If you have a soft spot for truly decadent treats, you’re going to fall in love with The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. These cookies come out perfectly soft, buttery, and packed with gooey chocolate chips in every bite, making them the ultimate comfort dessert or snack. With a straightforward process and pantry-friendly ingredients, this recipe delivers melt-in-your-mouth cookies that everyone will rave about, whether it’s for a family gathering or a cozy night in.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering simple but essential ingredients is the first step to baking The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. Each component plays a crucial role, from the creamy butter that offers richness to the brown sugar that adds a tender chewiness and that deep caramel flavor you love.
- Salted butter: Provides a creamy, rich base that melts into buttery goodness, key for soft cookies.
- White sugar (raw cane sugar preferred): Adds sweetness and helps give the cookies a balanced texture.
- Light brown sugar: Packed with molasses flavor, it keeps the cookies moist and chewy.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor with a warm, inviting aroma.
- Large egg: Binds ingredients together and helps the cookies rise slightly while keeping them soft.
- All-purpose flour: The right amount forms the structure without making the cookies tough.
- Baking soda: Works as a gentle leavening agent to create that perfect rise and light texture.
- Salt: Essential for balancing sweetness and intensifying flavor; adjust to taste.
- Chocolate chips and chunks: For bursts of gooey, melty chocolate in every satisfying bite.
How to Make The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Butter
Start by gently melting the butter in the microwave until it’s just barely liquid—warm but not hot. This allows for better blending with the sugars, crucial for creating that soft, tender cookie texture you crave.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars
Next, beat the melted butter with both white and brown sugars until the mixture becomes light and creamy. This step introduces air to your batter, making your cookies puff up beautifully without becoming dense.
Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients
Beat in the vanilla extract and egg on low speed, just until combined. This careful mixing avoids overworking the dough, which is key to keeping your cookies soft and tender rather than cakey or tough.
Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients
Now, add flour, baking soda, and salt all at once. Mix until the dough forms loose crumbles and then use your hands to gently press those crumbles into a cohesive dough ball. The goal is a dough that isn’t too wet or dry, primed for perfect cookie shaping.
Step 5: Add Chocolate
Fold in your chocolate chips and chunks by hand, distributing them evenly without smashing them. This keeps pockets of melted chocolate in every cookie, delivering that irresistible gooey texture and chocolate hit.
Step 6: Shape Cookies
Form the dough into 12 large balls—or 9 if you prefer your cookies extra large—and place them spaced evenly on your cookie sheet. Proper spacing means they’ll bake evenly and keep their shape.
Step 7: Bake and Cool
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9 to 11 minutes, watching closely as they become puffy and just lightly golden on the edges. Take them out even if they seem a bit underdone; they will finish setting as they cool, resulting in perfectly soft cookies. Let them cool right on the pan for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
How to Serve The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on the cookies right after baking to elevate the rich chocolate and buttery notes. For a fun twist, you can dust them lightly with cinnamon or espresso powder before baking for an added layer of flavor.
Side Dishes
Serve these cookies alongside a tall glass of cold milk for the ultimate classic pairing. They also shine with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce if you want to indulge even more.
Creative Ways to Present
Turn these cookies into an unforgettable dessert by sandwiching a layer of Nutella or peanut butter cream between two cookies. Or stack them on a beautiful platter with ribbons of melted chocolate or sprinkled powdered sugar for a centerpiece that’s both delicious and eye-catching.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your soft chocolate chip cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their softness and flavor for several days, making them perfect for snacking throughout the week.
Freezing
You can freeze the dough balls before baking or the baked cookies themselves. When freezing dough, wrap each ball tightly and place them in a freezer bag; bake directly from frozen by adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time. For baked cookies, wrap them individually and store them in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Reheating
Warm leftover cookies for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave to bring back their soft, gooey charm. Alternatively, pop them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes for a lightly crisped edge with a warm center.
FAQs
Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter?
Absolutely! Just add a pinch more salt to the dry ingredients to keep the balance of flavors just right in The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.
What’s the secret to keeping these cookies soft rather than crispy?
The magic lies in using melted butter combined with brown sugar and baking them just until barely golden. Underbaking slightly and letting them cool on the pan encourages softness inside.
Can I substitute chocolate chips for other types of chocolate?
Definitely! Try chopping your favorite chocolate bar into chunks or mixing in white chocolate, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch for a tasty twist on The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.
How large should the cookie balls be?
The recipe suggests 12 large balls for perfect size, but if you’re after extra-large cookies, roll 9 dough balls instead. This way, they’ll bake evenly without spreading too thin.
Can this recipe be doubled for a larger batch?
Yes, doubling the ingredients works well, but be sure to mix dough thoroughly and watch your oven capacity so that cookies bake evenly without overcrowding the baking sheet.
Final Thoughts
There’s just something so joyful about baking and sharing The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. It’s that warm, soft bite with pockets of melted chocolate that makes it impossible to eat just one. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to create your new favorite cookie tradition. You won’t regret it!
Print
The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These soft chocolate chip cookies are perfectly tender, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Made with a simple dough of butter, sugars, vanilla, egg, and chocolate chips, these cookies bake up with a soft, dense texture and just a hint of golden edges for the ultimate comfort treat.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar (raw cane sugar preferred)
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (6.75 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (add extra to taste)
Add-ins
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (or a combination of chocolate chips and chunks)
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds until just barely melted; it should be mostly liquid but not hot.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the melted butter with both sugars until the mixture is creamy and light.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the vanilla extract and egg on low speed until just incorporated, about 10-15 seconds. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until the dough forms loose crumbles. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a cohesive dough ball—aim for a texture between wet and dry dough.
- Add Chocolate: Gently fold in the chocolate chips (and chocolate chunks, if using) by hand until evenly distributed.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for extra-large cookies) and arrange them evenly on a cookie sheet.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies look puffy, dry, and just barely golden. Do not overbake; remove them even if they appear underdone.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about 30 minutes. They will settle into dense, buttery, soft cookies. Enjoy warm and store leftovers in an airtight container for several days, or freeze for later.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough once the egg is added to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Remove cookies from the oven when they look just barely golden and still puffy to maintain softness.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet to achieve the desired soft and dense texture.
- Raw cane sugar is preferred for a richer flavor but regular white sugar works fine.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days or frozen for longer storage.
