning after baking, but sure enough opened up the airtight container this morning and still soft and chewy. YUM. Thanks for this recipe…won’t make my chocolate chip cookies any other way from here on out!
These came out perfectly! Rave reviews from all the teachers we made them for! This is our new go-to recipe! Thanks!
The first batch were a little ‘plump’- (like little mounds)- but the second batch, I gave each ball of dough a little ‘squish’ down before baking and .. .perfecto! Getting closer to your picture! My next attempt will be to let the butter cool more- how long do you cool yours for? (I imagine 2 min in the freezer doesn’t count. . .?)
hi these do sound wonderful. i recently learned of a trick to make chocolate chip cookies chewier. i saw it on america’s test kitchen tv show on pbs. they take the orignal nestle tollhouse chocolate chips cookies (which was the recipe i liked for years before i saw the tv show) and the change it by decreasing the moisture. here is the link for the org. recipe : http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx
on america’s test kitchen they changed the amounts of almost everything
10 tbsp butter
4 tbsp butter
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/2c white sugar
1 egg, + 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 c chocolate chips.
the first thing you do is brown your 10 tbsp of butter in a silver colored fry pan.(please be very careful doing this it splatters and i’ve burned myself) stir while mixing so it doesn’t burn. this is done because most of the excess moisture is evaporated off, and in a sliver pan you can see how browned the butter is without burning it. pour it into a heat-proof bow that contains the other 4tbsp butter. mix to melt the rest of the butter, also the hot butter will cool down.
add the sugars, stir, add the eggs and vanilla, mix well.* let sit for 3 minutes, stir again* repeat this step 3x. it gives the sugar a chance to dissolve better. next i add the salt, baking powder and stir again. then i add the flour and when its almost mixed in i add my chocolate chips. i use a 1/4c measuring cup to measure thes out, but i like my cookies small because the opening of my cookie jar isn’t very big, so i break each quarter cup of dough in half and place on cookie sheet. there is no need to roll these out or flatten them down, they turn out perfect on thier own. i bake them at 375 for about 6-7minutes. they will look undercooked when they are done with just a hint of golden around the edge. i only put 1 pan in at at time. i have a 3 pan system, 1 pan in the oven, 1 pan cooling, and 1 pan ready to go in the oven next, keeps you from waiting all day for cookies to bake. you do need to leave these cool on the pan a few minutes before removing. if you take them off too early the middle of the cookie will stay on the pan.
I too have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I never stray from, but I was out of vanilla pudding (the secret ingredient) and so I decided to venture out and try this one. Glad I did, these are fabulous. Thanks so much!
Cookies where good but I am more of a “toll house” fan. But they sure are pretty.
That said I took half the dough and made peanut butter chip cookies and they are to die for! Just added 3/4 C peanut butter chips and 1/2 C chopped party peanuts to half the dough. They are the bomb. Think my hubby will love them if there’s any left when he gets home. He can’t eat chocolate. Thanks for such great recipes. All I’ve tried are awesome.
Pau – I don’t flatten the cookies before baking them. I leave them in the round ball shape and they flatten perfectly in the oven. Hope that helps!
Hi, I tried many of your recipes such as your chocolate chip cookie bars, best cheesecake, cheesecake bars, etc., and they all turned out great! Especially the cheesecake bars, everyone loves them! I would like to try these next; however, I need to ask, when about to bake, do I keep them looking like tablespoon-sized BALLS? Or do I flatten them first? Because I’m worried they might end up looking like balls too, and not cookies. Thanks!
I made these today but used peanut butter M&M’s instead of chocolate chips. Still a winner!
I made this recipe for second time today. I screwed up 1st go around, they tasted ok, but went flat, I added ground flax seed and I mixed dough in a little at a time with mixer. This go around, followed directions to the T, and what a difference!!! You nailed the title, this is the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I actually just made 2 batches back to back. 1st batch I used extra dark chocolate chips…but the extra was too much dark. So remade another batch and used mini semi sweet morsels (only choc chips I had that weren’t dark chocolate) and PERFECTO!!!
Thank so much Mel for sharing your recipes, and more importantly for breaking out your “best”. You are now my go to for baking here on out. I need to try your cooking recipes next. Thanks again love!
