Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies: My Family's Favorite Recipe (Print Version)

Craving soft chocolate chip cookies? This recipe delivers chewy centers and perfectly crisp edges. Get my tips for baking pure cookie joy!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 24 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
03 - 3/4 cup (160g) light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 large egg, room temperature
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
08 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Flavor & Fun

09 - 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 1/2 cup (85g) milk chocolate chips

→ Finishing Touch

11 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - First up, melt that unsalted butter. You can do it gently on the stove or in the microwave—just don't burn it! Once it's melted, pour it into a big mixing bowl. Stir in both the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar until everything is wonderfully combined and looks a bit glossy. I usually hum a little tune here, it just feels right. This step is crucial for getting those soft chocolate chip cookies.
02 - Now, crack in your large egg and pour in that lovely vanilla extract. Whisk it all together until it's smooth and creamy, almost like a thin caramel sauce. You want it light and airy, so give it a good minute or two of whisking. Honestly, I used to just barely mix, and my cookies weren't as fluffy. This aeration helps create those perfectly soft chocolate chip cookies.
03 - In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps—I usually give it a good poke with a fork. This ensures all the leavening is evenly distributed. I once skipped this, and had a few cookies that were oddly dense in spots, oops!
04 - Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed, or by hand, until <em>just</em> combined. The moment you see no more streaks of flour, stop! Overmixing is the enemy of soft chocolate chip cookies; it develops the gluten too much, making them tough. I've ruined batches by getting too enthusiastic here, trust me.
05 - Now for the best part: dump in all those glorious chocolate chips! Gently fold them into the dough until they're evenly distributed. Don't overmix, just enough to get them in there. Sometimes I sneak a few extra in, shhh! This is what makes them truly soft chocolate chip cookies.
06 - Scoop generous balls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like bigger cookies, so I use a 2-tablespoon scoop. Give them a little space, because they will spread. Bake in a preheated oven until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. This is the secret to gooey, soft chocolate chip cookies!

# Notes:

01 - Don't overmix the dough, you'll regret it! Just combine until barely mixed.
02 - Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them soft for days.
03 - Tried brown butter once instead of melted; it adds a nutty depth that's pretty amazing.
04 - A sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after baking elevates these cookies to another level.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Large mixing bowls
02 - whisk
03 - measuring cups & spoons
04 - baking sheet
05 - parchment paper
06 - cookie scoop

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 150
Total Fat: 8g
Total Carbohydrate: 19g
Protein: 2g

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