Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

A foolproof recipe for perfectly soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies with golden edges and melty centers.

KEY INFO:

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Diet: Vegetarian (contains eggs & dairy)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Large mixing bowl
Electric mixer (hand or stand)
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Cookie scoop or spoon
Cooling rack

INGREDIENTS:

226g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
200g (1 cup) brown sugar, packed
100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
280g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
340g (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Cream butter and both sugars for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until just combined.
In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop 2-tablespoon portions onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers look slightly underbaked.
Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to rack.

CRUCIAL TIPS:

Room temperature ingredients are essential for even mixing
Don’t overbake – cookies will set as they cool
Space cookies well apart as they spread
For extra chocolatey cookies, press additional chips on top before baking

STORAGE & VARIATIONS:

Store in airtight container up to 5 days
Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months
Add 1 cup chopped nuts if desired
Try different chocolate combinations (milk, dark, white)
For thicker cookies, chill dough 24 hours

COMMON MISTAKES:

Using hot butter (makes flat cookies)
Overbaking (leads to hard cookies)
Overmixing dough (creates tough cookies)
Crowding cookies on sheet (causes merging)

Follow these steps exactly and you’ll have perfectly chewy cookies with crisp edges and soft centers every time. The key is patience during the creaming stage and not overbaking – trust that they’ll set up perfectly as they cool.