Be blessed!
good cookies! doubled the batch so we are good to go for a few days, with company! They are very similar to the Best Recipe cookies I make as my go to recipe. I love it when I find a perfect recipe and I wouldn’t change a thing about them. good stuff!
These taste really good! The first batch I made spread into one giant mass, so I refrigerated the dough for 2 days. The next batch spread, but not as much as the first, so I added a little bit of quick cooking oats to the remaining dough and the last couple of batches are perfect. Yum!!
Search no more for the perfect chocolate chip cookie…because here it is! I made these cookies on Tuesday night and everyone who has had these have fell in love with them…in fact my mom said that next time I make these they want 1 dozen just for them b/c so many fought over who gets the last cookie! But I call them “Just Need One Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie”…they are perfect and just 1 satisfies your sweet tooth!
I’ve been making cookies from the CI recipe you adapted for years but somehow this version turned out even better! How do you DO that?! This is my new go to for sure!
Thank you, Mel. I actually haven’t tried to make those cookies again because I worry that I’ll mess them up for a 3rd time. So my go-to recipe for now is David Lebovitz’s salted butter one. But I’ll give it a whirl soon and let you know how it goes.
Hi Kat – I’m glad you found your way here! About the cookies, yes, I think heat/humidity/elevation – all of that – can play into how baked goods turn out so it’s impossible to say exactly what went wrong. Do you weigh your flour or measure it in cups? That could possible be the discrepancy in flour amounts if you are scooping the flour in cups versus weighing. I adapted my recipe a little bit from the original Cook’s Illustrated – I reduced the size of the cookies since I think they shape theirs in 1/4 or 1/3 cup amounts to make really large cookies and I also increased the baking time slightly. Those changes may be worth a try but it sounds like you definitely need that extra flour to help the cookies keep their shape. Also, make sure the butter is slightly cooled (not melted and piping hot) – that will definitely help with consistency. Good luck!
Oh, I forgot to mention, they flattened so quickly that I had one big thin cookie on my cookie sheet within two minutes, I think. That was before I added the half cup of flour.
Hi Mel,
I came across your blog and have been browsing for longer than I should (I’m at work, shhhhhh.). I tried making the Cook’s Illustrated recipe twice before and both times it was a disaster. The dough was too runny and the cookies flatten too quickly in the oven, even after I chilled the dough (which wasn’t in the Cook’s Illustrated instructions anyway). I ended up having to add a half cup of flour. That saved them, and they were delicious and moist on the first day, but they turned mealy by the second (possibly because of the additional cup of flour?). What could’ve I done wrong? I live in a tropical country, could the heat and humidity have anything to do with it? Thanks in advance for any help you can give. I am hell bent on finding the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, but it seems melted butter and me don’t mix.
Beth – thanks for the comment! Are you using dark coated baking trays or the light aluminum one? Sometimes a dark finish on a baking sheet will cause the cookies to over darken on the bottoms. I haven’t ever had a problem with the cookies burning on the bottom – but I’m glad you found a way around the problem by baking at a lower temp and on a higher rack. It could also just be that your oven bakes warmer than others – ovens can actually vary in exact oven temperature.
I’d like to start off by saying that since the first time I tried one of your recipes, I’ve followed your blog regularly and consider your recipes to be golden. Tried and true. (That first recipe was Sweet and Sour Chicken.)
I tried these cookies tonight, and they are delicious!! I did have trouble with my first batch burning on the bottoms, but coming out light and slightly golden on the top. I had baked them on parchment-lined trays at 350 deg. for 11-12 mins on the middle rack. The next batch I put on the top rack at 325 deg. for 13-14 mins, and they turned out beautifully! Have you ever had a problem with your cookies burning on the bottoms? This isn’t the first time it’s happened to me, so I’d like to figure out exactly what I’m doing wrong.
Thanks for sharing your talents and recipes with us all. I am inspired by your posts.
Hi! I found your recipe on Pinterest and I am so glad I did! I accidentally only used half the butter and I did use margarine (I don’t know why but I was thinking one stick was a whole cup so I only used a stick and a half) but they still turned out awesome! My husband said they were the BEST cookies he’s ever eaten! My whole family loved them and they were so easy to make! They came out looking so perfect just like your picture! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! This is the only one I will ever use now!
