These crispy and chewy chocolate chip cookies have golden edges and soft, tender centers. Top them with a pinch of flaked sea salt.
Perhaps the internet doesn’t need another chocolate chip cookie, but you, sweet friends, I bet that you need a chocolate chip cookie. If I could bring a plate of these cookies to your house right now, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’d pack them up, still warm from the oven, drop them on your front porch, and wave through the window. But in these strange times, all I can do is send you a virtual hug in the form of my favorite, super tender chocolaty center, crisp caramel edges, warm and cozy chocolate chip cookies.
Why I Created These Cookies
This cookie recipe came from a distinct need around our house. There are, of course, hundreds (thousands?) of chocolate chip cookie recipes, but none I’ve found have ever delivered on precisely the right combination of things that my household wants in a chocolate chip cookie – crispy caramelized edges with super soft, lightly chewy centers. Until now!
And so it happened, that after years of my husband, Frank, requesting chocolate chip cookies for his birthday and us never quite finding the exact “right” recipe, it dawned on me that I am a professional recipe developer. I write and test recipes every day. And some recipes, like these cookies, I test every day for weeks. This recipe was tested nearly 20 times. We have enough frozen chocolate chip cookie dough to supply an elementary school bake sale.
And so, without further delay, I bring you Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. (Also known as Frank’s Chocolate Chip Cookies.)
What Makes Cookies Crispy and Chewy
As it turns out, everything has to be in balance to give cookies crisp edges and soft centers. I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale if you have one. We tend to condense flour when we scoop it directly out of the bag, but weighing it insures you use just the right amount. More flour gives you taller, cakey cookies rather than crispy and chewy ones. Less flour helps the cookies to spread out slightly and stay chewy in the middle. An equal amount of light brown sugar and white (granulated) sugar, measured by weight is important too. The sugars caramelize lightly around the edges giving the edges crunch. In short – use that kitchen scale.
The other helpful step is to refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before baking. I know, I know, you’re going to be in a hurry. Once you’ve made the dough, you want it in the oven – stat. But trust me on this. A short stint in the fridge will give the dough a bit more stability so it doesn’t spread out too quickly as it bakes.
The “Right” Baking Time
Baking these cookies for the right amount of time is key to their chewy + crispy texture. These are not cookies that need to be under-baked to retain their soft, chewy centers. To tell if these cookies are done baking, look to the edges of the cookies (not the centers). The cookies are done when the edges show clear signs of being light golden brown. The centers will still be very pale and soft.
Then, and this is important, let the cookies cool on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. As they cool, the cookies will continue to firm up and the surface will turn golden brown.
Here are what the cookies should look like right as they are pulled out of the oven. Puffy and pale in the center.
And here’s what the cookies look like after cooling on the sheet pan for 5 minutes.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookies
The ingredients for these Chocolate Chip Cookies are classic, and are probably things you already have in a well-stocked pantry. Here’s the run-down:
- All-Purpose Flour – One of my primary goals in creating this recipe was finding a great cookie that used only all-purpose flour, which most of us always have in our pantry. (Before I fine-tuned the recipe shared below, my favorite cookie was the infamous David Leit recipe from the New York Times. A few times a year, I would go buy bread flour and cake flour for the sole purpose of making David Leit’s cookies, and then would never again touch those flours until they got far too old and had to be tossed right in the compost.)
- Baking Soda – These provide the dough with just a bit of lift, giving the cookies that soft and tender texture. Be sure to replace your baking soda every few months (yes! every few months!). Old baking soda won’t give you the same results as a fresh box.
- Light Brown Sugar and White Sugar – These cookies use the same amount (measured by weight) of light brown sugar and white sugar. Those two sugars work together to give the cookies the balance of crisp edges and soft centers.
- Unsalted Butter – It is important to use unsalted butter to get the measurement for salt (see below) right. If using salted butter, it’s a good idea to skip the added kosher salt in the dough so that the cookies don’t become too salty. Don’t forget to take the butter out of the fridge in advance. It needs to be softened while still feeling slightly cool to the touch.
- Kosher Salt and Flaked Sea Salt – A decent amount of salt in chocolate chip cookies balances (and draws out) the flavor of the sugar and chocolate chips. Be sure to use kosher salt which comes in larger grains than traditional table salt in the cookie dough. (If you only have table salt, reduce the amount listed in the recipe by half to avoid your cookies being too salty.) At our house, we also all love a light sprinkle of flaked sea salt (I use Maldon) on top of the warm cookies. It’s totally optional but gives the cookies a hint of extra salt and a tiny bit of crunch.
- Eggs and Pure Vanilla Extract – You can’t have great chocolate chip cookies without these two things. The eggs add texture, the vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips – These are the classic, but see below for other ideas!
How To Shape the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Use a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out the dough, but make them heaping spoonfuls with the dough rounded over top. The cookies will be about 3 inches across after baking.
Photo-Worthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
To make your chocolate chip cookies look extra polished (you know there are few things that Instagram loves as much as a beautiful cookie shot), just press a few chocolate chips into the tops of the dough balls right before they bake.
Different Fillings for Chocolate Chip Cookies
While semisweet chocolate chips are the classic, here are a few other favorite fillings:
- Chocolate Chunks
- High-Quality Chocolate Bars, chopped (great if you want to combine different types of chocolate – I love half bittersweet chocolate and half milk chocolate)
- M&Ms
- Chopped Candy (chopped Heath bar is great!)
