Description
This recipe delivers the best soft chocolate chip cookies with a tender, buttery texture and just the right amount of sweetness. Using melted butter, a combination of white and brown sugars, and careful mixing, these cookies bake up soft, puffy, and perfectly chewy. They’re easy to prepare and perfect for any occasion, whether enjoyed warm fresh from the oven or stored for later.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 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)
Mix-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
- Microwaving the butter until just barely melted ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Do not overmix the wet ingredients once the egg is added to avoid tough cookies.
- Hand-pressing the dough crumbles into a dough ball helps achieve the perfect soft texture.
- Baking time is crucial; removing cookies when slightly underdone preserves softness.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on the pan to set their texture before serving.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
