Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies that have a slightly crisp exterior and a soft and chewy center with the most incredible classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. This recipe is easy to make and turns out perfect every single time!

chewy chocolate chip cookies stacked on a wire cooling rack

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It definitely took some effort to come up with the most perfect chocolate chip cookies! Over the last couple of years, I’ve made SO MANY different chocolate chip cookie recipes. I wanted a cookie that would have that ever-so-slight crispiness on the outside, but be irresistibly chewy and soft on the inside. Well, folks, I’m super excited to tell you that this it! Major cookie perfection!

These have slightly crispy edges, a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth middle, plenty of chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt to bring out the best flavor!

My husband and kids told me that I never need to make another chocolate chip cookie recipe. I totally agree! You’ll find the recipe below, plus all of my tips and tricks, I’ve learned through trial and error, for the most incredible chewy chocolate chip cookies.

These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies ever! Sometimes to get a final product this good a recipe uses unusual ingredients or tricky methods but we whipped these up one afternoon and WHOA. They were incredible!

— Ali
chewy chocolate chip cookies topped with course salt on a wire cooling rack

Ingredients needed

The ingredient list is very simple and includes all of those that you’d expect to find in chocolate chip cookies. It’s the ratio of ingredients that’s important! Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Flour. All-purpose flour is my top choice for the best texture. It gives the cookies a tenderness that you just won’t find when using other types of flour.
  • Baking soda and baking powder. Be sure that your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and not expired. Many recipes only use baking soda, but I’ve found that a mixture of both provides the perfect texture. Here’s a whole guide comparing the two and how to test for freshness.
  • Salt. A small amount of salt is VERY important to balance the sweetness of baked goods.
  • Unsalted butter. I always use unsalted butter, so I can control the amount of salt going into a recipe. Be sure your butter is softened to room temperature, so that it combines properly with the sugars. Room temperature butter is still cool to the touch and it should indent slightly when you press on it with your finger. Take butter out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before beginning your recipe.
  • Sugar. A mix of brown and white sugar is a MUST! More brown sugar than white sugar ensures a soft and chewy cookie. We prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar works fine too.
  • Eggs. Eggs act as a binder in the dough. Two eggs give these cookies a rich flavor and a soft and chewy texture. Room temperature eggs will combine best with the other ingredients.
  • Vanilla extract. For complex flavor use pure vanilla extract, not imitation. You can truly taste the difference.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips. The quality of your chocolate is important. We recommend standard-sized semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use chunks or mini semi-sweet chips. I think dark chocolate or a combination of dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate would also be wonderful. Milk chocolate is not recommend, as it overwhelms the overall flavor of the cookie.
  • Flaky sea salt. The recipe card lists coarse flaky sea salt as an optional ingredient, but I HIGHLY recommend sprinkling it over your (just out of the oven) cookies. We like Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.

How to make this recipe

This chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe is simple, straightforward and will be your new go-to! Just follow these easy steps…

  1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugars. In a separate large bowl, use a stand mixer or a hand mixer and beat the softened butter and sugars on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined. With the last egg, add in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
  4. Add in the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture.
  5. Mix in the chocolate chips. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed and on low speed mix in the chocolate chips until they are evenly combined.
  6. Scoop dough balls. Use a large spoon or cookie scoop to make dough balls. The dough doesn’t have to be perfectly formed into balls. Drop the cookie dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. The cookies, pictured, are 40 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of dough. This will make medium-sized cookies.
  7. Bake. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven right when edges start getting golden brown. The centers may look slightly undercooked, but they will continue to cook even after they are removed from the oven.
  8. Cool. While the cookies are still warm, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to continue to cool.
  9. Enjoy! Serve while still warm and gooey. Or enjoy them after they’ve completely cooled. In my personal opinion, I love them even more after they’ve cooled. This is when the edges get a little crispy and the inside is super soft. Either way… yum!
Balls of chocolate chip cookie dough on a baking sheet.
Sea salted chocolate chip cookie on a wire cooling rack.

Expert tips

There are tons of tips and tricks for baking cookies, but follow the suggestions below and you’re sure to have the BEST chocolate chip cookies of your life!

