These chocolate chip cookies are buttery with a vanilla scented dough. Moist, chewy centers are flecked with semi-sweet chocolate chips with the perfect amount of saltiness in every bite.
The edges are just ever so crunchy and the chocolate absolutely melts in your mouth. They can be baked right away for a less chewy cookie or chilled before you bake for the best chocolate chip cookies ever!
Everyone needs the perfect chocolate chip cookies recipe on hand for when the mood strikes. I've been making this recipe for my son for almost two decades, so to say it's a tried and true recipe is a bit of an understatement!
Each cookie is loaded with chocolate chips that have soft chewy centers. Thick, bakery-style cookies that turn out perfectly every single time. This will be your new favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe!
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Ingredients
The ingredients needed for perfect chocolate chip cookies are simple. See for yourself!
- All-Purpose Flour: Unbleached all-purpose flour works best for this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter: The recipe calls for softened, unsalted butter so that you can control the sodium level. If using salted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon.
- Full Fat Cream Cheese: Adding softened cream cheese to the dough creates a super soft cookie without being cakey. It gives them a richness and texture that makes the cookie extra chewy. Do not use fat-free or reduced fat cream cheese.
- Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: Cookies made with only granulated sugar are crispier than cookies made with a combination. Brown sugar imparts extra moisture resulting in a chewier cookie.
- Vanilla Extract: Don’t skimp on this ingredient. 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract is a must for the perfect flavor!
- Large Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding to the dough. Cold eggs can cause the butter to solidify before you add the dry ingredients to the mix.
- Baking Soda: Always make sure you use fresh baking soda. Old baking soda can be inactive and cause issues when baking.
Tips for success
Check out the following tips that we know will help you bake the best batch of chocolate chip cookies you've ever had!
- Measure flour correctly. If you are not using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour, use a large spoon to carefully scoop the flour into a measuring cup, then level off with the flat side of a butter knife.
- Room temperature ingredients. Make sure the butter, cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients will incorporate with each other more smoothly than cold ingredients.
- Chill for chewier chocolate chip cookies: This gives the ingredients a chance to bind together and gives you that thick, bakery-style chocolate chip cookie that just can’t be beat. If you can’t wait that long, I recommend a minimum of 2 hours.
- Use parchment paper: Parchment paper helps to keep the bottom of the cookies from over-browning and allows the cookies to be easily removed from the baking sheet.
- Don’t over-bake the cookies. You’ll know they are done when the centers are puffy and the edges are light golden brown.
How to make them
Learn how to make the BEST chewy chocolate chip cookies with the following steps!
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. 3-4 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and continue to beat until everything is well incorporated.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix using the paddle attachment until just incorporated with the wet ingredients. (Do not over-mix.)
Gently stir the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge overnight. (A chill in the fridge will give you thicker cookies. You can bake right away if you want to!)
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure out 2 tablespoon portions of dough, roll into a ball and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown and the center still looks under-baked. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
How to store and freeze
Store baked chocolate chip cookies in an air-tight container, at room temperature, up to 1 week. Keep unbaked cookie dough in an air-tight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze baked chocolate chip cookies: Let the cookies cool completely and place in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag stacked between layers of parchment paper for up to 6 months.
Freeze cookie dough: place 2 tablespoon mounds on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Place the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag and keep frozen for up to 9 months.
When you are ready to bake, remove and let thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-12 minutes.
Troubleshooting guide for flat cookies
Did your chocolate chip cookies turn out flat and crispy instead of thick and chewy?
- Did you chill dough long enough? Chilling the dough solidifies the butter and cream cheese in the dough. The longer these fats stay solid in the oven, the less spreading will occur during baking. For the perfect cookie let the dough chill in the fridge overnight. If you’re in pinch for time let chill a minimum of 2 hours.
- Not enough flour. Make sure to measure the amount of flour as accurately as possible.
- Expired baking soda. Baking soda is a leavening agent that may be inactive if too old. Baking soda should be replaced every year to maintain effectiveness.
