Print

The Best Soft Chewy Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

soft chewy chocolate chip cookies - featured image
Print Recipe

These soft, chewy, bakery-style chocolate chip cookies have crackly tops, soft centers that bend without breaking, and pools of melted chocolate in every bite. The secret is in the ratio of melted butter to brown sugar, plus a short chill time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set this aside.
  2. Combine the melted butter and sugars. In a large bowl, whisk the melted (and slightly cooled) butter with the 1 cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Whisk until it looks like wet sand and there are no lumps of brown sugar. This takes about 1 minute.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the 2 room-temperature eggs, one at a time, until each is fully incorporated. Then add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. The mixture should look smooth, glossy, and slightly lighter in color. If it looks separated or greasy, your butter was too hot.
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Use your rubber spatula to fold gently. Stop folding as soon as you can’t see any more white streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage develops gluten, which makes tough cookies.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips. Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips and fold them in with just a few turns of the spatula. Reserve about ¼ cup of chips to press into the tops of the dough balls later for that bakery look.
  6. Chill the dough. This step is crucial. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours. Chilling solidifies the fat, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. It also deepens the flavor as the ingredients meld. I’ve found that 1 hour is the sweet spot for texture and flavor.
  7. Preheat the oven. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Scoop the dough. Use your cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each. Place them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few of the reserved chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball.
  9. Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly puffy and underdone. They will look a little soft in the middle—that’s exactly what you want. The carryover cooking will finish them on the baking sheet.
  10. Cool on the baking sheet. Let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. This is non-negotiable. It allows the centers to set without over-baking. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing spread and developing flavor. Use a light-colored baking sheet for even baking. Weigh your flour for consistent results. For softer cookies, slightly underbake and let carryover cooking finish them.

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate chip cookies, soft chewy cookies, bakery-style cookies, easy cookie recipe, homemade cookies

Find it online: https://livelybite.com/the-best-soft-chewy-bakery-style-chocolate-chip-cookies/