Sheri – I always use butter, never margarine, so I would highly recommend not subbing the margarine for butter since I can’t tell you how they will turn out. I hope the cookies work out well for you!
Does it matter butter or margarine?
Ever since we moved into our house we haven’t been able to get a fluffy chocolate chip cookie… We’ve tried almost every variation out there do I hope this is our answer!
I am making these cookies tonight… I will let you know how they turn out!
Two for two! Second recipe I’ve attempted from your site and it did not disappoint! Amazing cookies and so easy to make. Thank you!!!
The texture and look of these cookies, yes- Perfect! But I found them to be a little bland/flavorless. I made them as the recipe stated but next time I will add extra vanilla and maybe a dash of cinnamon. It gives a chocolate chip cookie a subtle something extra and makes it unique! I ALWAYS add a dash of cinnamon to my choc. chip cookies, so maybe I just got used to the flavor in my cookies.
Hi Marilee – whenever I double this I use two large eggs and two egg yolks (I save the whites for egg-white omelets or french toast or something like that). You could try subbing 3 large eggs and see how it goes but I’ve never tried it.
If you were doubling the recipe, would you use three eggs?
Yum—just made these and had to add valentine M&M’s since I was short chocolate chips. They are fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
My husband declared these the best chocolate chip cookies that I have made for him. Thanks!
These cookies looked amazing from the picture. I baked them up today after having saved this recipe on Pinterest awhile ago. I followed the directions exactly, underbaked the first batch by a few minutes (even though they were in a 350 oven for 12 minutes) and the texture was just weird. They did not come out looking like the picture at all. Unfortunately for me, I’m still on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Our family favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has begun to fail consistently. I don’t know if it’s because of the change in Crisco (elimination of trans fats) or if our tastes are changing. I began my search for a new recipe here. I love these soft yet chewy cookies. I froze some for my daughter’s lunch and feel they came out even better –if that is possible. Husband misses the oats (from our original recipe) so I’m off to try the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies today. The kids and I definitely see this as a keeper though. Thanks!
This recipe is delicious!!! I’ve always hated making chocolate chip cookies because they never turn out good. These make me want to make chocolate chip cookies for every occasion!! They are FANTASTIC!!!
Mmm…great recipe. I made these tonight (half recipe) and they turned out great. Even only making half, I still got 2 dozen cookies. I’m definitely not complaining.
I made these this weekend. Hands down the most gorgeous chocolate chip cookie I have ever made. Seriously. All my other chocolate chip recipes are going in the trash.
Also on a search for the best chocolate chip cookie, I tested these from Cook’s Illustrated and it is now my new go to recipe! Perfection!
I made these tonight, and they are super yum! Thanks. : )
I’ve never had much success with chocolate chip cookies, although they are my kids’ favorites. This recipe is a winner. It batter was a cinch to pull together thanks to the melted butter. This is the version I’ll be making from here on out. Thanks!
These are divine. I have a Mrs. Fields recipe that I USED to make, but this knocked it out of the top spot. I love the buttery richness without the grease. I love that even though the butter is melted, they don’t go flat. I love the slightly crispy outside and chewy inside. These are perfect. I used Guittard mik chips and vanilla bean puree instead of vanilla. My kids inhaled these. I need to hide them because I want to try them when they are a day old. Thank you, Mel, for yet another winner. It seems like other blogs and websites are letting me down but my sister and I agree, Mel never fails us! You are our trusted source.
Just wanted to tell you that I made these and all the family loved them. I got 44 cookies from the recipe. I also substituted 4 ounces of chocolate chips for toffee chunks. Delish. Also, I baked them longer, maybe 16 minutes. Seemed kind of time intensive to me, but I’m just getting into this whole from scratch thing so I’m sure it’s just me.
OMG!!! I just made these cookies and just WOW! So moist and delicious. My kids are just gobbling them up – I had to say no more! This one is a keeper! I never ever comment recipes and I just had to on this one. I also made the chili recipe and it was just fantastic! I put it into my recipe book after just one try, my husband and kids loved it. I followed the recipe exactly and it was just right for us! Great site! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!!! Thank you!
