Cook’s Illustrated Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cook’s Illustrated Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies are large, bakery-style cookies made with browned butter and dark brown sugar for a toffee-like flavor and soft texture.
Can we talk chocolate chip cookies today?
I feel like I have been to the moon and back when it comes to how many chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve tried over the ten year span since I started this site. I’ve done the back-of-the-Nestle-bag thing, the pudding chocolate chip cookies, the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies, the copycat soft batch chocolate chip cookies, the New York Times chocolate chip cookies, Alton Brown’s “The Chewy” chocolate chip cookies, and I’ve created my own versions of some of those, too.
For the longest time, the Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies were my go-to cookie. Then I made the New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe (from Jaques Torres) and my world was turned upside down. Enormous cookies, super thick and chewy, dark chocolate, flaky sea salt… they were a dream! But they also involved planning ahead, which isn’t always possible when you want cookies RIGHT NOW (or at least in the next two hours). So, I sort of made my own version of that (as well as a peanut butter cup version that is like whoa).
As you can see, I’m a tad bit, shall we say, non-committal when it comes to my chocolate chip cookies… always looking for the next best thing. But, life’s too short to miss out on the opportunity to uncover the most amazing, PERFECT chocolate chip cookie ever, right?
Last weekend, I returned to this Cook’s Illustrated perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe that I had tried multiple times nearly five years ago. I had been underwhelmed with it at the time, but perhaps time heals all wounds because as far as I’m concerned, they turned out absolutely perfectly this time around.
What Makes a Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie?
Admittedly, this is totally subjective and you and I may not see eye-to-eye on it. Heck, my husband and I have VASTLY differing opinions on what makes a chocolate chip cookie perfect, so when I can create a cookie that we both REALLY LIKE, it’s a huge win.
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This is what I need from my perfect chocolate chip cookies:
- Soft, thick and chewy – this is a must! I refuse to waste calories on thin cookies or crunchy cookies. Unless you’re giving me a biscotti, pizzelle, or some other cookie that is inherently crunchy, it needs to be soft and chewy. End of story.
- It needs to be EASY. Chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate “throw them in the oven for an afternoon snack” type of cookie. Sure, there is room for the fancy, chill-the-dough-for-days type, but my perfect cookie needs to be low maintenance.
- There needs to be enough chocolate chips. This should go without saying, but if I can take a normal-size bite and manage to not get even one chip, then the amount of chocolate chips is seriously lacking.
These Cook’s Illustrated perfect chocolate chip cookies check off all of my requirements above, AND it’s a cookie that my husband and I both loved. Total home run here!
What Makes These Cookies Different?
There are a few different aspects to these cookies that makes the “perfect” moniker worthy:
- While the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies use melted butter, this recipe takes it a step further and actually browns the butter. Using browned butter really ups the complexity of the flavor; nothing bad has ever come from browned butter, that’s for sure!
- Most soft and chewy cookies use more light brown sugar than granulated sugar to keep that soft texture, but this one uses dark brown sugar that, along with the browned butter, gives these cookies a hint of butterscotch and toffee flavor.
- A little less flour and the addition of an egg yolk adds to the soft texture.
The Verdict?
Perfect! Seriously, the Cook’s Illustrated Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies are utterly fantastic cookies. They can be whipped up quickly, they have great flavor, and the perfect texture – golden brown, wrinkly edges and soft and puffy centers.
My only regret is not making a double batch of these!
One year ago: Tortellini in Parmesan Cream Sauce with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Six years ago: Waldorf Salad
Cook's Illustrated Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup (165 g) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1¼ cups (225 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large (18x12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
- 3. Heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling the pan constantly until the butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons butter into the hot browned butter until completely melted. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
- 4. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk until the mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat the process of resting and whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and give the dough a final stir to ensure there are no hidden flour pockets.
- 5. Scoop the dough into 16 even portions, each about 3 tablespoons, and arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.
- 6. Bake the cookies 1 tray at a time until the cookies are golden brown but still puffy, and the edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer the baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- It is recommended that you use weight measurements for the best results.
- You can use light brown sugar instead of dark, but the characteristic butterscotch/toffee flavor will be less pronounced.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Tried this today and they were great! Put it in a 180*C oven though, after the bottoms were getting too brown with the recommended 190*C temperature. Other than that, followed the recipe exactly!
