“Sometimes, a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.”
Soft, gooey chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite treats. A few years ago I set out to find a reliable recipe that would deliver soft, chewy cookies every time. After testing many recipes that produced cookies that were too flat or too crunchy, I finally discovered a simple method that consistently yields the perfect texture.
I tested classics like the Tollhouse and Ghirardelli bag recipes — tasty, but still a bit too flat for my preference. I also tried the pudding-mix trick that keeps cookies soft; it worked well but it wasn’t always practical because I rarely keep pudding mix on hand. I experimented with recipes that required overnight chilling or unusual ingredients like cornstarch, but none were quite right.
Then I found this recipe. It was remarkably straightforward, yet the moment the cookies came out of the oven I knew I had my winner. They were the softest, gooeyest chocolate chip cookies I’d made, and the recipe was the easiest to follow. Since discovering it, I’ve made these cookies dozens of times.
The recipe uses melted butter, so you don’t need to wait for butter to soften at room temperature. The dough doesn’t require refrigeration before baking, and you only need a bowl and a spoon — no mixer required. 
From pulling ingredients out of the pantry to taking warm cookies from the oven, the whole process takes about 20–30 minutes. Enjoy!
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Perfect Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
18
large cookies or 36 smaller cookies
Liv
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional (enhances chocolate flavor slightly)
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
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In a large bowl, stir the melted butter and both sugars until well combined. Add the egg, extra yolk, and vanilla, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
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Add the baking soda, salt, optional espresso powder, and flour. Mix until the dough just comes together, then fold in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
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If you like, cover the dough and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Chilling can deepen the flavor but is not required.
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Portion the dough as desired: 1/4-cup scoops for 18 large cookies or 2-tablespoon scoops for 36 smaller cookies. For large cookies, leave about 2 inches between each on the baking sheet. Press the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls for extra chocolatey appearance and flavor.
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Bake at 325°F (163°C) — large cookies 13–15 minutes, small cookies 10–12 minutes — until the edges are set and the centers are still soft and slightly puffy. Avoid overbaking. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
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Store leftover cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 6 months.
Notes
Recipe adapted slightly from Baking Illustrated.