- You used a warm baking sheet. If your baking sheet is still warm from the previous batch, the heat will start to melt the fat in the cookie before you get it in the oven. Make sure you always start with a room temperature baking pan.
- Did you preheat the oven? Placing the cookie dough into an oven that is not preheated will result in an under-baked cookie. Also, make sure the oven rack is in the middle position so that the cookies bake evenly on top and bottom.
Recommended kitchen tools
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Here are a few things we recommend using for perfect cookie baking.
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All that's left to do is grab a big glass of cold milk and someone you love!
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Cookie Scoop
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 oz. (113 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar (tightly packed)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 12 oz. (340 g) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, light brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Use a spatula to stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Cover the mixing bowl and chill the dough in the fridge overnight or for 2 hours minimum for chewy cookies. (The dough can be baked right away but the cookies will be thinner.)
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to measure 2 tablespoon portions of dough. Roll the dough into balls and place onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the centers are puffy and the edges are light golden brown. Don’t over-bake the cookies!
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Store baked cookies in an air-tight container, at room temperature, up to 1 week. Keep unbaked cookie dough in an air-tight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- To freeze baked chocolate chip cookies, let them cool completely and place in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag stacked between layers of parchment paper for up to 6 months.
- To freeze cookie dough, place 2 tablespoon mounds on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Store the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 9 months. When you are ready to bake, remove and let thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-12 minutes.
Nutrition
This recipe is from Amy in the Kitchen. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.
Lashondra says
These baked up really thick and wonderful. Made them lastnight and kept them overnight in fridge. Baked them today for first time. Gave some to my neighborhs next door and my family. Everyone loved it and they didnt last long. Thanks for the delicious recipe !
Amy Duska says
Hi Lashondra! These are my sons favorite cookies 🙂
Maria H says
Hi! Tried to make this cookie. Well im a first timer with baking, taste was great but the cookie didnt flatten. It kinda looked like a biscuit, didnt flaten out just like yours. It was crisp on the outside and soft chewy inside. What did i do wrong? Thanks Amy! Would love to try this recipe again 🙂
Marie says
What amount of baking powder are you using? I bbn only saw a teaspoon of baking soda on the list.
Amy Duska says
Hi Marie, it's only baking soda. I've corrected the recipe card to reflect this!
Mandy says
Yum! These turned out delicious. They were thick just the way I wanted them (and I didn't even chill the dough I was too impatient ) thanks for the recipe I will definitely be baking these again!
-Mandy
Ann says
My husband and kiddos adore these lovely cookies. I make these following similar recipe. They turn out so soft, chewy, and delicious. Absolutely irresistible treat. I’ll probably make the cookies following your recipe next week, or we’ll even make them together with my kiddos and share with their friends.
Amy, thank you so much for suggesting this lovely idea, all of your helpful notes, and such detailed instructions. Hope all of your readers will give these a try. Look forward to your new awesome recipes.
Amy Duska says
I love creating memories with food. I baked these cookies for my son his whole life. He's grown now so when he comes over I like to have some baked for him to take home 🙂
Julie says
These came out perfect!
Amy Duska says
Awesome!
Karen says
Amy, I love these pictures and I can’t wait to make these tonight
Amy Duska says
Thanks Karen 🙂 I hope your family enjoys them as much as we do!
lisa g. says
Foodgawker.com lead me here cause the pic was drooling on me. Ive read about cream cheese in CCC, so I'm curious as to how the taste in the final outcome is, and I mean once the cookies are cooled completely? Also, how in your opinion would ricotta cheese be in place of cream cheese? I have an awesome Vanilla Bean Ricotta Cheese cookie w/a vanilla bean glaze. These morsels are so addictingly delicious! I keep them in the fridge and they just get better as time goes along. I dont even wrap them up. Thanks for your time!
Amy says
Hi Lisa! Thank you for the compliment! Once the cookies have cooled completely they remain soft and chewy for days and I attribute it to the addition of cream cheese. It only makes the cookie taste richer, like the big ones you find in a corner bakery. I think the ricotta cheese might work rather well. I'd love to try that!