Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Best Chocolate Chip Cookies combine everything you want in a homemade cookie: crisp golden edges, soft centers, plenty of chocolate chips, and large pools of melted chocolate throughout.

The dough starts with melted butter, which gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavor without requiring softened butter. Light brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel note, while granulated sugar helps create those golden edges.

What makes this recipe especially chocolatey is the combination of semisweet chocolate chips and coarsely chopped chocolate wafers or discs. The chips stay scattered throughout the dough, while the larger pieces melt into rich pockets of chocolate as the cookies bake.

Quick Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Chill Time: 30 minutes
• Bake Time: 10–13 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour
• Yield: About 24 cookies
• Course: Dessert, Cookies
• Cuisine: American
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (120g) coarsely chopped chocolate wafers or discs, or chocolate from a bar, preferably 70% cacao or higher

How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Prepare the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using parchment makes it easier to remove the cookies and helps keep the bottoms from sticking.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.

Set the bowl aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

3. Combine the Melted Butter and Sugars

Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugars are evenly incorporated.

Allow the melted butter to cool slightly before continuing if it is still very hot.

4. Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.

5. Add the Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Avoid overmixing once the flour is incorporated.

The dough should be thick and soft.

6. Add the Chocolate

Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped chocolate wafers or discs.

Try to distribute the chocolate evenly throughout the dough.

Reserve a few larger chocolate pieces for pressing onto the cookies before baking if desired.

7. Chill the Dough

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.

Because the butter is melted, chilling helps the dough firm up and prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven.

8. Portion the Dough

Scoop the dough into portions of approximately 2 tablespoons each.

Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving around 2 inches of space between them.

Press a few extra chocolate pieces on top for a more generous chocolate appearance.

9. Bake

Bake for 10–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft.

The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so don’t wait until the centers look completely firm.

10. Cool

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5–10 minutes.

Transfer them to a wire rack to cool further.

If you want the chocolate at its softest and most melted, enjoy the cookies while they’re still slightly warm.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let the butter cool slightly. Very hot butter can affect the eggs and change the texture of the dough.

Measure the flour accurately. The listed 320g weight is the most reliable measurement. Too much flour can make cookies dense and dry.

Don’t overmix. Stir just until the flour disappears. Overworking the dough can make the cookies tougher.

Chill the dough. Melted butter makes a soft dough, so chilling is important for controlling how much the cookies spread.

Use two types of chocolate. Chocolate chips provide smaller pieces throughout the cookie, while chopped chocolate creates larger melted pockets.

Use high-cacao chocolate for the chopped pieces. Chocolate around 70% cacao gives a deeper flavor that balances the sweetness of the cookie dough.

Don’t overbake. The centers should still look a little soft when the cookies come out of the oven.

Add extra chocolate on top. Pressing a few pieces into the dough balls before baking gives the finished cookies an especially chocolate-rich appearance.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Unsalted butter: Salted butter can be used, but reduce the added kosher salt slightly.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar can be substituted for a deeper molasses flavor.
• Chocolate wafers: Chopped dark chocolate or a good-quality chocolate bar can be used.
• Chocolate chips: Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a combination with the chopped chocolate.
• Kosher salt: Fine sea salt or table salt can be used, but the amount may need slight adjustment because salt crystals vary in size.
• Vanilla: Vanilla paste or regular vanilla extract can be substituted.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Variations

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sprinkle a small amount of flaky sea salt over the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.

Dark Chocolate Cookies

Use dark chocolate chips along with the 70% cacao chopped chocolate for a deeper chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Replace the chocolate chips with additional chopped chocolate for larger pools of melted chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Add about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough along with the chocolate.

Extra Chocolate Cookies

Increase the amount of chopped chocolate slightly and press larger pieces into the tops of the dough balls before baking.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.

The cookie dough can also be frozen. Portion the dough into individual balls and freeze them on a tray until firm. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Bake frozen dough portions directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed.

How to Serve the Cookies

These cookies are especially good when served slightly warm, when the chopped chocolate is still melted and soft.

Enjoy them with cold milk, coffee, or tea. For an easy dessert, serve a warm cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Nutrition Information

Estimated nutrition per cookie, based on approximately 24 cookies:

• Calories: 300
• Protein: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 36g
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 210mg

Nutrition values are estimates and can vary depending on the chocolate used, portion size, and exact ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use melted butter for chocolate chip cookies?

Melted butter gives the cookies a rich buttery flavor and creates a dough that is easy to mix without waiting for butter to soften. Because melted butter can make dough spread more, chilling the dough is important.

Why use both chocolate chips and chopped chocolate?

The two forms of chocolate create different textures. Chocolate chips provide smaller pieces throughout the cookie, while chopped chocolate melts into larger pools.

Can I skip chilling the dough?

Chilling is strongly recommended for this recipe. The melted butter creates a softer dough, and refrigeration helps prevent excessive spreading during baking.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

The butter may have been too warm, the dough may not have been chilled enough, or the baking sheet may have been warm when the dough was placed on it. Chill the dough until firm before baking.

Can I use chocolate chips only?

Yes. You can replace the chopped chocolate with additional chocolate chips, although you won’t get the same large melted chocolate pockets.

How do I get soft centers?

Bake the cookies until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to cook and firm up on the baking sheet.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes. Portion the dough into balls, freeze them until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake directly from frozen when needed.

Final Thoughts

These Best Chocolate Chip Cookies are built around a simple idea: combine a buttery cookie dough with plenty of chocolate in two different forms. The result is a cookie with golden edges, soft centers, and large melted chocolate pockets.

For the best texture, don’t skip the chilling step and avoid overbaking. Using a mixture of semisweet chips and chopped high-cacao chocolate also gives each cookie a more interesting balance of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor.

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