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Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These large, bakery-style thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies stay soft for days and are a huge family favorite. Made with melted butter, a high brown sugar to white sugar ratio, and an extra egg yolk to ensure super soft cookies, they require NO chilling time and are the perfect after-school snack.
These cookies have been around for a LONG time! I first made them nearly 12 years ago when I fell in love with America’s Test Kitchen and my new Baking Illustrated cookbook. I had long been on the hunt for a fabulous thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie and I had finally hit pay dirt! This was my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe for years upon years, until I stumbled upon The New York Times chocolate chip cookie, which I modified a bit to become my NEW favorite thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe.
However, these cookies made a resurgence in my kitchen last weekend and were due for a revival here on the site, especially since they’re one of my all-time most popular recipes!
How to Make Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Start with Butter: We use melted butter to keep the cookies super soft and moist.
- High Brown Sugar to Granulated Sugar Ratio: Brown sugar ensures soft cookies and the white sugar helps the cookies spread out. For cookies that are chewier and have a more robust flavor, we use double the amount of brown sugar to white sugar.
- Egg &Â Vanilla Extract:Â Eggs provide structure and an extra egg yolk gives the cookies a boost of softness. Vanilla is our flavor enhancer!
- Dry Ingredients: You’ll need all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt for structure, rise and flavor balance.
- Chocolate Chips: Of course! One and a half cups give you chocolate in every single bite without being overwhelming.
Ahhhh that dough!
There’s a little shaping technique that makes these cookies have that gorgeous bumpy texture on top that looks like they came straight out of the bakery.
All of that combined to make these my oldest, most favorite chocolate chip cookie that needs absolutely no chill time whatsoever.
While the NY Times cookies that I love require some refrigeration before they’re baked, these can be mixed up and baked right away, so you’ll have warm cookies fresh from the oven and ready to devour in about 45 minutes. Can’t beat it!
What’s your favorite type of chocolate chip cookie?
One year ago: The Best Chocolate Frosting
Five years ago: Overnight Chilled Plum-Oatmeal Pudding
Seven years ago: Peach Coffee Cake
Did you make this recipe?
Large, bakery-style chocolate chip cookies that stay soft and chewy - a family favorite!
- 2
cups
+ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½
teaspoon
baking soda
- ½
teaspoon
salt
- 12
tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1
cup
light or dark brown sugar
- ½
cup
granulated sugar
- 1
egg
- 1
egg yolk
- 2
teaspoons
vanilla extract
- 1½
cups
semisweet chocolate chips
Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
Roll a scant ¼ cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2½ inches apart.
Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to set, yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. These can also be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 280kcal
Fat: 13g
Saturated fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 105mg
Potassium: 121mg
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 23g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin A: 270%
Calcium: 26%
Iron: 1.7%
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on June 21, 2008, updated in July 2016 with new photos, and then refreshed in August 2019 with updated photos and more recipe tips.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
These chocolate chip cookies look very delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Yum, those chocolate chip cookies look delicious. You can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes.
These look yummy. Who doesnt like a chocolate chip cookie..dont think I’ve met anyone who doesnt😊 a close tie for me is a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie w a little bit of coconut. Mmmmmm mmmmm.
this is my husband’s (and my) favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’ve tried others, but my husband only wants THIS recipe. Absolutely delicious!
This has been my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe for years. I love it.Â
Have you baked these cookies with gluten free flour? Â If so, how did they turn out? Â I scrolled through many, but not all comments, so my apologies if previously asked and answered.
I have made these with gluten free flour and they came out really well. Spread out maybe a little more than I would expect. I used Red Mills GF one to one flour (it has xantham gum in it) and added toasted pecans which may have helped also keep it together.
I want to add nuts. Should I reduce the chips?
If you don’t mind a “chunky” cookie then no need to reduce the chips; if you prefer more cookie dough than add-ins, then yes reduce the chips.
What’s your favorite chocolate chip to use in this recipe?
I buy Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate chips.
It seems like a lot of complaints about this recipe could be because one person’s cup of flour is not the same as another person’s cup of flour. If enough flour is not used cookies can turn out flat and too buttery. Just wondered if you used 5oz per cup as mentioned in your May 24, 2016 Baking Basics: Weighing Ingredients post. Thanks!
Yes I did!
I made these today. They are great. Perfect sweetness. I made my own brown sugar using unrefined cane sugar and added a some molasses to it (just Google it!). Then I measured it like you would with regular brown sugar. I didn’t want to waste the egg white so instead of a yolk I used a substitute – 1T coconut milk. Apparently, you can use applesauce or banana too. Ok. My point is this recipe works and it’s great. Yes, I made substitutions but they are minor. I a trained chef  and I know this recipe will work even if I didn’t do the substitutions. My son said it’s the best chocolate chip cookie he’s had. And oh – do measure your ingredients properly and follow the instructions. That’s all. Thank you for the recipe, browneyedbaker!