- Chopped nuts – like pecans or walnuts
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
Frozen cookie dough is like money in the bank. (Though I have to keep it in my downstairs freezer…and out of reach.) You can bake one at a time or the whole batch any time you need them. The best way to freeze cookie dough is:
- Form cookie dough into balls and line up in a single layer on a sheet pan
- Transfer sheet pan to freezer until dough is frozen solid, 2 to 3 hours.
- Transfer dough to a freezer-safe bag and seal, removing as much air from the bag as possible.
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
To bake cookies from frozen: Bake the cookie dough directly from the freezer at 325°F / 163°C for 16 to 18 minutes. (This lower temperature and longer cook time is important for the dough to defrost and cook all the way through.)
What Causes Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies
The number one question I get asked about chocolate chip cookies is how to avoid thick, cakey cookies. The answer is almost always to reduce the flour. For best results, measure your flour by weight. If that’s not possible, try spooning the flour into a measuring cup rather than using the measuring cup to scoop the flour. Compacting the flour can lead to using too much and will result in thick, cakey cookies. The other causes of cakey cookies are using too much egg or beating too much air into the butter-sugar mixture at the start of baking. Double check that you are using standard “large” size eggs and be sure to beat the butter and sugar just until it is light and fluffy (about 3 minutes) but no longer.
More Cookies to Stock Your Freezer
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups – Soft peanut butter cookie cups stuffed with chocolate peanut butter cups – these are always a crowd favorite. We keep the dough in the freezer to bake whenever we need a pick-me-up.
- Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies – These rich dark chocolate cookies are filled with creamy caramel and topped with a sprinkle of salt. Put a plate out and they’ll disappear fast (but only if you’re willing to share)!
- Mini Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – Their miniature size is likely my favorite thing about these cookies, although the crunchy sprinkle of Turbinado sugar on the top is a close second.
Favorite Tools
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – It’s a classic, but a KitchenAid Stand Mixer makes baking cookies so easy.
- Kitchen Scale – I use a kitchen scale for so many things, but it makes a baking recipe like this one very easy and precise. I just add each ingredient and zero the scale after each addition.
- Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls – My go-to mixing bowls for baking.
Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature (see note)
- 1 cup (200g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 cup (200g) Granulated (White) Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 tsp Flaked Sea Salt (totally optional, but try it if you like a salty finish on your sweets)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy (about 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on low until evenly combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture all at once and mix on low until just combined (stop mixing as soon as there are no dry spots of flour in the dough - do not overmix).
- Add chocolate chips and mix into the batter on low.
- Transfer the mixing bowl to the refrigerator and refrigerate for 20 minutes while the oven heats. (This step is important as the cold dough is key to the soft centers of the cookies.)
- Heat oven to 350°F / 177°C.
- Lightly grease a sheet pan or line with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper.
- Use a tablespoon measuring spoon (use the measuring spoon as a guide, but make these “heaping” tablespoons with dough rounded over the top) to scoop out even portions of cold cookie dough.
- Arrange the cookie dough on the prepared sheet pan, leaving space for the cookies to spread out.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown and the centers are still very pale and soft (they will continue to firm up and darken after you remove them from the oven), 10 to 13 minutes.
- When you remove the sheet pan from the oven, tap it gently on the kitchen counter just to deflate the cookies (this step helps to give the cookies lightly crinkled edges).
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaked sea salt (this is optional and you may not need the full amount; just add a small pinch on top of each cookie if you want that salty crunch).
- Leave the cookies on the sheet pan to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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Okay now I’m totally drooling! YUM!
I can’t even begin to describe how awesome these are! I made them exactly the way the recipe says! I’ve been making chocolate chip cookies for 30 yrs. I’ve always wanted them to turn out just like these, and never was quite right. These are the PERFECT chocolate chip cookie! Thank you ever so much! My hubby and I ate about a dozen immediately! So so good! This will be my go to recipe from now on!❤️❤️❤️
Vicky – I’m so glad you liked them!! Thanks so much for your sweet comment!
Will the cookies’ shape change if i reduce the sugar?
Yes – the cookies most likely won’t have the right balance of crispy edges and chewy centers if you reduce the sugar, but I still think they’d be delicious that way.
After making chocolate chip cookies for many many years, I can say that this is the best of the recipes!
Can I use dark brown sugar as a substitute for light brown sugar?
Yes – dark brown works great!
A little too sweet for my liking! but other than that, the perfect chocolate chip cookie!
Thanks so much Jasmine – glad you liked them! That little sprinkle of salt adds a great contrast!
Not to try to change a recipe or anything but in the past when I’ve found a recipe just a little too sweet I substitute a very small amount (1/4 or 1/8) of the flour called for, for finely ground rolled oats. I think they just help balance the sweetness.
Not sure if it’s help in this recipe but works very well in other choc chip & banana bread recipes.
Bonnie – I love that idea! If anyone tries it, I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Over all my years of baking cakes , pies , stroodles , donuts , breads and cookies this is the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted! It was a perfect amount of sweetness and I now feel like I want to eat 1 every day! The only thing is that the batch of cookie dough was MASSIVE – and so I had to keep a lot of it in my fridge. I hope you release many more recipes and I would really appreciate it if you could do a pineapple upside down cake? Thanks for reading!
THE BEST cookies ever!!! Followed recipe to the T! Great tips and easy to understand! Thank you 🙏
50 years of searching and I’ve finally found THE chocolate chip cookie recipe. My daughter is an accomplished baker and she agrees. I followed the recipe and instructions to the letter and they came out perfectly. We are still puzzling over how they can continue to brown out of the oven, but they do!
