Clicky

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: Thick N’ Chewy

4.96 from 355 votes
Jump to RecipePinSave to Favorites

Site Index Chocolate chip cookies Cookies

This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.

This recipe actually IS The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe – it’s been the most popular chocolate chip cookie recipe on my entire website for almost a decade now! It made it into my first cookbook and has remained a reader favourite for years now thanks to it having ingredients that you have in your pantry, Just read all the hundreds of rave reviews that have been left over the years, this is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need! If you don’t believe me – believe the tens of thousands of people that have baked these cookies over the years – they know their stuff!

stack of Chocolate Chip Cookies ready to be enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Cookies

How to Make Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies From Scratch

These are fast and easy chocolate chip cookies that turn out thick and chewy! Remember to under bake them slightly and they will turn out chewy. These thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies are the base for my Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Raisins, my Chocolate Mint Ritz Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and my personal favourite Walnut Loaded Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies. This chocolate chip cookie dough is perfect for making stuffed cookies of all types!  If you are looking for crispy chocolate chip cookies, try my Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, that one is MY all time favourite!

  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
  • Cream together your butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Beat in the flour, baking soda and salt.
  • When that is done, fold in the two cups of chocolate chips by hand, and prepare to put them on some parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
  • Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto the baking sheets.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the sheets completely.

What’s the Best Chocolate to Use in Chocolate Chip Cookies?

The best chocolate to use in chocolate chip cookies is real chocolate, not “baking morsels”. When you look on the package of chocolate chips,  IF it doesn’t say chocolate, then it’s not chocolate!  There are brands that make cheap fake chocolate morsels and these morsels or baking chips will not make the best cookies. I like most chocolate chips in my cookies but prefer Chipits Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Ghirardelli chocolate chips and I stock up on those when I go to the States!

Chilling chocolate chip cookie dough allows the flavours to meld together somewhat but you don’t have to chill this recipe in order to get thick and chewy cookies like shown in the photos. This cookie recipe does not require chilling. The choice is a personal one if you feel that the flavours get deeper when you chill the dough.

This chocolate chip cookie dough is perfect for making ahead of time and freezing! Freezing chocolate chip cookie dough is incredibly easy and is a great way to save time for busy families on the go, you can pre-make a ton of dough and keep it in the freezer for when you need to use it

  • Prepare the cookie dough according to the recipe instructions.
  • Divide the cookie dough into two equal portions.
  • Place each portion of the cookie dough into a freezer safe bag, seal and freeze for up to 2 months. I dived the dough into two as they will make a solid dozen cookies each.
  • If you prefer, you can roll the cookie dough into pre-formed balls, BUT I find that this actually can dry out the dough and change the quality. When you freeze the dough in a large chunk, it helps preserve the moisture and prevents everything from getting freezer burnt.
  • To make cookie dough balls and freeze them, roll the dough into one inch balls. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze for an hour so that they won’t stick together when you place in the freezer safe bag.
  • Place the balls into a sealed container or a bag. IF you make the dough balls they DO deteriorate in the freezer faster, I would only give them a month in there, tops.

Now that you have the cookie dough frozen, you can bake it up any time you want!

  • Remove your dough from the freezer and let defrost.
  • If you have made the cookie dough balls and frozen them, simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the frozen dough on top, 2 inches apart and let them defrost.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
  • Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. I find that you can still work with slightly frozen dough at this point and it’s easier to make the balls!
  • Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
  • Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown and slightly underdone.
  • Cool on baking racks.
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies in a white bowl
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

How to Freeze Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies freeze exceptionally well and it’s easy to do! Bake them up and then store them in the freezer for snacks and school lunches.

  • You are going to freeze the already baked cookies on a cookie sheet in one layer until they are frozen solid.
  • Remove the frozen cookies from the cookie sheets and place into an airtight, freezer safe container.
  • Place the cookies layer by layer (putting parchment paper or wax paper between the layers to make sure that they don’t stick together) and then seal with the lid.
  • Freeze for up to 3-6 months.
  • Defrost on the counter-top and enjoy!

How to Keep Your Cookies Fresh

I learned this trick from a professional bakers daughter! To keep your  chocolate chip cookies fresh, seal them in a container with a piece of fresh bread (or at least not stale bread) The chocolate chip cookies will wick the moisture from the bread while they are sealed up in the container and you will have chocolate chip cookies that will last for 4-5 days on your counter top- and still be soft and chewy! I do NOT recommend anything else – I have seen apple slices and wet paper towels recommended – as flavors from the apple WILL wick into your cookies and paper towels are messier.

The Types of Ingredients to Use in Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here are a few common questions that are asked when it comes to the ingredients used in chocolate chip cookies. Remember that this is just my opinion only and you are free to use products and brands that you like!

