The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

By Karrie on | Updated | 385 Comments

If you’re looking for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the whole world…I have it right here!

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (1)

I have made Nestle Tollhouse, Cook’s Illustrated, Paula Deen’s and many other chocolate chip cookie recipes in my life. And while they have all added to my weight gain over the years (ahem), none of them were the absolute perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Some came darn close – but never 100% perfect.

But I finally have found it.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

The recipe that out-does all other chocolate chip cookie recipes. The chocolate chip cookie recipe that meets all my tests, one that turns out perfectly for me every time. One thatI can freeze into balls and that would bake up just as good as if you baked them without freezing since I love freezer cooking.

As I have been getting more into cooking more from scratch, finding a recipe that used real butter instead of shortening was a must. But it was hard to get a cookie that didn’t fall flat, or turn out nice and soft in the middle using butter. That was until now. These real ingredient chocolate chip cookies are soft in the middle and a little chewy and crispy on the outside.

Basically the perfect cookie.

This one tops them all. Seriously, my search is over! It’s FINALLY over.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2)

My criteria for the perfect chocolate chip cookie was:

  • Must use “real” butter, not shortening
  • Must use “real” vanilla, not imitation
  • Must taste amazing. Even the next day.
  • Needed to be soft and not flat
  • Needed to use quality chocolate chips (I love milk chocolate Ghirardelli)
  • Needed to be able to be frozen, baked later and turn out perfectly since I am a huge freezer meal gal.

This recipe met all these tests 100% perfectly.

In fact, I will let the pictures show you how good these are.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (3)You can see how beautiful this cookie looks on the inside – a perfect blend of chewy and soft melty goodness.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (4)

My personal secret: make sure your cookies are a nice big size. I usually roll mine into 1/4 cup or 4 Tablespoon sized balls. In fact, I use this cookie scoop which is the perfect size.

If you want that gooey center with a bit of chewy outside…make them big.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (5)

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (6)

I love that this chocolate chip cookie recipe is not too flat, and the flavor is to die for. I was given this recipe by a friend who got it fromhereistherecipe.com.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (7)

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (8)

If you want to freeze this cookie dough, just form into balls and freeze individually. Then place into a ziploc freezer bag until you are ready to bake. Add a few extra minutes to your baking time and enjoy.

These cookies are pretty much the best thing ever, especially after a big freezer meal cooking marathon…. ……totally hits the spot.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (9)

Here is the Master Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that you can print out!

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (10)

Recipe Card

4.64 from 171 votes

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Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Published By Karrie

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cookies, cookies

Servings 32 cookies

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

The world's perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups real unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 oz Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips or other quality chocolate chips, 11.5 .

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  • Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine and set aside.

  • Using paddle attachment on mixer, cream butter and sugars together just until blended.

  • Add eggs, one a time, mixing well after each addition.

  • Add the vanilla.

  • Put mixer on low speed, and add in dry ingredients.

  • Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

  • Stir in chocolate chips by hand gently.

  • It's best to make bigger cookies for the right texture - so I would recommend using a 4 Tablespoon size scoop to form your cookies.

  • Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes. I like mine to look a little undercooked in the middle, then let them finish cooking on the cookie sheet for a few minutes while they cool. Then move them to a cookie rack or plate to keep cooling.

  • If you are freezing these cookies: Form into balls, and freeze on a cookie sheet. After frozen remove and add to a Ziploc freezer bag. They will last for about a month in the freezer. To bake just take out and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes of baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 55mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Loved this recipe?

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I want you to bake these cookies and tell me what you think!

Come back to this post and give me your honest opinions. I think it’s the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever and I hope you do, too.

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (11)

—>See ALL of my Freezer Meals recipes here.

If you love to cook, try these out!

  • Karrie’s Favorite Inexpensive Kitchen Gadgets
  • Making 50 Freezer Meals in one Day
  • Freezer Meal Tips for Beginners
  • 10 Easy and Cheap Camping Meals
  • Unique and Cool Camping Equipment For the Whole Family

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (12)

About Karrie

Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Rach T says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (13)
    Everyone who has ever tasted these have loved them. I am making them today but only have semi sweet chocolate chips. Do you think that will change the flavor too much

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      They will still be delicious with semi-sweet chips.

      Reply

  2. Nancy says

    Best chocolate chips cookies ever! My husband, not a big chocolate chip cookie guy, loves them and wants more. Could I use butterscotch chips in place of chocolate?

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      Absolutely!!

      Reply

  3. Gail Webb says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (15)
    These will be my go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. They are crispy on the edges and so chewy in the middle. I added chopped pecans to mine. So good!

    Reply

  4. Angela L says

    I’ve made these cookies for years! I too was on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookies. My daughter took these to her teachers her freshman year of high school. She’s a junior and her teachers wait expectantly for these cookies for special holidays! Thank you thank you thank you!!

    Reply

  5. Alecia says

    I love this recipe!! It’s become my go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. It doesn’t flatten out, it’s thick and chewy, we love it! Thanks!
    My daughter who hates chocolate has me bake her a batch with one chip on top because she likes the basic cookie better than sugar cookies. 😉

    Reply

  6. Sabina says

    Is the dough really stiff? It resembles a roll out cookie dough.