These are great cookies! I froze half of the dough balls and they were only in my freezer for 3 days. Friends came over after we went out to dinner and we baked them right up…they were better than anything on the dessert menu that night! You know it’s a good recipe when your friend calls the next day for the recipe…I directed her here…Thanks for such a wonderful food blog…you do a fantastic job!
These are amazing cookies, my daughter Ashley gave me your website, love it. These cookies are so good for moist climates.
I have to tell you I have made these cookies twice now and they have turned out great both times! My only change was 1/2 cup of reeses pieces candies and 1 1/2 cup choc chips for a light peanut butter taste. I also turn my baking sheet around after 5 minutes for even cooking because my oven is old. Thanks for sharing all of your great recipes. I love this website.
I think I’ve positively died and gone to heaven! These cookies are sinful! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
My wonderful friend Mel! I write to you as though we are old dear friends because I have followed your blog for eons and you have made me an exponentially better cook and as a result of that wife and mother, what better definition for a friend.
Anyway, I made these classic little gems two days ago and insisted that my husband bring in the rest of them to work the day following since my waistband would have expanded considerably if left to my own devices.
He heeded my command and promptly sent out an e-mail stating “My wife baked some cookies and told me to bring them in today… she said they might help me make more friends”. With in 10 minutes the entirety of the contents of his tupperware container were gobbled up with many hearty claps on the back and new friendships forged. All co-workers agreed that the cookies were great and his friendship was okay too.
So, Mel, because of you I have become a better person AND my husband is making more friends at work 🙂 I give your tried and true recipes a standing ovation! Thank you so much for this wonderful website.
Your friend,
Mickie
P.S. Tell your Aunt Marilyn that her Banana Bread recipe is DIVINE and genius. I believe more batter is eaten then the bread however, I can’t get it in the oven quickly enough.
These are wonderful!! I made them yesterday, and they are my new favorite! My usual standby, the recipe on Butter Flavor Crisco for choc chip cookies, just tastes a little “fake” to me these days (probably the artificial butter flavoring). Yours have great texture and bake beautifully. I used Ghirardhelli chips – 1 cup semi sweet and 1 cup bittersweet (60% cacao). Delish!
Best cookies ever! I’ve been looking for a chocolate chip cookie this good for years. Thanks!
I can say that this is “the best” chocolate chip cookie recipe because it is the same recipe I use when I make chocolate chip cookies. I too looked for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe for a very very long time and I came up with this one too.
Just pulled the last batch out of the oven. They are pretty good. I didn’t get thick (probably because I don’t weigh my flour), but I sure got chewy.
Just made these tasty cookies. Great recipe…the best part is the melted butter. They’re beauties! Thanks again!
Yep. Thanks!
Mel-
1 egg
1 egg yolk
So is that just 1 whole egg? or do you mean 1 egg (with yolk), and then add an extra yolk?
Thanks!
Hi Brett – so you’ll need one whole egg and then one egg yolk. Make sense?
So I attempted these cookies and I dont know what I did wrong! When the came out they hadnt flattened out at all, they were still in mounds…while still delicious I was wondering if you had any tips as to what may have gone wrong?
Thanks!
Shantay – did you happen to weigh your ingredients or measure with measuring cups? It might be due to the amount of flour. If you weighed the flour then I’m not sure what went wrong – but if you don’t have a scale and scooped up the flour, it might be a case of overflouring the dough. That’s the main reason I can think for cookies not flattening in the oven. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out for you!
Mel, these are my favorite cookies too. this is a good blend between cooks illustrated and Alton browns the chewy. I will try yours with these modifications. thanks as always for sharing!
I cannot believe I haven’t made these yet! If you’re claiming that they are the perfect chocolate chip cookie, then they must be! Thanks for updating it to bring it to my attention!
This may be a dumb question- remember, I am new to the cookie baking thing- but how do you keep the cookies soft? I LOVE the results the day of, but they get hard by the next day. Any tricks?
Carlin – well, the main key is to underbake them slightly, and then after they have cooled, I always, always freeze the baked cookies. When we want a few, I pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds on 50% power and they are soft and delicious!
I love these! I live at 6,400 ft. and they came out a bit flatter than I had hoped, but they still had the crispy and chewy texture. I refrigerated the dough before scooping. They were delicious. I never really crave chocolate chip cookies, but I am already thinking about making them again.