What type of flour do I use in chocolate chip cookies?

The best type of flour to use in chocolate chip cookies is unbleached, all purpose flour. The brand doesn’t really matter as long as it’s a brand that YOU like to use.

What type of butter do I use in chocolate chip cookies? Can I use salted butter?

The best butter to use in your baking is one that tastes good off the spoon – or you can taste test it on plain toast. You want to use a butter that is good quality and tastes delicious! This is what your cookies are going to taste like, so make sure it’s good! As for salted butter, I use salted butter all the time in my baking, just use a portion of the salt in the recipe if you are doing so. The rule of thumb is that you leave out 1/4 tsp of salt for every 1/2 cup of salted butter you use, so you would only use 3/4 tsp of salt in my recipe.

Do you need brown sugar for chocolate chip cookies? What kind?

You absolutely need brown sugar for chocolate chip cookies, or they will be too sweet and lack a depth of flavour. I use golden or light brown sugar in all of my cookie recipes, but I have a friend who uses dark in almost everything she bakes – and everything she makes turns out great as well! It will be a deeper, more molasses-ey flavor when you use a dark brown sugar. If you don’t have brown sugar, mix in 2 tbsp of molasses to every cup of white sugar that you are substituting.

close up stack of Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie in jade blue background

Here is a list of the common problems you might encounter when making chocolate chip cookies – or most cookies, for that matter.

Problem: My cookies spread out and are flat.

  • If it’s humid or hot, like with any other cookie recipe, you are going to have to adjust your methods. Chill the dough in the fridge before baking to combat heat, and with humidity add in a couple tbsp of flour until the dough firms up.
  • If you have neither heat nor humidity and you have a wet dough – I hate to break it to you but your butter is cheap and has a high water content. It happens, a LOT and is massively important AND always overlooked when it comes to baking. There are 2 1/4 CUPS of flour and only 1/2 cup of butter – this is one of the driest cookie doughs out there.
  • You also could have measured wrong, because there is no way 1/2 cup of butter mixed into that large amount of flour can be wet.
  • You aren’t measuring the flour correctly OR you are using sifted flour. A lot of people don’t realize that your flour can come pre-sifted, which means that when you are measuring out your flour it will NEVER match recipes on the internet! Never buy pre-sifted flour unless it’s for a recipe that specifies it. Most households buy unsifted and use un-sifted.
  • Your oven could be running at a different temperature, check it’s accuracy.

Problem: My cookies are tough and not chewy

  • Make sure to under bake the cookies. You only have to heat them up to 165 °F, to properly and safely cook the raw eggs in them. You can have ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies without adding honey or corn syrup, just simply under bake and enjoy!
  • You might have over-beaten the cookies. Don’t beat the dough as much next time.thick chewy chocolate chip cookies in a plate and a glass of milk on background

Baking Supplies & Equipment Needed For Making Chocolate Chip Cookies

You don’t have to have the following items that I list below for baking, but I own most of them and they make baking a lot easier! Here are a few suggestions for your kitchen!

  1. Stand Mixer
  2. Hand Mixer
  3. Dry Measuring Cups
  4. Measuring Spoons
  5. Parchment Paper
  6. Baking Sheets
  7. Cookie Scoop
  8. Spatulas/Flippers

These chocolate chip cookies are very kid friendly, thick and delicious, strong enough to hold together in children’s lunches and small enough that you don’t feel too guilty sending them to school for a treat. This is a super delicious recipe and my go to for late night “Oh my god, I need a cookie” moments.

Happy baking!

Love,

Karlynn

Pin this to your Desserts Board and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST for more great recipe ideas!

 

EMAIL YOURSELF THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email to get this recipe emailed to you, so you don’t lose it and get new recipes daily!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This recipe actually IS The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, tried and tested by tens of thousands of readers with simple easy delicious ingredients and yields thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies.
4.96 from 355 votes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
12 minutes
Total Time
17 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
24
Calories
220
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt ( use 1/2 tsp if you are using salted butter)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  •  Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Get out your baking sheets and line with parchment paper.
  • Cream together your butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. .
  • Whisk together the dry ingredients ,then beat them into the butter mixture until combined completely.
  • When that is done, fold in the two cups of chocolate chips by hand, and prepare to put them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
  • Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto the baking sheets.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the sheets completely. Store in closed containers 

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

You can substitute in any type of chocolate chips that you want in this recipe.
Make sure to read my troubleshooting tips above to solve any problems you might encounter.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 220kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 192mg, Potassium: 114mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 145IU, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1.6mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Made this recipe?

