These soft chocolate chip cookies are BIG and thick, with extra soft centers and slightly crisp edges. Using my tips and tricks, I'm confident that this will become your house favorite soft chocolate chip cookie recipe. And the best part? No dough chilling required!
I'm not exaggerating when I say that there are thousands of chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. Everyone has their favorite- Nestlé Tollhouse (or Neslé Tolouse, if you know, you know), a family recipe scribbled on a food-stained piece of paper, or your neighbors, but these soft chocolate chip cookies really stands out.
No matter what your favorite is, we can all agree that everyone needs a solid soft chocolate chip cookie recipe in their back pocket, and this is mine. These cookies have been loved by many over the years... and disappear QUICK.
The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Bakery-style BIG & thick, studded with chocolate chips
- Chewy center with slightly crisp edges
- Easy to make & no dough chilling!
- Undeniably delicious... disappears QUICK!
- Stay soft and chewy for days
Key Ingredients You Need (& Why)
The cookie dough is made from your standard baking ingredients, but it's the ratios of the ingredients that make this recipe work.
- Flour: I recommend using all-purpose flour, I haven't tried any other type of flour.
- Butter: This recipe uses room temperature softened butter. You can use these tricks to soften butter quickly or set it out 1-2 hours before you begin.
- Sugars: Using a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar not only adds more flavor to the cookies, it also helps produce a soft cookie. You can use dark or light brown sugar interchangeably, with dark brown sugar having more flavor from more molasses.
- Eggs: The eggs bind everything together and add richness while adding an extra egg yolk help create a softer, chewier cookie.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor.
- Cornstarch: Using cornstarch in cookies is a game changer, it helps create a softer and chewier cookie.
- Baking Soda: Using baking soda helps the cookies rise just enough as they bake.
- Salt: Adds flavor and helps balance out the sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips: For most recipes I typically use semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use any flavor you prefer or even chocolate chunks.
3 Tips & Tricks
I spent years perfecting this recipe for soft chocolate chip cookies- using these tricks you are guaranteed the perfect cookie.
- Sugar Ratio: The sugars have 2 jobs in cookies- adding sweetness and providing some structure. Instead of using just granulated sugar (or more of it), this recipe incorporates brown sugar. The trick is to use more brown sugar than granulated sugar. Brown sugar has more moisture and flavor than granulated sugar producing a softer, more flavorful cookie.
- Add Cornstarch: Like my other cookie recipes, adding cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft. You don't need much, just 1 Tablespoon.
- Add Egg Yolk: In addition to 1 egg, adding the egg yolk will add chewiness to the cookie and keep them softer.
- Under Bake: Slightly underbaking the cookies creates the softness that everyone loves. The cookies will look very soft but that's what you want. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, allowing them to finish baking and set before you transfer to a wire rack.
Overview: How To Make The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe does require a mixer, but doesn't require any dough chilling. Remember to set the butter out to soften 1-2 hours before beginning. The full printable recipe is below.
- Start With Butter & Sugars: Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This process adds air to the butter which helps produce a softer cookie.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla Extract: Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Whisk Together Dry Ingredients: Toss the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients: Combine all the ingredients, then add the chocolate chips.
- Roll the Dough & Bake: Scoop 2 slightly heaping Tablespoons of dough, into balls, and place on the baking sheet (8 total per baking sheet.) Bake for 11-13 minutes, un just barely golden brown around the edges. The cookies will look under baked and soft. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. If desired, press a few extra chocolate chips on top to make them extra pretty.
FAQ
Not only is cornstarch is a game changer for cookies, adding an extra egg yolk and using more brown sugar than granulate sugar makes them softer and give a more tender crumb.
Using cornstarch, more brown sugar than granulated sugar, an egg yolk and slightly under baking are the secrets to chocolate chip cookies staying soft. When storing, you can add a slice of bread in the container too!