Jennifer – I’m happy you love these cookies. To help combat the flattening issue since you live at such a high elevation, you might try adding an extra 1-2 tablespoons of flour to the dough.
I can’t make chocolate chip cookies. I just can’t. I accepted and lamented that fact long ago. They always turn out flat and hard and I’m always so disappointed. So I simply gave up trying. But I got the craving today for some chocolate chip cookies, and it just would not go away. I decided to try again, with this recipe. And now I am jumping up and down because it was a SUCCESS! For the first time EVER, I made not just a good, but a DANG GOOD chocolate chip cookie! I even took a picture of them and sent it to my very impressed SIL. Thank you for helping me achieve chocolate chip cookie greatness!! I am so thrilled!!
P.S. The cookies that were on the top rack first and then moved to the bottom rack half way through did not turn out as thick, although they were still delicious. Any ideas why?
Carlin – I’m beyond thrilled that this recipe has transformed you into a chocolate chip cookie baker extraordinaire! Thanks for letting me know! As for the browning, switching racks can be tricky as far as browning the cookies evenly. The top of the even is a bit hotter than the middle and so cookies can bake a bit more unevenly if left up on the top rack for too long. I usually try to just bake one rack at a time in the middle of the oven, but if you do want to do two sheets at a time, I’d suggest maybe switching them about a minute before the halfway mark.
Wow! You weren’t kidding! These are amazing. I just finished baking my last batch and they are almost all gone! These cookies taste like they came from a bakery. Thank you for doing the research to find our new fave chocolate chip cookie.
Thanks, Jenna!
YUM-O! I made these this morning and found my new favorite choc chip cookie recipe. I ran out of flour (gasp!) and had to substitute 1 and 1/8 cup of whole wheat flour. They were still delicious and I like to tell myself they are more healthy that way. 🙂 My 17 month old would take a bite, and go “mmmmmmmmmm.” Definately a winner. Thanks Mel!
Ciara – so glad you loved these cookies and I love that they worked out so well using a lot of whole wheat flour. Awesome!
Oh these look SO GOOD!!! I want to make them tonight but I have one small question about the recipe (I am new at this stuff so bear with me… ha). When it says rotate the sheets half way through, what do you mean by that? Am I putting two sheets in at once (one on top and one on bottom) and then switching them half way through?
Dayna – I usually disregard that part of the instructions and just bake one cookie sheet at a time, then I don’t have to rotate the sheets. However, if you want to bake two baking sheets at a time, each on a different oven rack, then halfway through the baking time, switch the baking sheet so the cookies that were on top now go on bottom, etc. This way the cookies bake evenly (since different parts of the oven cook at higher/lower temperatures unless you have a spiffy convection oven). I hope that helps!
I made these cookies for the first time a month or so ago and found them to be rather bland, but I had a feeling that browning the butter on the stove first would give them a better flavor. I tried it today and I love how they turned out! The browned butter gives them a much more distinctive flavor. I like how quickly it all comes together too.
Vicky – glad you liked these with the browned butter factor!
I am usually kind of underwhelmed by chocolate chip cookies, but my kids kept asking me to make some for them yesterday, so I figured if anyone could lead me to a better recipe than the one I’ve been making, it would of course be you. First of all–hallelujah for the melted butter. And secondly–these have forever kicked my old chocolate chip cookie recipe to the curb. These are, in fact, the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Nice and thick with a slightly crunchy edge but chewy and moist on the inside. I’m equal parts sad/glad I sent the rest with my husband to work. Sad that I don’t have anymore to eat, and glad that I won’t have the guilt of single handedly eating a dozen cookies by myself.
Reyna – I kind of agree on the chocolate chip cookie thing. I much prefer a loaded cookie with oatmeal or coconut in them, also. Having said that, I’m glad this plain ol’ choc chip recipe worked out great!
Mel, I have made more chocolate chip cookie recipes than I can count over the years, but I think this is going to be The One. The One and Only Keeper. It’s so easy, doesn’t make a million cookies (reasonably sized recipe 🙂 ), and just simply… delicious.
I’ve made several of your recipes and don’t comment very often, but they have all turned out fabulous.