Share a photo of what you made on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thekitchenmagpie or hashtag it #thekitchenmagpie.

Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!

Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie

A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook

Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!

Learn More

a copy of Flapper Pie cook book

Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky

A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts

Learn More

The Prairie Table

Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together

Learn More

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Chocolate chip cookies Cookies

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Karlynn Johnston says

    Nope, do the recipe as written, that’s simply the “kitchen science” behind how to make thicker cookies. Butter makes them spread out and a lower temp lets thicker cookies bake inside better.

  2. emz219 says

    Real newbie baker question for you all that have managed to make these cookies this thick… when the kitchen magpie mentions that the butter should be halved and baked at a lower temperature, she has already taken those points into account in her recipe, I assume?  I shouldn’t halve the 1/2 c of butter to be 1/4?  Thank you!!

  3. Mona says

    Kelly – thanks for the suggestions. I tried making the cookies again and this time I creamed the butter instead but still the cookies came out did not turn out to be chewy. Any thoughts?

  4. Kelly says

    Mona- I’m not an expert, but I’ve made quite a few chocolate chip cookies. In my experience, butter that is melted, even partially, can make a flat crispy cookie. There are a few recipes that have become very popular, using melted or browned butter, and it seems that those recipes end up using less flour, less soda, more fat, and cook for less time. The pictures also seem to show a less consistent thickness of cookie (search “test kitchen thick and chewy chocolate chip,” everyone makes them and turns out with a different looking cookie, albeit always delicious). Every time I made the Tollhouse recipe (which was the standard when I was growing up), melted or partially melted butter resulted in a flat, and if baked for the recommended time, crispy cookie. In short, either cream your butter when it’s solid, or use a recipe that calls specifically for melted butter (because, after all, it is a heck of a lot easier to do by hand when melted).

    5 stars

    • Angelwondr1 says

      Awesome cookies! I made these exactly as the recipe instructed and they turned out tasty and wonderfully addictive!!

      5 stars

  5. Mona says

    Thank you so much for this recipe! The taste was great. Everyone I gave the cookies to like it. However, the cookies did not turn out to be chewy. What could be the reason? I melt the butter in microwave to liquid before mixing the butter with the brown sugar. Can that be the reason why my cookies did not turn out to be chewy? Would greatly appreciate if you can help me with this problem. Thanks!!

    5 stars

    • Joylene says

      @Mona  yes I know they turned out the same for me !!!! was not pleased with this seems like somethimg was missing.

    • twistedw0nderland says

      @Mona you should have let the butter melt on its own out in room temp. plan ahead, you can take the butter out, do chores then when it’s soft you can start baking. if you’re in a hurry though, you can put it on the microwave only in defrost mode, keeping watch that it won’t completely melt. hope this helps!

      5 stars

    • BettyAS says

      I can’t get a cookie right but. I tried this recipe and I actually did it , and by the way I didn’t melt the butter and I forgot to add the white sugar and i also put white chocolate in the mix. They turned out just like they looked. Very sticky mixture.

      5 stars

  6. TeresaC562 says

    I live at 6200 feet above sea level.  I did not adjust the recipe (except not adding salt).  The cookies flattened out more than yours that are pictured, but they did not flatten out like my usual chocolate chip cookies do.  They were the best I’ve ever made.  I will use this recipe from now on.

    5 stars

    • thekitchenmagpie says

      TeresaC562 Glad they are the best you’ve ever made!

  7. Sooke lady says

    Yum yum yum!! BEST COOKIES EVER!!
    Thanks for Sharing

    5 stars

  8. Approved says

    I made these cookies today I made a double batch put it in the fridge foe 2 hrs I was baking other things I wanted to do these last I would like you to know I have never posted a comment before no matter how good or bad it was. I read all your post for this one ,and I have to say I do a great of cooking and baking from scratch. This is by far the very best chocolate chip cookie I have ever made and ate. I’m not sure what happened for those who made it and it didn’t turn out your instruction were great, easy and I swear nice golden on the bottom a little on top and moist and gooey in the middle
    Awesome. My husband and children thank you good thing I made 8 1/2 doz

    5 stars

    • Joylene says

      @Approved Yea the instructions were easy !!!! but why r so many saying how Flat they were. they should of been more volume, like the Picture shown,

      4 stars

    • Carolynn20 says

      @Approved I couldnt agree more, I make this recipe all the time and mine always look just like the picture ….I dont know why the other posters are not getting the same results

      My kids love them! easiest recipe to follow 🙂 thanks Karlynn for sharing it

      5 stars

    • thekitchenmagpie says

      @Approved Aw so glad they worked out for you!

  9. Karlynn Johnston says

    So glad you liked them and thank you for commenting!

