Easy Fool-Proof Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft, chewy, classic chocolate chip cookies that come out right every single time. Designed to be forgiving for beginner bakers.
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
14 min
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
27
Chocolate chip cookies are one of those things everyone thinks they should be able to bake and yet they're often the most disappointing. Too flat, too dry, too cakey, too crunchy, not enough chocolate... the list goes on and on. This recipe exists for one reason: to remove the stress! These are the cookies I make when I want something guaranteed to work. Just soft, chewy, classic chocolate chip cookies that come out right every single time. If you've ever felt intimidated by baking, start here.
Why This Recipe Works
- Melted butter creates chewiness and eliminates the need for perfect creaming
- Bread flour gives structure and prevents flat cookies
- Brown sugar-heavy ratio keeps the cookies soft
- Extra egg yolk + milk adds richness and moisture
- Chilling the dough ensures bakery-style cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave, then let it cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.
The butter should be warm but not hot — if it's too hot, it can scramble the eggs when mixed.
In a medium bowl, sift together the bread flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Sifting ensures even distribution of the leavening agent throughout the dough.
Pour the melted butter into your stand mixer's bowl (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
Add the egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in color, about 30 seconds.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated — don't overmix.
Fold in the chocolate chips by hand using a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours.
Chilling is crucial! It solidifies the butter for less spreading and allows flavors to develop. For the best results, chill overnight.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Place 6 cookies per sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone.
The cookies will continue to set as they cool. If they look fully done in the oven, they'll be overbaked.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
Let the Butter Cool
After melting, let the butter cool for about 5 minutes so it doesn't scramble the eggs when mixed together.
Don't Overmix
Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops too much gluten and makes cookies tough.
Chilling Matters
Don't skip the chill time! It controls spread, improves texture, and develops deeper flavor. Longer is better.
Bake Until Just Golden
Pull the cookies when edges are set but centers look underdone. They finish cooking on the hot pan.
Let Them Rest
Give cookies 5 minutes on the pan before moving. This prevents them from breaking and lets them set properly.
Equipment
Storage & Make-Ahead
Room Temperature Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Add a slice of bread to keep them soft.
Freezer Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months — bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Make Ahead For even better flavor and texture, refrigerate the dough for 24-72 hours before baking. The longer rest develops more complex flavors.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies spread too flat | Butter too warm or dough not chilled | Chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Make sure butter has cooled before mixing. |
| Cookies are too cakey | Too much flour or overmixed dough | Measure flour by weight (288g) or use spoon-and-level method. Mix just until combined. |
| Cookies are dry or crumbly | Overbaked or too much flour | Pull from oven when centers still look underdone. Check flour measurement. |
| Cookies are too hard | Overbaked | Reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes. Cookies should look underdone when removed. |
| Uneven browning | Hot spots in oven | Rotate the baking sheet 180° halfway through baking. |
| Dough is too sticky to scoop | Butter was too warm or not chilled long enough | Refrigerate dough for another 15-30 minutes before scooping. |
| Cookies don't spread at all | Dough too cold or too much flour | Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking. |
Cookies spread too flat
Cause: Butter too warm or dough not chilled
Chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Make sure butter has cooled before mixing.
Cookies are too cakey
Cause: Too much flour or overmixed dough
Measure flour by weight (288g) or use spoon-and-level method. Mix just until combined.
Cookies are dry or crumbly
Cause: Overbaked or too much flour
Pull from oven when centers still look underdone. Check flour measurement.
Cookies are too hard
Cause: Overbaked
Reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes. Cookies should look underdone when removed.
Uneven browning
Cause: Hot spots in oven
Rotate the baking sheet 180° halfway through baking.
Dough is too sticky to scoop
Cause: Butter was too warm or not chilled long enough
Refrigerate dough for another 15-30 minutes before scooping.
Cookies don't spread at all
Cause: Dough too cold or too much flour
Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes, but your cookies will be slightly less chewy. All-purpose flour has less protein (10-12%) compared to bread flour (12-14%), which means less gluten development. The cookies will still taste great — just a bit more tender and less chewy.
Why do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling serves three purposes: it solidifies the butter so cookies spread less in the oven, it allows the flour to fully hydrate for better texture, and it develops more complex flavors. Skipping this step usually results in flat, spread-out cookies.
Can I skip the extra egg yolk?
You can, but the extra yolk adds richness and helps keep the cookies soft and fudgy. If you skip it, add an extra tablespoon of milk to compensate for the lost moisture.
My cookies always come out flat. What am I doing wrong?
Usually it's one of three things: the butter was too warm when mixed, the dough wasn't chilled long enough, or there's too little flour. Make sure your melted butter has cooled to room temperature, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes (longer is better), and measure flour carefully using the spoon-and-level method.
Can I make these without a mixer?
Absolutely! Since you're using melted butter (not creamed), you can mix everything by hand with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. It just takes a bit more elbow grease to combine the wet and dry ingredients.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
Pull them from the oven when the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They'll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet for several minutes. If you wait until they look fully done in the oven, they'll be overbaked and hard once cooled.
Can I use salted butter instead?
Yes, but reduce the kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon to avoid overly salty cookies. The total salt content should remain about the same.
Why bread flour instead of all-purpose?
Bread flour has more protein (12-14% vs 10-12%), which creates more gluten structure. This gives you that satisfying chewy texture that's the hallmark of bakery-style cookies. It's the single biggest secret to achieving professional results at home.
Make It Your Own
Chocolate Chunk
Swap chocolate chips for roughly chopped chocolate bars for pools of melted chocolate
Nutty Version
Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or toasted pecans with the chocolate chips
Sea Salt Finish
Sprinkle flaky sea salt (like Maldon) on top of each cookie right before baking
Double Chocolate
Use a mix of half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate chips
Brown Butter
Brown the butter until nutty and fragrant before mixing for deeper flavor
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