I made them today, and found them too sweet and too many chocolate chips.
Made these yesterday for a trial run before I make them for my friend’s birthday this week cause he requested “crispy edged, but chewy center chocolate chip cookies” – per my coworkers, who are my personal guinea pigs when it comes to new recipes – they were “perfect!” Crispy edges but chewy center is very apt. Didn’t have a full 2.5c of chocolate chips, so I subbed in some cinnamon chips which I needed to use up anyways, nor did I have flake sea salt – used coarse sea salt (all my grocery stores have limited stock – thanks Covid :/ ) Also used dark brown sugar. They were absolutely amazing! Thanks for the recipe! <3
Yay! So glad these were what you were looking for!
Thanks again Jess for the recipe. Unfortunately for me, my co-workers and neighbors keep asking for more! Should have made some to keep in the freezer!
i have been searching high and low for the perfect chocolate chip cookies, i make them often and they never come out as good as i would like but these, these are the best cookies i have ever made. even my grandma thinks so lol. thank you for sharing your delicious recipe!
Yay Amber – I’m so glad you liked these! And I extra love your grandma’s stamp of approval! Thanks so much for your kind note.
I’m so excited for this re I’ve, it’s exactly what I was looking for. The recipe being similar to mine but the prep/cook details you add really set it apart. Normally mine are either over cooked or undercooked so I’ll report back after making these Sunday!
Also Love the photos as I’m a visual learner
That’s so great to hear! I always try to offer as many photos as I can – I’m a visual learner all the way too.
I’m excited to try this! Whats the key to getting the soft/crunchy combo in a peanut butter cookie?
Oooo – peanut butter cookies are more difficult to get soft and crunchy, but this is a challenge I’d love to try!
Try a little corn syrup to get chewy peanut butter cookies. 1-2 Tbsp is enough depending on your recipe.
Great suggestion – thanks for chiming in Lori!
I must have done something horribly wrong because these are very cakey and thick cookies unlike Toll House. I never use my mixer and I think I will do it by hand next time. Always good to try something different though
Hi Ter – I’m so sorry to hear that! I know it’s so disappointing when recipes don’t turn out the way they are described. My guess would be either that 1) the butter needed to be creamed for a bit longer to get it to a really soft, fluffy consistency or 2) and more likely, I’d guess that there was too much flour in the batter. Did you measure the flour by weight? It’s easy to compress flour using a measuring scoop to scoop it directly from the container or bag, and that might lead to a more thick, cake cookie. I hope that helps!
Same, except I hand mixed and they still turned out exactly like I didn’t want, thick and cakey :/
THE BEST COOKIES EVER. Do yourselves a favor and definitely try them out! I used half chocolate chips and half chocolate chunks, and they came out great. Also, I’ve never tried the flaked salt before but loved it. Everyone in my family liked them too! And finally… Do chill your dough enough time. I didn’t leave the first batch enough time in the fridge, and it really made a difference. The following batches (which were made with dough that had been chilled for enough time) didn’t flatten as much and were chewier on the inside. Thanks for sharing! Love from South America.
Love the idea to do a combo of chocolate chips and larger chocolate pieces. So glad you all liked these, Maria!
Omg i made these yesterday and loveddddd it you really do get that perfect chewy texture
So glad you liked them Danah!
Wow I normally never manage to get results from following receptors on the first try but these are so clear and easy to follow, with all the tips explained and what to look out for- they came out exactly as described! The only thing is that i find them too sweet but my husband loves them. The texture was crunchy and chewy and so very lovely. Thank you!
These cookies were amazing and what I’ve been searching for – crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I made no adjustments to the recipe – weighing the ingredients makes all of the difference. Thank you for sharing! This will be my new go-to recipe.
I have been chasing the ideal CCC for a while and this the closest recipe yet! Am going to try another batch with Nestle Tollhouse Chips and refrigerating instead of just resting the dough. All in the name of science, of course.
So glad you liked it Christine. I’m always happy when science involves chocolate chip cookies!
I loved the recipe! Mine just came out of the oven and they taste amazing! I used salted butter and it doesn’t need anymore salt. I used only 2 cups of milk chocolate chips and they tasted AMAZING!! Seriously the best cookies I’ve made!
Perfect texture. My ten year old and I loved making them and eating them together!
Oh how fun! So glad that you liked them and that you got to make them together!
Jess, these came out perfect. Thank you for sharing !
Thanks so much Shwetha – I’m so glad you liked them!
Wow I just made these and they turned out amazing! Exactly how I was hoping they would. They had wonderfully crispy edges and a soft gooey center. They had a nice chew and amazing flavor. I am so happy with this recipe. Thank you for sharing it!
Thanks so much Elicia! So glad you liked it!
Hi! How many grams of unsalted butter do I need for a 24-serving cookies? I think there might be difference in measurements between the melted one and softened one. Thank you!
Hi Pat – 1 cup of butter is 227 grams.
Oh, okay. So I just need 227grams if butter for a 24-serving cookies, right?
Correct. 227 grams of softened butter for 24 servings / cookies.
My husband and I have been on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie for YEARS. We have made all the recipes, all. I stumbled across yours during quarantine and made it 3 times in two weeks, that is how much we love these cookies! I used dark brown sugar because it is all we had and they are magnificent, I will try them with light brown sugar as well to see if they are even better. THANK YOU.
Oh that’s the best thing to hear!! Thanks so much for your kind note – I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed them!