This is the ONLY cookie recipe I make. I have tried plenty of others. The texture and browned butter toffee taste is totally unparalleled. I bring these in to work whenever I make them and they are always incredibly popular. The first few times I made the recipe to the letter – now I like to add walnuts and make 12 larger cookies instead of 16 smaller. When they’re larger they need to bake a little longer but the texture is sooo good.
Made these tonight and they were AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Absolutely the most delicious chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had! They turned out plump and chewy. I made smaller cookies from the dough (yield 36 cookies) and have a gas oven that runs hot, so lowered the cooking temperature to 340 degrees and cooked for 11 minutes. Perfection!
Does the cookie dough need to be refrigerated before baking? I thought it was funny that the recipe didn’t call for refrigerating the dough, and my cookies turned into one giant, flat cookie.
Hi Caroline, This particular recipe does not require refrigeration prior to baking. It is important that the butter cools to room temperature prior to baking. Also, be sure to weigh the ingredients and adhere to the mixing, resting, mixing, resting directions. I hope that helps!
I made these for the first time today. I followed the recipe exactly and they are the puffy and taste amazing. Best chocolate chip cookie ever.
I make these cookies all the time! They’ve turned out great every single time. I think browning the butter is what makes them so good. I add a sprinkle of coarse salt on them as soon as they come out of the oven.
People rave over these and always ask me for the recipe…I gladly pass along the link to this site!
These are not my tips, but I have used them all to great effect.
1. Use European butter (higher fat content than American butter) because it’s so much more flavorful.. Plugra is a good brand.
2. BEST TIP: Make cookie batter 72 hours before you want to bake them, refrigerating the dough (vastly enhances and improves flavor).
3. Remove cookie dough from fridge and bake it from its cold, hard state (they will bake up higher and look more much more attractive).
4. Take them out when they look just barely undone on the top of the cookie. This will keep them chewy longer.
5. Bake on a slipmat or parchment. They will come off of the tray more easily and be less likely to become misshapen, though you technically do not need to use them).
These were exceedingly better than Tollhouse cookies — they’re not even in the same ballpark (think of the difference between a fine dining restaurant and a grade school cafeteria). You’ll never go back to the back of the bag recipe. And yet, the NYTimes Torres recipe get’s better reviews!
P.S. In case you’re curious, the reason why Cook’s Illustrated has you rest and whisk the butter/sugar/egg batter three times is to fully dissolve the sugar crystals!
Hi
Loved the recipe and the result was a lovely butter scotch chocolate chip wonderful…nice crunch on the outside lovely chewy center. I will make them again and again thank you for sharing.
Aroha from New Zealand
Sue
The original recipe has chopped toasted pecans.,..and that puts them over the top.
??? *and than puts them over the top of the cookies. Both work but its “them” not “that”
Yesterday, I was on the search for a chocolate chip cookie recipe. I even read of the reviews before I made it last night. The idea of browning butter baffled me. I was like this is something new I have to try it. I followed the recipe exactly except we only had regular brown sugar and egg beaters instead of eggs and I also made the cookies slightly bigger so it made ten. The smell of browning butter smells amazing. After the cookies were done I let them cool before I put them away and I ate one. When I say this is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I put them in the oven for 10 minutes so when I bit into the cookie just the rim had a little crunch. After you pass the crunch you get a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie with that slight toffee/caramel taste. This is my new favorite cookie recipe and I promise you that I will make it many many more times to come. Also, a lot of people were saying that their cookies came out thin and flat, but when I did it they came out beautifully. Thank you so much for the explosion of flavors in my mouth.
This is a great cookie recipe! As advertised the cookies were crispy, chewy and richly flavored with brown sugar and chocolate. Made the recipe just as stated except ( don’t the “excepts” make your eyes roll?) I doubled it and added chopped pecans because why wouldn’t you? Definitely my new go to chocolate chip cookie.
I made these and the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies and took both to work today. These were the winner among my co-workers (although no one seemed to mind the others!).
These look so good – I love how simple they are!
Whipped these up after reading your post this morning. They are beautiful! My new favorite recipe! So easy to make.
The original CI Thick & Chewy has been our favorite for years. I did try this recipe, like you did a few years ago and it did not replace my favorite. I’m going to give it another chance soon! They look perfect!
This is my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!!! Love, love, love them!
Oh Michelle…I already have a stick of browned butter waiting on the cabinet for me to mix up some cookie dough. I was just going to tweak the basic Toll House recipe by browning one of the sticks of butter and see if it enhanced the flavor profile. Maybe I’ll try this Cook’s recipe instead. I’ve been craving chocolate chip cookies since last week when I made a batch for my daughter’s school bake sale. I don’t bake much anymore and when I do it is usually it all leaves the house. :( Thanks for the post!
