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.
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! 🙂