Hello! These are soo good. It makes too much that I don’t have enough pans so I had to freeze the rest! I’d love to bake them all though, so can I leave the remaining dough longer than 20minutes in the fridge? Thank you so much!
Is it really 1 tablespoon of salt?
Hi Tin – yes – 1 Tbsp is correct, but please note that there are two types of salt in this recipe. 3/4 tsp Kosher salt goes into the batter. The 1 Tbsp measurement is optional and is just a sprinkling of flakes sea salt on the top. Flaked sea salt is less concentrated than kosher or table salt and you may not need the full 1 Tbsp as a topping – just add as much as you like!
Do you roll the cookie dough in your hands after scooping it out with the tablespoon? Would a cookie scoop work?
By far THE BEST cookies out there! I now keep these in my freezer at all times!
Carolyn – thanks so much for the note – I’m so glad you liked them!!!
I’ve made what feels like 1 million chocolate chip cookies over the years. This recipe is amazing!!! Small tweaks to the ingredient and chilling made a huge difference. Plus the sea salt on top! Perfection! This will be my go to recipe from here out. As always very impressed!
Yay!! So glad you liked them!!!!!
I have been trying to create a CCC for years that have a carmelized edge and a chewwy center, This is the closest I have come. I was thrown bit about the light pack cup of brown sugar which my measurement table say is 125 gr but in my measuring cup came out to 200 grams, I scoop first then weigh, so I hesitated and split the difference and put in 160 gr brown sugar. They turned out exactly as i had hoped. The edges are like toffee and the centers are soft and chewy. Tapping them on the counter when I took them out took the air out and deflated them perfectly. I added butter roasted pecans to the mix too as my wife and I both love pecans. This is going to be be my go too recipe from now on, my search is over.Ive been experimenting for 35 years with so many recipes promising this kind of cookie and trying on my own with every variable imagined and I am happy to say I am done, I am finally set. Thank you so much.
This is so wonderful to hear!! I’m so glad they turned out to be what you were looking for!
These are incredibly delicious—chewy, crunchy, sweet! However, I had to keep them in for 15/16 minutes to get them to start to golden…if no one else had this issue, perhaps it’s my oven?
Also I halved the recipe and still got 24 normal size cookies. Are these supposed to be extra large cookies? Either way, yum!
Hi Alexis – I’m so glad you liked these! I’m curious about the longer cook time you’re finding they need, but there are so many factors that could cause this, including the size of the cookies and how long you refrigerated the dough, so it’s a great idea to adjust the cook time as needed until they look right. (It always could be your oven too! My oven is one of those split top-bottom ones and I have a thermometer in each one – the lower one runs about 35 degrees cooler than what I set it to, so it could always be something like that.) I do bake them slightly large!
The Review I just put on IG and FB:
The Quest ~ A Perfect Crispy & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
So I tried a new recipe 》 https://inquiringchef.com/crispy-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
BATCH 1: 12 minutes on parchment paper
RESULT 》 Really good cookie but edges weren’t dark enough.
BATCH 2: 13 minutes on parchment paper
RESULT 》 Better; edges were a little crisper.
BATCH 3: Josh suggested greasing the pan, and I made extra sure the edges wouldn’t touch while baking.
RESULT 》 Bingo! Everything I always wanted in a chocolate chip cookie!
Parchment paper is convenient for easy clean up, but for these crispy edges I’ll gladly wash a couple pans!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful note and recipe testing!! So glad you took the time to share the results!
Fabulous idea! I love the crispy ends! Isn’t this just the best recipe, I have been using it for quite some time. I will definitely try greasing the cookie sheets this time❣️
I have tried dozens of recipes that claim to be crispy and chewy. They all LIE!
These are a perfect cookie. Thank you.
Wow, delicious! Made them for a second time tonight cause I’m loving this recipe. Kept out the salt since I’m not into sweet salty cookies and tried adding white chocolate chips , and yes, this is it! Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you like them. White chocolate chips sound like such a fun (and delicious) addition!
OMG!!! Hands down the BEST chocolate chip cookie ever! All the tips were spot on! I couldn’t stop eating these—yikes! Thank you!!!!
Yay! So glad you liked them, Becky!
I’m so excited to try these! The oven is on and the dough is chilling. I just have a question : if I were to weigh each scoop, about how many grams would that be? I don’t have any idea if when I am scooping with my tablespoon of I am getting them about the same size!
Ryan – that’s a great question, but I don’t have the answer. It would be useful to have that in the recipe, so I’ll definitely measure and add it next time I make them. Thanks so much for the idea!
Definitely the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! I have tried quite a few recipes but this one beats them all. I made minor changes and it still came out amazing. I don’t ever have unsalted butter so I just used salted and only added a pinch of extra salt to the flour. I also never let my butter come to room temperature. Don’t have the patience! Lol. Instead I just throw it in the mixer straight from the fridge with the sugars and beat it until it’s soft and fluffy. Easy peasy! I also froze my dough for about ten minutes since I can never wait to chill in the fridge. These cookies are amazing!!! They reminded me so much of the nestle or tollhouse cookies I ate growing up (my mom never made scratch cookies) but even better!!! Thank you!! This is my forever chocolate chip cookie recipe <3 Almost forgot… I also added chopped walnuts to the dough. YUMMMMMM
Ahhh!! Sorry, one more thing!! I did not use my mixer after creaming the sugars! I am so bad about over mixing!! So if you are reading this and you are like me about over mixing STOP using the kitchenaid after you’ve creamed the sugars! Add eggs and vanilla and mix with wooden spoon or any spoon. Then pour in flour and mix with spoon until just combined. Do not over mix!! :)))))
Awesome tips Lindsey – thanks so much for the note. So glad you liked them!!
