Save this classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! 🍪🍫 Soft and chewy in the center with golden edges and plenty of melty chocolate chips. An easy homemade cookie recipe that’s perfect for dessert, parties, holidays, or whenever you’re craving something sweet.
The Best Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
Few homemade treats are as comforting as a warm chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. Crisp, lightly golden edges surround a soft and chewy center loaded with pockets of melted chocolate.
This easy recipe uses everyday baking ingredients and requires only a few minutes of preparation. You can bake the cookies immediately or chill the dough first for thicker cookies and a deeper flavor.
Pour yourself a glass of milk and get ready for a batch of warm homemade cookies.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 9–11 minutes
Optional Chill Time: 30 minutes
Servings: About 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
Prepare the cookie dough
Place the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat until the mixture becomes light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix only until the flour disappears. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies less tender.
Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Chill the dough
You can bake the cookies immediately, but chilling the dough for approximately 30 minutes can produce thicker cookies that spread less in the oven.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you prepare your baking sheets.
Prepare for baking
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of cookie dough and roll them loosely into balls. Arrange them on the baking sheet, leaving enough room between each cookie for spreading.
Bake
Bake for approximately 9–11 minutes.
The edges should look lightly golden while the centers may still appear slightly soft.
Don’t wait for the centers to become completely firm in the oven. The cookies will continue cooking from the residual heat as they cool.
Cool and enjoy
Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
Transfer them carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool further—or enjoy one while the chocolate is still warm and gooey.
Tips for Soft and Chewy Cookies
Use softened butter rather than melted butter for this version. It helps create the right texture while preventing excessive spreading.
Brown sugar adds moisture and contributes to the chewy center.
For bakery-style chocolate pockets, replace some or all of the chocolate chips with roughly chopped chocolate.
And don’t overbake. Removing the cookies when their centers still look slightly soft is one of the keys to maintaining that chewy texture after cooling.
Delicious Variations
You can easily customize this basic cookie dough.
Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch. White chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, or a combination of different chocolates also work beautifully.
A small sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the warm cookies creates a delicious sweet-and-salty contrast.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once completely cooled, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4–5 days.
The cookie dough can also be portioned into balls and frozen. Freeze the portions on a tray first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
This makes it easy to bake just a few fresh cookies whenever you want them.
Final Note
Whether they’re served warm from the oven or saved for later, these homemade chocolate chip cookies deliver everything you want from the classic treat: golden edges, chewy centers, and plenty of chocolate in every bite.