  • Bake time + temp. Baking at 365ºF or 185ºC will guarantee your cookies melt at the perfect speed to get those crispy edges with a soft and chewy center. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending how gooey you like the centers. Keep in mind, cookies continue to bake even after they are removed from the oven. Also, your bake time will vary depending on the size of your cookie. I baked my cookies the full 12 minutes with awesome results.
  • Don’t over mix. If you over mix the ingredients you may end up with flat cookies that don’t have the optimal tender crumb. See this post on why over-mixing matters and how to avoid it.
  • Don’t over bake. I recommend experimenting with a couple of cookies before baking an entire batch. This will help you find that sweet spot when it comes to bake time in your oven and your preferred gooeyness level. My daughter really likes these baked for only 10 minutes because she likes a more doughy center. I like a soft, but more set center, so 12 minutes was perfect for me.
  • Extra chocolate chips + flaky sea salt. Adding several extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies while they are still warm will make them look extra tasty. And whatever you do, don’t forget to add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to your warm cookies… it really takes the flavor to the next level!
  • Bake on parchment or silicone. Baking on parchment paper or silicone baking mats is recommended. Greasing the baking sheet creates an overly greasy foundation, which will cause too much spreading. Silicone baking mats will grip onto the bottom of your cookies to prevent them from becoming too flat. The mats also promote even browning.
A stack of cookies served with milk.

Frequently asked questions

How to measure flour when baking?

For best results it’s important to measure flour correctly. Instead of scooping the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup, use a spoon to add the flour into the measuring cup. Then, without packing the flour down or tapping the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top. I’ve also included the measurements in grams. If you have a food scale, that is the most accurate way to measure ingredients.

Does the dough need to be chilled?

You do not have to chill this dough before baking. Just be sure your butter is not too soft and your kitchen is not too warm. However, the longer you chill the dough, the more thick and chewy the cookies will turn out. You can chill the dough before scooping out dough balls or after you’ve placed the dough balls on the baking sheet. For superior results, refrigerate dough for approximately 2-3 hours and up to 3-4 days. If you are going to chill dough any longer than 3 hours, I would suggest transferring it to an airtight container.

What is the secret to chewy cookies?

To make your cookies perfectly chewy, use more brown sugar than white sugar, use two eggs, don’t overwork the dough and chill the dough. These tips will help give your chocolate chip cookies that perfect chewy texture.

Variation ideas

These are absolutely perfect already, but feel free to get creative and experiment with your favorite ingredients!

  • Baking chips. As mentioned previously, I’m pretty much a stickler for semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in this recipe. However, if you’re not, you can totally try using white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, toffee chips, mint chips, caramel bits, or any other fun baking add-ins.
  • Nuts. I think adding in about 1 cup of chopped pecans would be amazing in these. You can also try adding walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and/or macadamia nuts.
  • Dried fruit. Try adding about 1 cup dried cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, or chopped dates for an extra pizzaz of flavor.
  • Sprinkles or M&M’s. For extra fun and color, add in a handful of colored sprinkles or about 1 cup miniature or regular M&M’s.

Storage recommendations

Freezing tips

  • Freezing dough. Scoop out balls of cookie dough. Place the cookie dough in a freezer-safe baggie and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thawing dough. When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough balls from the freezer, set them on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat and let them thaw. Once they are unfrozen, bake as directed in the recipe.
  • Bake from frozen. Baking from frozen will work just fine. The tops of your cookies may darken a bit more, but they will still be fabulous. Follow all of the cooking instructions, but add a minute or two onto the bake time.

Storing tips

  • Make ahead dough. If you are wanting to prep just several days ahead, you can keep cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing leftovers. To freeze baked cookies, place in a freezer-safe container or baggie and freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
  • Storing. Baked cookies will keep in an airtight container or zip-top baggie for about 1 week, but I can’t imagine them lasting that long!
A chocolate chip cookies with a bite out of one.

Beware, it’s really easy to eat about a dozen of these before you even realize what you just did. You only live once, so indulge and enjoy!

More favorite cookie recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Chewy chocolate chip cookies stacked on a wire cooling rack.
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 32 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies that have a slightly crisp exterior and a soft and chewy center with the most incredible classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. From here on out, this is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I'll be making!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cup (390g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (288g) light or dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Optional for sprinkling on baked cookies: coarse sea salt

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 365ºF or 185ºC. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Add softened butter and sugars to a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined. With the last egg, add in vanilla extract.
  • On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture.
  • On low speed, beat in the chocolate chips. 
  • Drop balls of cookie dough onto the lined cookie sheet. I used 40 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of dough for each cookie. This will make medium-sized cookies, like the ones pictured.
  • Bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from the oven right when edges start getting golden.
  • If desired, while the cookies are still warm, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

Chilling dough: As long as the butter is not too soft and the room you are working in is not too warm, this dough does not need to be chilled before baking. However, I strongly encourage you to chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours and up to 3-4 days. Your cookies will be thicker, fluffier and have the best consistency.
 
Photos by Sasha at Eat Love Eats
Author: Kim
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 194kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 116mg, Potassium: 88mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

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