For 20 years I’ve searched for a CCC recipe that would yield the same CCC from my high school cafeteria – crispy edges with a chewy texture – and this is finally it! Now that I’m older, I’d like them to be slightly less sweet but worry that reducing the sugar in the recipe will compromise the texture. I would appreciate any suggestions 🙂 Thank you!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that!! I also have very good memories of the CCC from my high school cafeteria!! I tested these cookies so many times and tried to reduce the sugar, but never got the right texture with less sugar. If you try it, definitely start by reducing the white sugar. I find that the brown sugar is the more important of the two in keeping that chewy/crispy combo.
I just made these except with white chocolate chips. About to put them in the oven.
Have you ever tried any other add ins for a different type of cookie?
Yes! These work well with any of your favorite add-ins, but I actually completely adapted the recipe to make kitchen sink cookies with lots of other add-ins. Here’s that one – https://inquiringchef.com/kitchen-sink-cookies/
I’ve been looking for this kind of chocolate chip cookie for so long, and I have finally found it! Chewy, crispy, and so delicious. I divided the recipe into thirds and made just a partial batch and it still turned out fantastic and made around a dozen and a half cookies!
To divide the eggs, I used the yellow of one egg and part of the whites. I also don’t have a kitchen scale so I didn’t measure by weight. To prevent packing of the flour while measuring, I spoon it from the bag with a separate utensil and sprinkle it into the measuring cup a little at a time. I also used half butter and half vegetable oil spread because it’s what I had on hand! (I’m really into estimations/ substitutions and hoping for the best and luckily this recipe is forgiving, because it still worked!)
The tips on not over-mixing, refrigerating the dough, tapping the pan on the counter, knowing when to take them out if the oven, and letting them cool on the pan to finish cooking were so helpful and what really sets this recipe apart. It’s not just a list of ingredients but it actually teaches you how to make an amazing cookie!
If you like chewy yet crispy cookies, I 1000% recommend this recipe. I’ll never use another now that I’ve found it. Such a great cookie! Thank you!
Allison – thanks so much for this note! I’m so glad these were what you were looking for!!
The best chocolate cookies ever. It’s not too sweet. The taste is just really perfect. I have tried other recipes online and they were too sweet, I had to alter the measurement. With this one, it’s so perfect. Taste and texture. 100%. My friends and I enjoyed it. I will definitely bake this again. 🙂
So glad you liked them as much as we do!!!
These cookies are AWESOME!!! I got frustrated trying to make cookies because they never came out right. ( I’m sure it was me😔). But after finding this recipe I have regained the confidence to bake cookies again😄. Thanks so much, you even have my daughter (who hates CCC) love them!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Angel – this is so great to hear!! I’m so glad you liked them!
Awesome recipe! I followed recipe except l replaced 4 table spoons of butter for my homemade almond nut butter to cut a bit of the dairy. I have done this with other recipes that call for dairy butter. It adds a good texture to cookies. My husband had 4 cookies after dinner. Winner. Will never try another chocolate chip recipe again. Added walnuts . yum
So glad you liked them Denise! Great tip about the almond butter – I’m going to try that!
So amazing!!! I’ve been in the search for this type of CCC and need to look no further! Followed recipes perfectly & they are phenomenal! I’ve had a couple of batches that were a bit cakier—I assumed my butter was too soft or I didn’t whip it long enough?!? I was more careful the next time & they were perfect. Definitely gifting these for the holidays!!
Great recipe! Definitely keeping this one in the books. Makes many, many cookies: I halved the recipe and got about 40 – 2.5″ cookies from the half batch!
Trust the bake time, even if the edges are only slightly brown. I thought they weren’t brown enough on the edges to take out (they were only slightly a different colour than rest of cookie) and then ended up overbaking a bit. Still great though!
These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had, the whole family loves them. I added 1/4th crushed pecans and I halved the vanilla with almond extract. I’ve made these cookies about once a week since I found your recipe! So wonderful, very addicting though!!!
I just want to say Thank You for developing this recipe. I have searched and tried for years to find the recipe that makes perfect chocolate chip cookies; none have delivered until now. You hit all the marks: crispy edges, soft gooey interior, texture spot-on (not cakey, not crunchy), buttery not overly-sweet dough flavor balanced by semi-sweet chips and needed salt component. In addition, your recipe is not complicated, doesn’t involve an unreasonable wait time, is adaptable (I added chopped walnuts, which for me complete the perfect chocolate chip cookie). I love that you give pointers for freezing- I froze some of the dough I made the first time after tasting those cookies come out perfectly and realizing I could have more of them fresh next week instead of trying to make them last in a container for that long. I appreciate all the explanations for the why of different sugars, softening the butter, etc. In addition, your recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients (ok, maybe not that fancy salt you recommended sprinkling on top at the end, but you also clearly state that step is completely optional).
I have saved your recipe, bookmarked, printed it, and sealed a hard copy of your recipe in a plastic sleeve. If society collapses and the internet is lost, I will still have a copy of your recipe, and those cookies will carry me and my loved ones through almost anything. Many thanks for being the one who saw the need for this recipe, answered the call, and then shared it.
Amber – what a sweet note. Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. I’m so glad that these hit the spot for you and that the tips were helpful. (Let’s hope society and the internet both keep on humming, but I agree – good to know we’ll always have cookies either way!)
