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How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
This homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy. We use a stand mixer, but you can make these cookies with a handheld mixer if that is all you have. We cannot get enough of these crispy, chewy cookies. There’s a good bet you’ll find a big bag of chocolate chip cookie dough in our freezer right now — this dough freezes like a dream; check below for our tips on freezing this cookie dough. If you love cookie dough, check out our recipe for edible cookie dough. This recipe starts with creaming butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together. We use granulated sugar and brown sugar in this cookie recipe. The granulated sugar keeps the edges crispy, and the brown sugar makes the middles chewy. We do this a lot when making cookies. Using more than one type of sugar seems excessive, but it truly makes a difference. We do the same when making these homemade oatmeal cookies. When the butter, sugars, and vanilla are light and fluffy, it’s time to add eggs. When making this recipe, it’s best to use room-temperature ingredients, so if you forget to take out your butter and eggs in advance, here are two tips for you so you can still make fantastic cookies: The dry ingredients come next: flour, baking soda, and salt. And finally, the chocolate chips. We love bittersweet chocolate chips, but semi-sweet, milk, or a combination are all delicious. You can bake, chill, or freeze the cookie dough. The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days (you can also freeze the batter; tips are below). Even though you can bake immediately, chilling cookie dough makes better cookies. A night or two in the refrigerator helps the flour absorb moisture in the dough from the egg, making the cookies chewier, thicker, and taste even better.
How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Since it’s just the two of us, we freeze cookie dough all the time. Frozen cookie dough will last in the freezer up to 3 months. Here’s how to do it: Then, when a cookie craving hits, bake the frozen cookies without thawing. It will add an extra 3 to 5 minutes of bake time.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies — Oatmeal raisin cookies that are soft in the middle, a little chewy on the outside and full of warm flavors like cinnamon and vanilla. Easy Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies — We love these easy double chocolate cookies with butter, cocoa powder and extra chocolate chunks. Ridiculously Easy Peanut Butter Cookies — Delicious peanut butter cookies that are naturally free of flour, butter, and dairy. Snickerdoodle Cookies — Our favorite recipe for snickerdoodles that makes cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers.
Recipe updated, originally posted September 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 16 tablespoons (230 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks) 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar 1 cup (200 grams) packed brown sugar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 large eggs, at room temperature 2 cups (340 grams or 12 ounces) chocolate chips 2Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. 3Add the butter, sugars, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Or, in a mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer). Cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed (speed four on our mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. 4Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. The eggs will not be completely incorporated. 5Turn the speed down to the lowest setting and add the dry ingredients in thirds, beating until just combined; 1 to 2 minutes. 6With the mixer on low, sprinkle the chocolate chips until just incorporated. 2Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, and rotate once during cooking, for 15 to 18 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown around the edges but light in the middle. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 3Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator.