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      No it shouldn’t be stiff, add a little less flour next time. Sometimes elevation, humidity and other factors can change and I use less flour as needed.

      Reply

  7. Dorena says

    Hello, can these be made using sugar replacements for both kinds of sugars, brown and the white?

    Reply

  8. Katrin says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (16)
    I personally don’t like them. And I always use real butter and a mix of sugars in my cookies. But they are not my kind of dream.

    The only thing I had to change was the dark sugar and replace it with a lighter one, but still – the dough should be chilled first, otherwise they will not turn out ok.

    Reply

  9. Denise says

    Have you ever used Crisco butter flavored sticks instead of butter? I’ve heard some say using Crisco makes the cookies stay soft but I don’t know chemically if this is true or if it changes the flavor of the cookies.

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      I think that would change the flavor quite a bit, and I haven’t tried it. I stick to the original cause its so good!

      Reply

  10. Melody says

    I’m curious if they could be made into smaller cookies. I will baking cookies for a wedding and don’t need to make such a large cookie. Will they still be just as good if made into smaller ones??

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      Yes they taste good smaller, but try a batch first to make sure you like the way they look for the wedding!

      Reply

  11. Marilyn says

    I only have a lot of light brown sugar on hand…wil that be ok to use?

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      Yes!

      Reply

  12. Holly says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (17)
    My forever go-to CCC recipe!! The absolute best ever hands down!! ❤️

    Reply

  13. Linda Tollefson says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (18)
    These are so good, I made them big so I only got 22. My grandson loves them!

    Reply

  14. Pollieanna Sepulveda says

    Great recipe, this is my families new favorite cookie recipe. The taste and texture us perfect. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  15. Lisa Stevens says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (19)
    This is a fantastic recipe! My Dad is 86 and has dementia, lots of things have changed, but not his love for cookies, cake, etc. I try to make him cookies regularly and one weekend I made these and I made them big as recommended. He loved them! Later I asked my Mom if she’d tried them and she said she only got a couple. Apparently, he ate all of them in just a couple days! I’m making them again for him this weekend! His disease is stealing him away bit by bit and sometimes I’m not sure he even remembers I’m his daughter when I first arrive, but I can tell you these cookies sure brought him joy and in turn gave me another sweet memory to tuck away. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Cindy says

      Wonderful story of your love for your Father and Mother. Blessings to you all!

      Reply

  16. Ross says

    The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (20)
    I have been accused of bringing store bought cookies when using this recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Karrie says

      Hahaha!!!

      Reply

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The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my chocolate chip cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

What makes chocolate chip cookies taste so good? ›

While chocolate is the headliner of any chocolate chip cookie recipe, don't underestimate what an important role vanilla extract plays. Vanilla gives these cookies more flavor and accentuates the taste of the chocolate. Make sure you're reaching for the best vanilla extract so your cookies are the very best.

Why are my chocolate chip cookies crunchy and not chewy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Why add baking powder to chocolate chip cookies? ›

If that supply cuts off before the cookies set, a soft dough will collapse in on itself. If it continues until the end, the air pockets are preserved as the cookie's crumb. Baking powder simply adds carbon dioxide to the equation, providing a more forceful pressure that encourages a dough to spread up and out.

How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat? ›

The Fix: Chilling the Dough

Refrigerate the remaining dough until it feels firm to the touch, one to two hours. This chills the butter, so it won't spread rapidly in the oven. Although your cookies won't be as fluffy as they might have been, they won't turn into pancakes.

Why do my chocolate chip cookies always get hard? ›

Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

How do you keep chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy? ›

Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out. We recommend white bread so that no flavor is transferred to the cookies.

What does chocolate chip cookies do to your body? ›

Chocolate Chip Cookies Can Be Healthy

They also contain flavonoids, which have been shown to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation. In addition, the oats in some chocolate chip cookie recipes are a great source of fiber.

What does an extra egg yolk do for cookies? ›

A cookie made with extra egg yolk (or, in this case, only egg yolk), will be lighter and chewier than a cookie made with whole eggs. The cookies will also have a richer flavor thanks to the added fat in egg yolk.

Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

What does baking soda do to gray hair? ›

Key Takeaways. Baking soda can lighten gray hair as well as prevent white hair discoloration and remove impurities but should be used cautiously due to the potential for dryness and fragility in gray hair.

Why are my cookies coming out fluffy? ›

A spread with less fat, diet "margarines" or spreads in tubs contain have too much water. The water creates steam, causing the cookies to puff. Low protein flours, such as cake flour, absorb less water, leaving excess water to create steam, which causes the cookies to puff.

Why didn't my chocolate chip cookies flatten? ›

Too much flour causes the dough to become dry and crumbly, which prevents it from flattening out during baking. As a result, your cookies will stay in their original shape instead of spreading out into nice circles.

How do you keep chocolate chip cookies flat? ›

Chill the cookie dough.

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

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