The cookies came out of the oven over puffed and looking like they were over-floured. Disappointed.
Hi there! I suspect you might be right on the flour. Did you measure it by weight?
My sister spent years tinkering to make the best g$&D%^**€d cookie I’ve ever had. As a tribute I made a batch of your recipe today.
I called hers “Mimi’s half baked” because of their impossibly gooey inside and lovely crisp outer. There were rumors she doubled the butter, used special flour, started with frozen cookie sheets,….. nobody knows how she did it..?
But these are as close as I’ve gotten.
Thanks for getting me there.
Oh that’s awesome Pete! So glad I could compete with “Mimi’s half baked” – that sounds like a high bar! No “secret” ingredients here, but they did take a long time to perfect. I’m so glad you liked them.
Hi Jess, did u use fan assisted bottom heat function?
No – I don’t use that function for these cookies.
Hi can u give me the bake time and temp for an 8×8 inch pie pan
Wanna bake a big cookie and as soon as it’s taken out of the oven top It with vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge
Hi Ariana – that sounds delicious, but I’ve never baked these that way! If you try it, please let me know what works! Would love to try it myself. 😉
I’m going to try this recipe this weekend! Wondering if there is any benefit to letting the cookie batter chill in the refrigerator overnight (I see other recipes recommend this)…. do you know if the flavours get enhanced the next day if you let the dough rest? Thanks!
Yes! Aged cookie dough always takes on additional flavor. To be honest, I haven’t tried it with this recipe, so I’m not sure if it will affect the texture. I really set out to make this a cookie that didn’t require a long rest time. But it’s definitely worth a shot! If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes.
OMG. How dare you. After 30 years and dozens of recipes, I have finally found the recipe that delivers what I want. This recipe isn’t groundbreaking, but the perfection is in the small details…they make all the difference. Thank you for sharing the love!
Lol. This comment is the best. SO glad you liked these as much as we do!
Hello! Can I substitute dark brown sugar for light brown? Looking forward to baking these 🙂
Hi Mary! Yes – dark brown sugar will work fine in place of the light brown.
So, every recipe online tells you it’s the best. And the are about 20 thousand chocolate chip cookie recipes online. But, the many positive comments convinced me to give this recipe a try, though I knew the amount of flir was too much.
Well, you proved me wrong on that. Even my daughter, who’s been baking since she could stand up, was amazed and impressed that a recipe that isn’t obviously unique, truly makes a perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for this!!
That’s wonderful to hear – so glad you gave it a try!
I have searched far and wide for the perfect crispy edged, chewy center chocolate chip cookie, and while I’ve discovered really good ones (Bon Appetit and Broma Bakery), I didn’t get the texture I was looking for. I’m so happy I saw this recipe and decided to try it! I found that the process was more straightforward than the others I’ve tried to make before and I really like that I can easily make half a batch (other recipes call for 1 egg and 1 yolk or 1 egg and 2 yolks, so I would always have to make the full batch). Followed the recipe to a T (except I used 70% dark chocolate discs instead of semisweet chocolate chips), and was rewarded with the best crunchy chewy cookies I’ve ever made. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe, this just became my new favorite!
I’m so glad these were what you were looking for Jean! Thanks so much for the note.
Love your recipe!
Can i use browned butter instead?
Will it still be crisp and chewy?
Hi Maria – I think the results will still be delicious, but the texture will definitely be different with melted / browned butter.
Thank you! I have been looking for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe for years and I finally found it! I was very careful to follow the recipe exactly & they are amazing!
So glad you liked these Angie!
This came out as described. The center was soft. The edges crispy. I scaled back on the sugar. These, for me, were perfect! Thank you!!!
I used 2oog of Sugar. 100g of Panela. I sifted the flour, baking soda, and salt together. I took a 1lb bar of Trader Joes 70% chocolate threw it in the freezer and broke it up instead of using chips. I didn’t use the whole bar.
So glad you enjoyed them! I love using those giant TJ’s chocolate bars for baking!
These cookies are by far the best I’ve tried to make, usually, they just don’t turn out quite right but these were exactly how they were described. The only thing I had to change was the amount of flour added, I used a scale, scooped the flour in and it weighed to exactly 375 grams, but I probably only ended up using about 300 due to how thick it was already getting as I was mixing it. I was also worried of making them too cakey with the flour. I didn’t have enough semi sweet chocolate chips so I added some white chocolate and chopped salted macademia nuts which added a nice crunch. Tips like the butter having to be at room temp and smacking them on the counter when they were finished definitely made these cookies the way they should be, chewy, crispy and amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe! this will most likely be the only recipe ill ever use to make chocolate chip cookies ever again!
So glad you enjoyed them!!!
I want to make these but I’m confused. I weighed out my brown sugar to 200gr but it is only half a cup. Your recipe says 1 cup and 200g in parenthesis. So could you help me?
Hi Niki – that’s so strange. 1 cup of packed brown sugar should be 200g. Are you sure you zero’d your scale after weighing the measuring cup? I get all of my conversions here – https://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/sugar_amounts.html
I made these with half the ammount of sugar and I think they turned out great, chewy in the middle and crunchy on the edges once I got the cooking time right in my oven.
I don’t usually leave reviews, but I feel like I have to for this recipe. I get recipes wrong more than I get them right, and I feel like the way you laid everything out was so easy to follow. Especially the way you described how to know when they’re done. The cookies are PERFECT, just the right amount of crunch, and just the right amount of chewy. I halved the amount of chocolate chips, just because my family doesn’t like a lot, and they are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this!