Yes, absolutely. I do this all the time! Roll the cookie dough into balls and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake straight from the freezer an extra minute. The cooled baked cookies can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag or container. Both can be frozen for up to 3 months.
It depends on what you're looking for. Using softened butter will create a fluffier soft cookie as creaming the softened butter adds air to it, while the melted butter produces a chewier, more dense soft cookie. Both are equally delicious!
More Cookie Recipes
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Description
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom as needed.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in ¼ cup increments. The cookie dough will be on the thicker side. Then, keeping on low speed, beat in the chocolate chips.
- Roll the cookie dough, about 2 slightly heaping Tablespoons of dough each, into balls of dough, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheet (8 total per baking sheet.)
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, until just barely golden brown around the edges. The cookies will look under baked and extremely soft, that's normal, they will finish baking as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. If desired, gently press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops for looks. See the recipe notes for perfectly round-shaped cookies.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cookies will stay fresh at room temperature in a zipped-top bag or tightly sealed container for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough (or pre-rolled balls) and store in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 2 days. Allow the dough (if not pre-rolled) sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling into balls then continue with step 4.
- Freezing Instructions: Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Unbaked cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute (no need to thaw.)
- Butter: If using salted butter, omit the ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Different Add-Ins: You want the total of all add-ins to be around 1 cup. You can add chopped nuts, M&Ms, white chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.
Elle says
These pictures sent me to the store immediately. Highly recommend this recipe for a traditional favorite.
Annie says
This recipe is legit the best chocolate chip cookie I've had in my life! They are pillowy soft on the inside, and have the perfect amount of sweetness. I highly recommend this recipe!
Christina says
I'm glad that you loved them Annie! I agree that they are the best! 😉
Autumn Outland says
I also chose this recipe because of the picture. I followed the recipe except I mixed by hand. They are "pillow soft" as someone else described and this is my favorite Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. I ate 6 and gave the rest to my kiddos who loved them. Thank you,
Autumn
Christina says
I'm so glad that you loved these, Autumn! They are our favorite cookies too!
Jackie says
Has anyone tried to make these with another option for the butter? My daughter may have a milk Allergy and I'm trying to find ways to make treats for her still.
Christina says
Hi Jackie. I have my Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies on my blog too! Try those out for the milk allergy!
Kamil says
Hi, is the dough supposed to be so sandy after the mixing? I can barely shape a ball out of the dough. Seems like too much flour versus normal cookie recipe? I have used 250 g = 1 cup for reference.
Christina says
Hi Kamil,
No it shouldn't. Was the butter at room temperature? I've made this recipe (even adding a little extra flour unintentionally when my 2.5 year old helps) and it's not like that.
Kamil says
Hi Christina,
The butter was cold, although I mixed it quite long until properly beaten (approximately 4 minutes). It all looked nice until I have added the flour (it is more than 2x the mass of sugar and butter together). I can share my pictures with you if possible somehow - I was not able to paste them here.
Christina says
Hi Kamil,
The recipe calls for "1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature", this is so that the butter gets creamed and the rest of the ingredients can mix together. Because you used cold butter it wasn't able to cream all the ingredients together.
Adwoa says
Is it possible to use margarine in place of butter?
Jamie says
These cookies have a wonderful soft texture! However, they have a slight baking soda taste. I triple checked and definitely didn’t add more than the recipe called for. Do you think there’s a reason for this? Or a way to avoid it in the future?
I’d love to make this recipe again but if I could leave out the baking soda flavor that would be far preferable 🙂
Christina says
Hi Jamie. You can reduce it down to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Let me know if you try it!
Allison says
i made these for my daughter to sell at her lemonade stand and everyone loved them!
Janet says
Made these while on vacation and we finished them all in 1 night. This is now a favorite.
Katie says
This cookie recipe was so good. I made a double batch for my daughters birthday over the weekend and we used them for desserts and goodie bags!
Joan says
These are a favorite of ours. We make them all the time!
Christina says
So glad to hear!