The BEST Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
These aren't just *any* cookies; they're the kind of Chocolate Chip Cookies that dreams are made of! We're talking perfectly chewy centers that practically melt in your mouth, surrounded by those irresistible crispy edges. It's a balance of texture and flavor that will make your soul sing.
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Stand mixer (Optional, but great here!)
- 1 Oven thermometer (Handy for checking oven temp)
- Several Light-colored baking sheets (Helps prevent dark bottoms)
- Several Parchment paper or silicone baking mat (For lining sheets)
- 1 Wire cooling rack (For cooling cookies evenly)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cold Butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup Brown Sugar Packed
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract Use high quality
- 2 3/4 cups all-Purpose Flour (Or 1 cup cake flour + 1 3/4 cups AP flour)
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups Chocolate Chips (Semi-sweet, milk, or chunks)
Instructions
- Get the Oven Ready: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grab a trustworthy oven thermometer to double-check – ovens can be sneaky! If yours runs a little hot, dial it back to 385 degrees F.
- Cream That Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl (stand mixer is great here!), add your cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat them together for about 4 minutes until the mixture is looking light, fluffy, and truly creamy. This step whips in air and sets the stage for amazing cookies!
- Add the Wet Stuff: Now, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix for just about 1 minute longer, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get everything happy together.
- Gently Combine Dry: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Seriously, don't overmix here – we don't want tough cookies!
- Fold in the Chocolate: Gently fold in your chosen chocolate chips and/or chunks. Get them distributed throughout the dough.
- Fold in the Chocolate: Gently fold in your chosen chocolate chips and/or chunks. Get them distributed throughout the dough.
- (Optional) The Chill Factor: For cookies with deeper flavor and even better texture (seriously, try it!), cover the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 24 hours. When you're ready to bake after chilling, let the dough sit out at room temperature for 15-30 minutes so it's easier to scoop.
- Scoop and Place: Scoop generous balls of dough onto light-colored baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using light-colored sheets helps prevent the bottoms from getting too dark too fast!
- Bake to Perfection: Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden color. The centers might still look a little underdone – THIS IS GOOD! DO NOT OVERBAKE these Chocolate Chip Cookies if you want that perfect chewy center.
- Let Them Rest: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies hang out on the hot pan for about 5 minutes before you try to move them. They'll finish setting up and get that ideal texture.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This helps them maintain those crisp edges and chewy middles!
Notes
- Butter Temp Matters: Using cold butter is key for controlling spread. A quick 5-8 second microwave zap can slightly soften if needed, but keep it mostly firm.
- Measure Right! Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off. Don't pack it down. A kitchen scale is best for accuracy.
- Make 'em Pretty: Press extra chocolate chips onto dough balls before baking or right after they come out for a bakery look.
- Why Cornstarch? It helps create a tender, soft texture and prevents excessive spreading.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Optional Chilling: Chilling the dough for 24 hours is optional but highly recommended for enhanced flavor and texture. The Total Time reflects baking without chilling.