  10. Isabella says

    Best choclate chip cookies ever! I used apple butter instead of regular butter in an effort to make them a wee bit healthier, and wow! The cookies where just as tasty, and I found that the apple butter kept them moist longer. None of my family even noticed my little change hehe. I highly recommend these cookies to anyone in need of an amazing recipe. 🙂

    5 stars

  11. Katie says

    I made this recipe last night and it is VERY good. For my oven I put the cookies in for 10-11mins (my oven is really hot). They held their shape very nicely! 

    I doubled the recipe exactly and got 48 cookies (4dozen), instead of 24 cookies (2dozen). I was however using a cookie scoop (by Wilton) which provided small-medium size cookies. On my last batch I made a few of them bigger just to use the dough up!

     

    I added mini chocolate chips AND chopped up Cadbury Mini Eggs (YUM). 

     

    I took some into work, have some at home and gave some to my neighbour…..no complaints yet!

     

    I REALLY RECOMMEND THESE COOKIES!!!!

    5 stars

  12. Jin says

    Hi,

    This is the best recipe ever! I have tried other recipes but the don’t come anywhere close to this one. Thank you for sharing.

    5 stars

  13. AnissaMacdonald says

    My four year old daughter and I just made these and they turned out beautifully. 🙂

    5 stars

  14. Karlynn Johnston says

    Oh my! Poor Grandma! Thanks for the lovely comment and welcome!

  15. tori_nz says

    This recipe is fantastic, thank you! I’ve made a lot of cookies before but these definitely hit the spot! I didn’t find them too fluffy at all. I made sure they were slightly undercooked and this kept them nice and gooey on the inside, but crunchy on the outside – SO good!!! 

    5 stars

  16. kbird1220 says

    This is the BEST choc. chop cookie recipe i have ever seen! THANK YOU! It’s incredible. I’ve looked everywhere for thick, gooey cookies and this is absolutely perfect! 

    5 stars

    • thekitchenmagpie says

      kbird1220 I am SO glad that you loved it! Thank you for letting me know, I love hearing feedback. Welcome!

  17. Cookie_Monster says

    wowza…. I juuust made these. Normally, I don’t bother to post, but these are the best. I’m sorry Grandma, buuut…. I’m swapping recipe’s with this one.  Thanks!

  18. Milly says

    I wasn’t happy with these. They weren’t chewy at all. They weren’t crunchy and hard but were very light and fluffy, not dense enough at all. Won’t be making these again.

    4 stars

    • LindsayA91 says

      @Milly You obviously did something wrong, because I’ve made these several times and they are still just as chewy on the third day as they are the first.

      5 stars

  19. VanessaTaylor says

    WOW!! I have made so many chocolate chip cookie recipes and this is WHHHHOOAAAA NELLY, the BEST EVER!!! OMG, so delish!!!! Thank you!!

    5 stars

  20. jjsweets2000 says

    I make these all the time but I find if you add backing power instead of backing soda u will have big chunky cookies.

    5 stars

  21. noey says

    These. Are. Awesome. Mine looked like your photo except for I used mini choc chips! They were chewy and thick and such a cute smallish size. I made the dough in the morning then refrigerated it until I baked a sheet after dinner. Fabulous results!

    I’m done searching for a choco chip cookie recipes! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

    5 stars

  22. Elle says

    I just finished making these cookies and they turned out fantastic! Thanks for the recipe. Gold star!!!

    5 stars

  23. Karlynn Johnston says

    You’re welcome and so glad you liked them!

  24. MariaHay1 says

    I made these for my husband and he loves them!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing… They are the best cookies ever :0)

    5 stars

  25. ColleenE says

    Great Recipe Magpie!

    I have been struggling for years to find the ideal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe; but struggle no more as I have found the perfect one!

    What appealed to me most about this recipe, was the measurements for the butter and sugar. I didn’t know it was possible to cut those ingredients in half and still have great tasting cookies!

    The first time I made these, I replaced Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips with M&M’s and Peanut Butter M&M’s; however, this time I used Butterscotch Chips and Chocolate Chips. Either way works out perfectly for my family; as the batter or cookie itself tastes outstanding! I don’t know why there have been a few comments as to the blandness of this recipe …. must be something they’re doing differently, or not at all. For those who have repeatedly tried this recipe and still find them tasteless; try adding a teaspoon or tablespoon of Molasses, or Honey. Or try using different flavoured chips. —- I think this recipe has satisfied my urge to find a perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie, and I will forever use your recipe! Thank you Magpie!

    5 stars

  26. jjsweets2000 says

    Best cookies in the world make these all the time

    5 stars

Leave a Comment or Recipe Tip

Recipe Rating