Thank you thank you thank you for sharing!
Emily – Yay for a keeper of a recipe! It’s always fun to find “the one” and I’m thrilled this is it for you!
My Life…- glad you loved these! I just popped over to your site and saw your pumpkin crunch cake. I’m making a version of that next week! Good to see you have a similar recipe and love it!
I made these today for the first time and you are right, they are the BEST! So good and so easy to make! Thanks for the great recipe!
I had recently gone to a cafe and gotten a great thick chocolate chip cookie that had coconut and macadamia nuts in it. I’d searched my cookie cookbooks and recipes to see if I could find a dough that was substantial sounding enough to hold all of these additions and replicate what I had eaten. I’ve tried two cookie recipes from your site, so I went back through them and came across this one, which sounded like it might work.
And wouldn’t you know it…it was great. I added 1 cup of shredded coconut and 1 cup of chopped macadamia nuts to this recipe, and they came out amazing.
I’ve had a long-standing, tried and true chocolate chip recipe that everyone loves, but this is a contender. I honestly don’t know which one is better! Thanks 🙂
Shannon – wow, coconut and macadamia nuts sound like it would take this cookie over the top! I’m thrilled it turned out well enough to be a contender for your favorite.
Very good cookies. Not as thick as I expected, but still very delicious!
Thanks, Megan!
Made these for my family tonight and WOW!~they are delicious. Loved the texture. I only had 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips so I added 1-1/2 white chocolate chips as well. Super good. This will go in my keeper file. Thanks.
AMORRIS – I’m so happy you liked these cookies! I’m normally not a white chocolate fan, but actually, I can see the addition of the white chocolate chips in these being quite delightful!
I made these today and brought them to a bridal shower- everyone loved them! No one could eat just one and I got amazing compliments on them! Thank you so much, they were a delicious hit!!
Kylie – thanks for letting me know these were well received at the bridal shower! That’s awesome and I’m so glad you got great compliments on them.
Every recipe I have tried from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe has been fantastic and received rave reviews. So when I was looking for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, I came here. While the cookie dough for this recipe was awesome, I was less than satisfied with the final product. They were not thick and chewy at all. We ended up throwing most of them away. 🙁
Sabrina – I’m sorry to hear that these chocolate chip cookies didn’t work out for you. It is a highly tested recipe from Cook’s Illustrated and with all the rave reviews, I’m surprised you didn’t like them – thanks for letting me know anyway!
Sounds great! Thanks for the feedback – I can’t wait to give them a try!
Rachel – the first time I made these (and many times afterwards), I was living at 6,000 elevation also and they always turned out. Now I live at a much lower elevation but when I lived at a high elevation, they worked out just fine. I hope having said that, that they work out for you, too!
Have you ever made these at a high-altitude? I live at about 6300 ft and it seems I’m always having to try cookie recipes 3-4 times before I can figure out how to adjust for my elevation. My cookies often end up flat, and I’m really looking forward to a thick cookie! Any suggestions before I give these a try?
Krista – that’s high praise for these cookies! Thanks for checking in again. I am so, so glad you like them (enough to make them again)!
Anonymous – the 1-2 cups means you can choose how many chocolate chips to add. If you like your cookies with lots of chocolate chips, add the full 2 cups. Hope that helps!
I’m actually making them AGAIN right now… they were amazing with the perfect amount of chocolate chips! My brother’s girlfriend came over, let herself in, took cookies and left on more than one occasion.
I went to the cookie jar to have one for breakfast, since there were a few left last night… I was SURE there would be at least one for me to eat.
I was wrong. Our cookie jar is completely empty.
I looked through all of the other cookie recipes on this site, and I decided I just have to make these again, since they were such a hit. Plus, I already have all the ingredients…
(i always buy enough stuff to make your recipes at least twice when i try something new from this site… they’re that dependably good…)
Twice in two weeks… I’d say these are some amazing cookies! And easy to make… for sure.
I love that the butter is melted already when you put it in, because I never remember to get butter out beforehand, and it ALWAYS melts when I try to thaw it in the microwave…
Another amazing recipe!
The cookie looks awesome – will try this week. Question from a novice baker – what is 1-2 c? One to two cups of chocolate chip or was that a typo and you meant 1/2 cup of chocolate chips? Thanks!
