If you’re searching for a classic treat that brings everyone together with its irresistible aroma and perfect texture, this Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is your new best friend in the kitchen. Each bite offers a delightful combination of crispy edges and chewy centers, studded with melty semi-sweet chocolate chips that simply melt in your mouth. It’s a recipe that balances simplicity with baking magic, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers who want to whip up a batch of timeless cookies in no time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Each ingredient in this Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe plays a crucial role in crafting the ideal cookie, from achieving that tender crumb to ensuring the rich, buttery flavor shines through. The ingredients are straightforward and easy to find, which makes it super fun and quick to gather everything before starting.
- All-purpose flour (1¼ cups): The foundation of your cookies, providing structure and chewiness.
- Cornstarch (3 tablespoons): Adds tenderness and helps create those soft, melt-in-your-mouth textures.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Enhances flavor, balancing sweetness and highlighting the chocolate chips.
- Baking soda (½ teaspoon): Gives your cookies just the right amount of rise and lift for a perfect crumb.
- Cold butter (½ cup or 1 stick): The secret to that rich, buttery flavor and flaky texture.
- Granulated sugar (6 tablespoons): Brings sweetness and helps with the cookie’s crisp edges.
- Brown sugar (6 tablespoons): Adds moisture and a caramel-like depth to your cookies.
- Large egg (1): Binds ingredients while adding richness and tenderness.
- Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon): Infuses pure warmth and enhances all flavors.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (10-11 oz): The heart of the recipe—the gooey, melty morsels that everyone adores.
- Walnut pieces (optional, ¼ cup): Adds a satisfying crunch and complementary nutty flavor if you want a little extra texture.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat Your Oven
Start by setting your oven to a high temperature of 475°F. This might sound hot compared to some cookie recipes, but it’s the key to getting those slightly crisp edges while keeping the center soft and chewy—a fantastic texture balance that everyone loves.
Step 2: Prepare Your Baking Sheets
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking, makes cleaning a breeze, and helps your cookies bake evenly with no burnt bottoms.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Mixing these dry ingredients separately ensures an even blend and prevents clumps, which means your cookies will have an evenly smooth structure.
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a larger bowl, use a hand mixer or a sturdy spoon to cream the cold butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Then add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until everything is smooth and creamy. Using cold butter here is a bit unusual but crucial—it slows the blending, contributing to the perfect cookie texture later on.
Step 5: Incorporate Dry Ingredients
Gradually add your dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until everything comes together. Over-mixing can develop gluten and make your cookies tough, so gentle is the way to go!
Step 6: Fold in Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
Now for the fun part—fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts if you’re using them. This adds bursts of chocolate goodness and an option for a little crunch that complements the soft cookies perfectly.
Step 7: Scoop Out the Dough
Use a spoon or cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave about two inches between each cookie; they will spread while baking, and this spacing keeps them from sticking together.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Bake the cookies for 6 to 7 minutes. You’ll want to catch them the moment the tops turn golden brown—this means the edges are crisp while the centers remain deliciously soft.
Step 9: Cool Before Enjoying
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set up before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them firm up without losing that delightful softness inside.
How to Serve Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
While these cookies are absolutely heavenly on their own, adding a light dusting of powdered sugar or even a tiny pinch of sea salt on top can elevate their flavors beautifully. It’s a simple touch that brings out the sweetness and enhances the chocolate.
Side Dishes
Pair your cookies with a cold glass of milk, homemade vanilla ice cream, or even a warm cup of coffee for a perfect treat pairing. These combinations turn a simple cookie into a memorable dessert experience.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist, sandwich your cooled cookies with creamy peanut butter or chocolate ganache. You can also drizzle melted chocolate or caramel over them to wow guests or treat yourself with a decadent presentation.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Keeping them sealed preserves their softness and prevents them from drying out, so you can enjoy fresh-tasting cookies days after baking.
Freezing
You can freeze baked cookies by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transferring them to a freezer-safe bag once frozen solid. For the dough, scoop balls onto a tray, freeze, then store in a bag so you can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving strikes.
Reheating
To revive that fresh-baked warmth, pop your cookies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or briefly in a warm oven. They soften right back up, tasting like they just came out of the oven all over again.
FAQs
Can I use room temperature butter instead of cold butter?
While most cookie recipes call for softened butter, this Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe uses cold butter to achieve a unique texture with crisp edges and chewy centers. Using room temperature butter will change the texture but still yield delicious cookies.
What’s the best way to prevent cookies from spreading too much?
Using cold butter and chilling the dough slightly can limit spreading. Also, spacing the cookies properly on the sheet gives them room to bake perfectly without merging.
Can I substitute the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate?
Absolutely! Dark chocolate adds a richer, slightly bitter touch, while milk chocolate lends extra sweetness. Feel free to mix and match according to your preference.
Is cornstarch necessary in this recipe?
Cornstarch adds tenderness and helps create that soft, crumbly texture that makes these cookies so special. Omitting it might make the cookies a bit firmer or less tender.
How long do these cookies stay fresh?
Stored properly in an airtight container, these cookies stay fresh and delectably soft for about one week at room temperature.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope you give this Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe a try because it’s one of those joy-bringing classics that comforts the soul and satisfies sweet cravings in an instant. Baking these cookies brings an unbeatable aroma and happiness to your home, and sharing them with friends or family makes the experience even sweeter. Happy baking and even happier snacking!
Print
Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These classic Chocolate Chip Cookies are crispy on the edges and soft in the center, featuring a perfect balance of sweet and buttery flavors. Made with cold butter for a delicate texture and loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, these cookies are quick to prepare and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup cold butter (1 stick)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 10–11 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Optional: ¼ cup walnut pieces
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the cookies.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make clean-up easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a larger bowl, cream the cold butter with granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough and ensuring tender cookies.
- Add Chocolate Chips and Walnuts: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts if you are using them to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop Dough: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, place dollops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about two inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 6 to 7 minutes or until they are golden brown on top for that perfect chewy yet crispy texture.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set properly.
Notes
- Using cold butter helps create a tender, thick cookie texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to avoid dense cookies.
- Spacing cookies two inches apart prevents them from merging during baking.
- Optional walnuts add a pleasant crunch but can be omitted for nut-free cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for several days.
