This is our family's favorite, tried-and-true classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. Simple, basic ingredients and no need to chill the dough before baking. Soft on the inside, a little crisp on the outside, and perfect every time.
How do you make easy chocolate chip cookies from scratch?
If you follow the recipe, you should have success every time with these cookies. But, just to make doubly sure to set you up for success, here are a few important things to keep in mind.
- Soften the butter and the shortening - This is a step where I've been lazy in the past and tried to use butter straight from the fridge. Problem is, it won't cream together nicely with the sugars and will mess with the texture of your cookies once they bake.
- Measure your flour - Seems there are lots of methods for measuring flour. Luckily, I find this recipe to be somewhat forgiving. My typical method of scooping a cup from the flour container and then leveling it with a knife has worked every time.
- Don't skip the salt - Salt is the magic that unlocks our tastebuds and allows us to fully enjoy ALL the flavors of the cookies. Sweet recipes need salt for maximum flavor. That's also why I add a little extra flake salt on top right before baking.
- Parchment paper - I am a huge believer in baking on parchment paper. Some folks prefer Silpat or other fancy mats, which work great, too.
How to you keep cookies soft and chewy?
The secret to soft and chewy cookies is both in how you bake them and how you store them. Here are a few tips.
- Brown sugar - as the recipe calls for, brown sugar is important because it adds necessary moisture to the cookies
- Butter and shortening - ever since I was a kid, we always combined equal parts butter and shortening to ensure the cookie was soft, chewy and holds its shape (thanks to shortening) but had that buttery flavor and crisp exterior (thanks to butter)
- Watch your timer - as long as your oven is fully preheated, these little loves should be perfectly baked within 8 to 10 minutes. What you'll want to watch for is that they've got just a hint of browning on the edges but looking just a little undercooked on the tops.
- Airtight container - be sure you store your cookies in an airtight container or bag to retain maxium moisture.
- Slice of bread - adding a slice of bread to the container you're storing your cookies will cause the moisture from the bread to transfer to the cookies and help keep them softer for longer.
How big should I make the cookies?
You are welcome to make these cookies as small or as large as you'd like! But, do keep in mind that the size of the cookie will impact how they bake.
My favorite size for these cookies is using a size 24 (1 ⅓ oz) scoop. It's large enough of a dough scoop that the cookies are still soft and chewy inside and a little crisp on the edges. This size will make 16 cookies if you follow the recipe.
I have also made "mini chippers" with this recipe using a smaller scoop and the cookies turned out a little less chewy in the center. If you make them smaller, adjust the time down to 6 to 8 minutes.
Why are my cookies turning out flat?
Baking soda. How long has that baking soda been lurking in the fridge or pantry? Not sure? If it's expired, you'll end up with flat cookies.
Test if your baking soda is active by adding a few tablespoons of white vinegar to a bowl and then add a ½ teaspoon of your baking soda. If it fizzes immediately, that means the baking soda's not expired and ready to be used in your cookies.
Do not substitute margarine in this recipe. Margarine is made of oil and water and will bake differently than butter and shortening. It will result in flatter cookies.
Of course, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for them to cool. Ever burned your tongue on a molten chocolate chip? Happens to Mr. Simon EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Fudgy Chocolate Cookies - for serious chocolate lovers only
- Leftover Oatmeal Cookies - when you have leftover oatmeal in the pot and want to know what to do with it
- Classic Gingerbread - the same recipe we've used every Christmas since I was a kid
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
A tried-and-true classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. Simple, basic ingredients and no need to chill the dough before baking. Soft on the inside, a little crisp on the outside, and perfect every time.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter, softened
- ⅓ cup shortening, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 oz chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 and place rack in the middle position. Prepare a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper or Silpat or baking mat.
- For the wet ingredients, start by creaming together ⅓ cup softened butter, ⅓ cup softened shortening, ½ cup sugar and ½ cup brown sugar until smooth and lightened in color.
- Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt and whisk together these dry ingredients to incorporate.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to incorporate. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips and continue to mix until fully incorporated. However, be careful not to over-mix as it will result in tough cookies.
- Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop balls of dough and place on your prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 375F oven on the center rack and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges of the cookies should be slightly browned and the tops look just slightly under-baked.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 311
- Sugar: 28.1 g
- Sodium: 159.1 mg
- Fat: 15.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 41.5 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 27.7 mg
Eileen says
Thank you for explaining why the cookies may turn out flat. I didn't read that part and my cookies did turn out flat.:/ I will try to remember to check the baking soda next time.