Can you please explain how you got a “stick” of browned butter, how do you turn it into stick form? Thanks
I prefer a crisper, or less chewy/soft chocolate chip cookie. It doesn’t have to be as hard as a Chip Ahoy cookie, but I lean that way vs. chewy. Any suggestions? Thank you! I do also love the NY Times recipe and browning butter is my new favorite flavor. Yum!
Hi Beth, I really am not a great person to ask because I go out of my way to make sure my cookies and super soft and chewy, ha! But some general tweaks you can make would be to use a whole egg instead of just the yolk, and adjust the sugar amounts so that you have more granulated sugar and less brown sugar. I’ve never done either, but those would be a good starting point!
Stella Parks, of Serious Eats and Bravetart.com, talks about bleached AP flour v. unbleached AP. What I’ve gathered from her comments as the bottom line is that in many cookie recipes bleached flour will cause the cookies to spread more. Sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometimes not, depending on the effect you want. Previously I hadn’t bought regular (bleached) flour in years, but I’ve recently picked some up to test this out.
These look delicious! I can’t pass up a good chocolate chip receipe..
I’m definitely a chocolate chip cookie snob. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’m partial to the cookies we made at the bakery where I worked. Sadly, when it closed, I never thought to take the recipe with me (I managed to grab a few before the auctioneers took the book). I know our recipe was similar to this, but we used mini chocolate chips…and a LOT of them. That made for a lot of melty chocolate in every bite. I’m going to try this recipe, but sub the mini chips and see if we have a winner.
So funny you mention that, Diane! There’s a bakery near my in-laws that has amazing chocolate chip cookies, and they use mini chocolate chips, so there is a TON of chocolate in every bite. Genius!
I always make the NY Times Chocolate Cookies.
Which do you prefer?
Yes, we like the soft ones.
Thank you!
Hi Rena, Such a tough choice! These are closer to a “classic” chocolate chip cookie, but I love how massive the NYT ones are, along with the dark chocolate and flaky sea salt. If you offered me each, I’d probably choose the NYT cookie :) BUT! This one is still delicious!
Whoa. I made these last week! I did make a double batch so that I could store frozen dough in the freezer. Never have done that so I impressed myself. :) I love nuts in chocolate chip cookies but always omit them since they’re not preferred by my children. Well, this time I kept some dough separate and put in toasted pecans. I def agree with you that the browned butter really adds to the flavor. So good.
I recently found a new favorite CCC. Check out the Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies from Serious Eats.
I think we keep trying new CCC recipes because they are all pretty low risk v. High reward as recipes go. And wouldn’t it be a shame to miss out on the ultimate one?
Oh I’ll have to try that one, thanks for the suggestion! And yes, I would hate to miss THE ultimate one!
I going to make these next weeke. I just made my favorite ccc recipe for my husband I just love the extra hints of vanilla in them …..
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/dessert/vanilla-rich-chocolate-chip-cookies
Brown butter and dark brown sugar sound amazing in a ccc!! I recently made caramel with dark brown sugar and could have eaten it all with a spoon!
I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago for a get together with teens and adults, and they were a huge hit! I had several people ask for the recipe saying they were the best ever!
I have to confess I changed a few things.
-because of time issues I had to make the dough and scoop onto baking sheets the day before baking.
-I didn’t have the recommend size dish year so I used a number 40.
-I love a little pinch a flake he sought on my chocolate chip cookies, so I finished them off with that.
Have you ever tried Ree Drummond’s Chocolate Chuck Cookies? I would love to know your thoughts.
Thanks for sharing your feedback and adjustments! I haven’t tried those cookies, will have to make them soon!
I love this recipe. I haven’t made another choc chip cookie recipe since I found it.
I love trying different cc cookie recipes! I’ve never used browned butter before, it’s so crazy how one small change creates a completely different cookie!
Hi @thebrowneyedbaker
I really want to try baking these cookies, but as I am in the UK I am not sure what the weight equivalent of 10 tablespoons of butter is? Are you able to help me.
Do you have a conversion chart anywhere on your website for us non-American cooks who don’t use cups etc – it would be really helpful for us. Thanks
A tablespoon of butter is about 15 grams. So 10 tablespoons = 150 grams.
Hi Philippa, Sorry that I didn’t break that out in the instructions – should be 141 grams. I am posting grams on all new recipes, as you see above, but am working on a chart, too!