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you found the tips helpful!
Amazing cookies! Thank you for the detailed instructions.
Thanks so much Caitlin – glad you liked them!
Holy moly!! I’ve never been able to achieve the perfect crispy but still chewy cookie but this one nailed it!! Absolutely perfect recipe and will definitely be using this again!!
Yay! So glad you liked them!
I came across this recipe during quarantine and now I make them every few weeks!! I bake about 16 cookies and freeze the rest of the dough. You’re right…..4 freshly baked cookies every now and then is absolutely heavenly! These cookies are amazing. I did learn that when you manipulate the dough too much the texture and thickness changes. That was pretty cool. I do just enough and it’s perfect every time. Thank you for sharing!
Am I able to refrigerate the cookie dough overnight? Thanks!
Absolutely! I’ll add a note about that. I have refrigerated the dough for as long as 3 days before baking.
Okay i made a batch of choc. Chip cookies last night and they came out thick and cakey, but this receipe calls for more flour then the one i used last night so i am very confused as to why this happened. My baking soda was not freah but uou didnt say that was the cause of the thick cakey cookies!! Please explain, if you can what im doing wrong i followed the exact recipe with only 2 3/4 cup flour.🙁
Sorry i see the difference in recipes and its the sugar… the one i used said a half of cup each instead of a whole cup. Could this be why??
I was disappointed my cookies looked nothing Like the picture and are not chewy. I followed all the steps and ingredient amounts?? ):
I finally tried this recipe and I must say that I am pleased with the results. Crunchy outer layer, soft in the center and sweet to the point that I like. I’ll definitely be making them again, thank you for sharing. My house smells so good😋
Hi there! OMG I absolutely love this recipe and my family constantly asks me to make some, I was wondering though if it would be possible to replace the flour with oat flour? Thanks 😊
Hi there! I’ve never tried it with this recipe but would love to know if it works. If you try it, please do share!
These cookies are sooooooooooo good! They are exactly what you said they would be, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I used mini chocolate chips and put extra on the dough before baking. They were perfect! Can’t wait to make these again.
So glad you liked them Cindy! Good call on the mini chocolate chips!!
Perfection! I have tried many different recipes, but between the tips (thank you), and the ingredients, these are the very best. I was looking for crispy AND chewy. Every single batch came out perfect – crispy and chewy. I carefully followed the instructions. I used the scale to weigh the ingredients and I also used it to make sure the cookies were uniform in size – around 32 grams was good for me. I chilled the dough and kept it chilled throughout the baking process. I liked the tip about giving the cookie sheet a thwack when they come out of the oven and also leaving them on the sheet for a while as they cool. I tried using three different sized chips – mini, chunk, and mostly regular (Hershey’s Special Dark). I don’t think that made much difference to enhance, but I do love my Hershey’s Special Dark. THANK YOU!
I’m a big fan of Hershey’s Special Dark too!! Glad you liked these!
These are divine! The sea salt flakes are *chef’s kiss* to these cookies!
Mine came out more puffier though still crisp to the bite but soft in the center. Delicious!!
So glad you liked them!
These are amazing! This is my second time to make these and they are perfect both times. Just wanted to say thank you again!
Hi. Is it possible to use all brown sugar?
You won’t get the same crisp-chewy texture with all brown sugar. The white sugar is really what leads to the “crisp” part.
Wish I could post a photo, they turned out exactly like the recipe photo! Which doesn’t happen a lot to me
Isn’t that a great feeling?
LOVE this recipe. I can’t make the whole batch or I eat them all (learnt that lesson the hard way the first time I tried it!) so now I freeze them and keep them in a ziplock bag. Then when I’m craving a treat (which is always) I just pop one into the oven. They bake as good from frozen as they do fresh! The salt is a great touch. I love the salty and sweet combination.
Thanks so much Emily! So glad you like them!
Hi! My teenage son and I made these cookies today, and they were what we wanted—crispy on the edge and chewy in the middle—as promised! It was interesting how the cookies deflated when whacking them on the counter. I would like to make these with cocoa powder for chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Should I add any other ingredients with a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder, so they retain the crispy-chewy texture? I’d hate to lose the texture with the addition of cocoa. Thanks!
Hi Michelle! So glad you liked these! They would be great with cocoa powder, but I fear that if you added cocoa powder to this recipe it would change the texture. However, I have a chocolate cookie recipe that comes very close to this in texture. Try this recipe but skip the caramel in the middle and you’ll have a rich chocolate cookie that is crisp around the edges and chewy in the center. It’s even good with chocolate chips added. https://inquiringchef.com/salted-caramel-stuffed-chocolate-cookies/
hii! i tried your cookies, it was amazing, perfect chew and crisp. i was wondering, i half recipe using 100g brown and 100g white sugar however, don’t eat alot of sugar so this was a bit too sweet for me, if i was to lessen the amount would it affect the consistency of the cookie?
Hi there – thanks for your question! I tested these cookies with less sugar, but the consistency just didn’t work. The sugar amounts listed are part of the key to that chewy-crisp texture.
So I bake cookies all the time and I am always trying different recipes. This is one of the best! I followed the recipe as is and added some Heath bar bits….awesome!
Yum – great addition!
My cookies came out thick, what do I do??
Hi Ashley – I’m so sorry to hear that! Often the issue is that the have too much flour. Did you measure the flour by weight?
