Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (2024)

This chocolate chip cookie recipe is truly the best. Just take it from the 14,000 members of the Allrecipes community who have given it rave reviews! These chocolate chip cookies are beloved because they're soft, chewy, and absolutely irresistible. Our top-rated recipe for chocolate chip cookies will quickly become your go-to.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making bakery-worthy chocolate chip cookies is much easier than it seems. You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:

Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients

These are the kitchen staples you'll need to make the best chocolate chip cookies of your life:

  • Butter: This classic chocolate chip cookie recipe starts with two sticks of butter creamed with white and brown sugars. The blend of sugars creates a perfectly balanced flavor.
  • Eggs: Eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the dough together.
  • Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the chocolate chip cookies.
  • Baking soda: Baking soda acts as a leavener, which means it helps the cookies rise.
  • Water: A bit of hot water creates steam as it bakes, working with the baking soda to puff the cookies up.
  • Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients, but it won't make the cookies taste salty.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour helps create gluten, which adds structure to the cookie dough.
  • Chocolate chips: Of course, you'll need semisweet chocolate chips! You can use dark or milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
  • Nuts (optional): Walnuts are optional, but they add nutty flavor and a welcome crunch.

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies Step-By-Step

Here's a very brief overview of what you can expect when you make chocolate chip cookies from-scratch:

  1. Beat the butter and sugars, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
  2. Dissolve the baking soda in hot water and add to the mixture.
  3. Stir in the flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
  4. Drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet.
  5. Bake until the edges are golden brown.

How Long to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, the chocolate chip cookies should be perfectly baked in about 10 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the cookies should be mostly set (they'll continue to set as the cool).

Test Kitchen Tips

“Everyone needs a good chocolate chip cookie recipe,” says culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom). Here are a few of her expert tips and tricks for making perfect chocolate chip cookies every time:

  • Beating the butter and sugar is the most important part of the chocolate chip cookie-making process, according to Nicole. It takes a lot longer than you might think: She recommends beating the ingredients together for about four minutes.
  • Nicole suggests chilling the dough before baking to prevent spreading. This is essential if you want a cookie that’s still a little gooey in the middle, she says.
  • Make sure to let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven. This step prevents tearing and keeps each cookie in one piece.

How Long Do Chocolate Chip Cookies Last?

Store the cooled chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to go the extra mile, throw a piece of white bread into the container — it'll absorb the dry air and keep the cookies soft for longer.

Learn more: How to Store Cookies So They Stay Fresh

Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Yes! You can freeze baked chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip cookie dough.

  • To freeze baked cookies: Allow the baked cookies to cool completely. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, cover, and freeze for about three hours or up to overnight. Transfer the now-frozen cookies to a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container. Wrap in at least one layer of foil for extra protection. Freeze for up to two months.
  • To freeze cookie dough: Drop balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and freeze for about three hours or up to overnight. Transfer the frozen cookies to a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container. Wrap in at least one layer of foil for extra protection. Freeze for up to two months.

Learn more: How to Freeze Cookies and Cookie Dough for Easy Baking

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"This has been my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe since I found it on Allrecipes several years ago," says GCKJA. "The recipe is not the 'back of the bag' recipe, with different ratios of all ingredients and that's what makes these cookies so darned good!"

"By far my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe," raves Sonja Ellingson. "Exactly the way I like them. Chewy, crispy and thin. I added some toffee chips in the second batch and they were over the top good!"

"My go-to recipe," says Andrea Howard. "I sometimes add oatmeal, nuts, raisins, etc. but they are also fantastic without. Crunchy and chewy in every bite!"

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient makes a cookie chewy? ›

Cornstarch gives the cookies that ultra soft consistency we all love. Plus, it helps keep the cookies beautifully thick. We use the same trick when making shortbread cookies. Egg yolk: Another way to promise a super chewy chocolate chip cookie is to use an extra egg yolk.

What is the #1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the #1 cookie in the US? ›

Nearly 93% of all American households serve and enjoy cookies as treats or after meals. However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world. How much do youknow about chocolate chip cookies?

Should you chill cookie dough before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

What makes cookies taste the best? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  1. Always use butter.
  2. Choose the right sugar.
  3. Choose the right flour.
  4. Check your flour is in date.
  5. Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  6. Cream the butter and sugar.
  7. Beat in the eggs.
  8. Fold in the flour.

Should you beat eggs before adding to cookies? ›

To get perfectly soft, chewy cookies, you need to beat the eggs, butter, and sugar for up to five minutes.

Is it better to use Crisco or butter in cookies? ›

Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

Why do you put vinegar in cookies? ›

King Arthur Flour says the purpose of the vinegar is to temper the sweetness of the sugar and it also reacts with the baking soda to allow the cookies to rise a bit more in the oven. Who knew, eh? So try it–you'll be surprised how it perfectly balances the taste.

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

How To Make Cookies Chewy Without Cornstarch
  1. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. ...
  2. Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter. ...
  3. Use baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Rest your dough. ...
  5. Shorten baking time.
May 14, 2023

What is the secret to gooey cookies? ›

Brown sugar is key. Brown sugar has molasses in it which is like a more liquid ingredient. This keeps the dough kind of wet/moist when baking through. It is also used for soft cookies as the overall cookie dough wouldn't spread as much as compared to white sugar.

How do I make my cookies chewy instead of crunchy? ›

To keep cookies from spreading as much, resulting in a thicker, chewier cookie, chill the dough before baking. This is a good technique to use on butter cookie dough recipes when you're looking for a thicker, gooier, but not necessarily cakey cookie. Baking a cookie for longer will also result in a crispier cookie.

What are the top 3 cookies in America? ›

Top 10 Cookie Flavors
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are the quintessential cookie. ...
  • Snickerdoodle. ...
  • Sugar Cookies. ...
  • Peanut Butter Cookies. ...
  • White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. ...
  • Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. ...
  • Gingerbread Cookies. ...
  • Black & White Cookies.

What are the top 5 favorite cookies? ›

10 Most Popular Cookies for Bakeries, Restaurants & More
  • Sugar Cookies. ...
  • Oatmeal Raisin. ...
  • Marshmallow Treats. ...
  • M&M Cookies. ...
  • Lemon Cookies. ...
  • Shortbread Cookies. ...
  • Jam Thumbprints. ...
  • Peanut Butter Blossoms. Chocolate and peanut butter are two rich flavors that pair together very well in cakes and candies, as well as cookies.
Nov 29, 2022

What is the 2nd most popular cookie? ›

Nabisco Oreo was the second ranked cookie brand of the United States with about 674.2 million U.S. dollars worth of sales in 2017. Cookies are part of the snack food category and defined as small, thin, baked treats in the United States.

What is the most sold cookie? ›

The First Cookie Brands In The United States

These facts have remained true until today, making Oreo one of the oldest and most popular cookie brands in the country! Honestly, they're now the best-selling brand of cookies in the world. So, as we can all agree, Oreo is the #1 cookie brand in the universe!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Arielle Torp

Last Updated:

Views: 6368

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arielle Torp

Birthday: 1997-09-20

Address: 87313 Erdman Vista, North Dustinborough, WA 37563

Phone: +97216742823598

Job: Central Technology Officer

Hobby: Taekwondo, Macrame, Foreign language learning, Kite flying, Cooking, Skiing, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.