Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whether you like your chocolate chip cookies crispy or chewy, these sweet treats are the definition of cozy comfort food. They’re the best of both worlds, soft in the center and crispy on the edges. They’re not difficult to make either — our simple chocolate chip cookie recipe doesn’t require any special equipment, so it’s easy to whip up any night of the week and is a great project to tackle with kids. Our experts specifically designed this recipe to be easy to prep in advance, too. Simply mix the ingredients as outlined in the recipe, then portion out the dough and freeze.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Like a Pro

Whip the butter and sugar together first: This is a common step in many baking recipes, but it’s especially important when making chocolate chip cookie dough. Whisking the butter with the sugar helps to aerate the batter, creating air pockets that result in light, airy and fluffy chocolate chip cookies from scratch – rather than cookies that fall flat.

Mix the wet and dry separately: There’s nothing worse than biting into what you think are perfect chocolate chip cookies, only to find a pocket of dry, chalky flour. That’s why it’s essential to mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another before incorporating them together. Mixing the ingredients separately helps make sure that all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies are evenly and consistently mixed before the batter goes into the oven.

Bake until golden but soft in the center: Baking cookies until the edges are golden and the center is soft helps the dough cook thoroughly while leaving a soft, tender texture that melts in your mouth.

What Makes These Chocolate Chip Cookies the Best?

First, and obviously, this recipe makes a chocolate chip cookie that satisfies crispy and soft cookie lovers alike. The cookies are just the right balance of sweet with a touch of saltiness, are laden with chocolate and evoke nostalgic, familiar vanilla-butter notes.

Second, these easy chocolate chip cookies are quick and totally versatile. There’s no special equipment needed which means it’s the perfect recipe to tackle with kids.

If you like extra toppings or mix-ins, it’s a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s easy to add to, too. If you want to turn this into an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe, simply add in oats, raisins and chopped nuts then bake as recommended in the recipe.

How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

If you’re looking for easy chocolate chip cookies, there’s nothing easier than grabbing some already-prepared dough out of the freezer. To properly freeze chocolate chip cookie dough, prepare the dough as indicated in the recipe. Next, roll the dough into balls, then lay them on a baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper. Cover the baking sheet and freeze the balls of dough. Once hard, transfer the balls of dough to a zip-top bag for easy access and to save space in the freezer. To bake them, simply transfer the frozen dough to a baking sheet and add on a few more minutes to the baking time.

How Do You Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Everyone’s definition of perfect chocolate chip cookies is different, but if you’re partial to soft cookies, you’ll want to make your chocolate chip cookies extra chewy. One way to ensure that chocolate chip cookies from scratch are extra chewy is to let the dough rest in the refrigerator before placing it in the oven. Letting the dough rest helps the liquid redistribute, slowly hydrating the flour, making for moist cookies that bake quickly, achieving golden edges with a soft center. Well-rested cookies also have a more concentrated flavor.