This is hands down the best chocolate chip cookie ever! I followed the recipe to the letter and weighed to measure my dry ingredients as recommended which was really the key, as the volumes varied quite a bit (as expected, because science.); I also pushed my comfort zone to underbake slightly vs what I would normally… I’m so glad I trusted this magical recipe. SO chewy and perfectly crisp. The frozen dough instructions are amazing too; how are they as good if not better baked from frozen?! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, my family will be enjoying it for years to come!!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the kind comment Erin – so glad you liked these!
I’ve just made these and they are great! I did not have baking soda so I substituted baking powder (3x the amount of baking soda it calls for) and they still came out great! Weighing the ingredients was also a good choice. Additionally, the sea salt sprinkle makes the flavors of the cookie pop. I so recommend.
So glad you enjoyed them!
I have to say that I was a devout NYT chocolate chip cookie girl but these are now my new go to. Perfectly crisp on the outside and gooey inside. Used chopped dark chocolate and Maldon salt flakes. A+ 😘👌🏼
Absolutely love hearing this! So glad you’re enjoying them. Is there anything better than a chocolate chip cookie?
If I wanted to make these cookies thinner/flatter should I just separate the dough into more balls? And if so should I bake for less time? Or temperature? Thanks.
I would actually try reducing the flour by about 1/3 cup. That should allow the cookies to spread out even more than the recipe currently is designed to do.
Sounds delicious. But I noticed that, while you recommend measuring ingredients by weight to prevent using too much or too little, you didn’t put weights in the ingredient list. I’ll still make them with the measurements given, but I’m a fan of weight measuring too. Just something I noticed.
Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Eric – all of the ingredients are listed by weight right in the recipe card. As you noted, I definitely recommend weighing them for consistent results!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Like others said – “I have been searching for years for a cookie like this” I even used my one to one gluten free flower and turned out great and just like the photos. Wasn’t sure what was going to happen as I used half cup butter and half cup butter flavored crisco and just the best darn cookie ever. I also just used regular table salt in the cookie with salted butter and nothing sprinkled on top. All other recipes will be tossed in the trash!
oops – flour:)
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them Sheila – and SO glad that the GF free flour worked. That’s great for others to know – I get that question a lot.
Every time I make chocolate chip cookies, I try a new recipe. I’m always trying to find the best one. This is it! Everything you could want in a chocolate chip cookie. Soft and chewy with a perfectly crisp bottom. Not to thick or thin. Literally perfection.
So glad you liked them! They are definitely our favorite too.
IDK HOW THEY JUST GET GOLDEN BROWN OUTSIDE OF THE OVEN BUT YOUR RIGHT. BEFORE THIS RECIPE THE ONLY WAY I EVER GOT GOOEY CC COOKIES WAS IF I BOUGHT THEM IN THE REFRIGERATOR SECTION OF THE GROCERY STORE. I’M WAITING FOR THEM TO COOL AS WE SPEAK AND OMG THEY ABSOLUTELY LOOK PERFECT. I HAD HALF THE AMOUNT OF CHIPS AND I THINK THEY ARE JUST AS GOOD. GOTTA WATCH THE GIRLISH FIGURE SOMEHOW WITH THESE BAD BOYS, THESE REMIND ME OF A HAND PAINTED KITCHEN DECOR SIGN I PAINTED ONCE FOR A CLIENT……… “THERE IS A SKINNY GIRL INSIDE OF ME JUST SCREAMIN’ TO GET OUT, BUT I JUST SHUT HER UP WITH A COOKIE”
I’m baking them right now . But my dough doesn’t seem as thick as yours when out on the baking sheet . Is more soft .I measured everything with my kitchen scale. Is it maybe because it needs to be refrigerated more?
How did they turn out? I’m sure the dough was okay for baking, but an extra 10 minutes in the refrigerator can’t hurt if you feel like the dough is pretty soft.
I made these today as a test run for some cookie tins I’m handing out with gifts at Christmas. They. Were. AMAZING. I’ve tried plenty of recipes to find the best one and I have to say, I’m stopping now. This is the one. Delicious. I will note I ran out of white sugar in all my testing of recipes, so for the white sugar portion I used half cup white (what I had left) and half cup coconut sugar. It didn’t seem to change very much, other than I think it might have added a little extra depth of sweetness to the flavor. I can’t wait to pick up more white sugar and make more of these, they turned out absolutely perfect! ♡
So glad you liked them! And that they worked out with half coconut sugar! Thanks so much for the note.
I messed these up on a half portion of everything but they were still so good my boyfriend kept asking if there were any more. I just tried it again, full batch, actually waited for the butter to solidify, brought out the mixer, and oh my gosh was it worth not being lazy about. Absolutely perfect. Thank you!!!
Yum! Just made a batch and this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
So glad to hear this!
I made this recipe last year for Christmas. It was we make them for Santa. This year took me forever to find it but we did !!. Once you spoil Santa, how can you dare to make another ccc. Thank you. We are on to a family tradition cc recipe!
A very good Santa cookie for sure! So glad he approved! 😉
Just made these and couldn’t be happier! Figured I’d add leave a review to let anyone that is dairy free/vegan know that I had success making these cookies using vegan butter! Delish. 🙂
Thanks so much for that note! I’ve been asked before if these can be vegan-adapted, but haven’t tried it yet. Appreciate the tip!
Ive tried so many CC cookie recipes, but this one is absolutely perfect! I have made them five times in the past two months and each time I love them more! Soft and chewy insides, firm outside edges and best of all they are flat and not thick!
I recommend this to all my friends!
This makes me so happy to hear! Thank you!