Krista – glad these cookies turned out for you (and I’m with you – the broken cookies have to be eaten right away!). Thanks for letting me know how they turned out. Did they have enough chocolate chips for your taste?
Ok, so I didn’t get around to making them until thismorning, but they’re delicious. I HAD to eat the two that broke as I was getting them off the cookie sheet.
I think I am going to package the dough in a cute container, and freeze it to gift throughout the holidays, as well as keeping my cookie jar fully stocked.
They came together SO fast (or maybe that was just because I used my new mixer instead of a spatula) and bake up beautifully.
I can’t wait to put them all in the cookie jar.
I’m definitely making these today to finally have something to put in the cookie jar that has been empty lately.
I’m really excited about it.
I’m looking for a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe with TONS of chocolate chips without ruining the batter (I’ve found that adding LOTS of extra chocolate chips makes it hard for the cookies to hold together). I had some store bought ones at a party the other day, and they were to die for. They were more chocolate chip than they were cookie. Any ideas?
I’m sure these cookies will be amazing. All the other recipes I’ve made from here have been.
I’ll let you know later on tonight how they turn out.
Heidi – thanks for letting me know you like these. They are my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe and I’m glad they were a hit with you, too!
I posted about this recipe a while back and these are my new favorite! Yours look great!
I will give this a try – I just put my choc chip recipe on my blog last week. Must be something in the air 😉
These cookies are amazing! Usually I make chocolate chip cookies and they go flat…these looked (and tasted) perfect! Definitely a keeper!
I just made chocolate chip cookies last night! I really liked the version I made, but they weren’t very thick, and I like them thick and chewy. I’ll have to give these a try!
I just made these cookies and they turned out PERFECT!! I have tried so many recipes and this one is a keeper!! My husband can’t stop eating them! Thanks for the recipe!
Kim – that recipe sounds fantastic!Brandy – I am thrilled you liked the cookies! I am with you – I have made so many chocolate chip cookies and these are definitely at the top of my list.
I just made these and they are fantastic. Thanks for sharing all of these great recipes. Everything I have made (at least 8 of your recipes) this month has turned out great. My family thanks you for getting me out of a cooking rut! Trying your recipes actually makes me excited to fix dinner and try something new!
I know what you mean about finding “the one” – it’s hard not to love them all. These look so good though!
elizabeth – thanks! I’m really glad you liked the cookies; they really are some of my favorites. You made my day with your comment – I’m glad the recipes haven’t failed you yet. I’ll cross my fingers that doesn’t happen! 🙂
Deborah – I bet you will LOVE these. Let me know what you think!Jodee – I’m glad you loved them, too – they really are some of the best I’ve made and tasted and I’m glad you agree!
You can never go wrong with CI! I’ll bookmark this one to try 🙂
I was actually just going to post this same recipe to our recipe blog. I just tried it after a friend made them for me and they were pretty tasty! I have never been able to make thick cookies until now! Yipeee!
Give this recipe a try! It’s one that I made up and EVERYONE loves them!Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies!!Ingredients: 1 c. butter (no substitutes), softened¾ c. granulated sugar¾ c. brown sugar8 oz. cream cheese, softened1 tsp. vanilla1 lg. egg2 ¼ c. flour1 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. salt2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chipsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.With an electric mixer cream butter and sugars until nice and creamy. Add cream cheese and continue to mix until all lumps are gone and it is nice and smooth. Add vanilla and egg and mix. Slowly add flour, a little at a time. Add baking soda and salt and mix well, but not too much! Turn off your mixer and add the chocolate chips, folding by hand with a rubber spatula. Scoop cookie dough by the rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet; make sure they aren’t too close though! Bake in your oven for 9-11 minutes, I do mine for 10. Cool on a rack and once they are all the way cool put into a plastic bag or container and keep in the fridge! Since they have cream cheese in them you don’t want them to spoil! These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever! They stay nice and moist!
HELP girls, I really want to try this recipe but what is 12 T of butter in oz or grams please?
We are so bad in France at making cookies..!
Chrissy from France – 12 tablespoons of butter is 3/4 cup which should equal 6 ounces, if I’m not mistaken. Good luck!