- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 280 g
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 170 g
- 200 g
- 100 g
- 2 tsp
- 340 g
Process
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold until just combined, with no dry streaks visible.
Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling improves flavor and texture.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each (about 30 g). Place them 5 cm apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is baking straight from the mixing bowl: the dough must chill at least 2 hours, because warm melted-butter dough spreads into flat, greasy discs instead of thick chewy cookies.
- The doneness marker is the edges: pull the sheet when the rims are golden brown and the centers still look soft, pale, and slightly underdone, then leave them on the hot sheet 5 minutes to finish setting.
- Because the butter is melted, the dough is soft even when chilled, so scoop with a 2 tablespoon measure or a 30 g scoop and roll quickly; if the dough gets sticky, return it to the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack and rotate the pan at the halfway point; two sheets at once create uneven heat and one tray will over-brown while the other stays raw in the middle.
Substitutions
- unsalted butter→the same weight of melted coconut oil for a dairy-free version, or 170 g of salted butter with the added salt reduced to 1/4 tsp
- brown sugar→the same weight of white sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses for a similar chewy texture, or coconut sugar for a darker, slightly drier cookie
- chocolate chips→an equal weight of chopped dark chocolate, raisins, or toasted nuts, keeping the total add-in weight near 340 g
- egg plus egg yolk→2 whole eggs, which adds a little more moisture and gives a slightly cakier, less chewy result
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, with a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a zip-top bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months, or freeze raw scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and bake from frozen at 180°C, adding 2 to 3 minutes. To reheat baked cookies, place them on a parchment-lined sheet in a 150°C oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or microwave one cookie for 10 to 15 seconds; never reheat above 160°C or the chocolate will scorch.
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FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my chocolate chip cookies spread out flat?
The dough was likely baked warm or the butter was too hot when mixed with the sugar. Chill the dough at least 2 hours, and if the dough still feels greasy, chill it another 30 minutes before scooping. Also check that your baking soda is fresh, since old soda weakens lift.
Can I skip chilling the dough?
You can bake it right away, but the cookies will spread more and taste flatter. Chilling for at least 2 hours, and up to 3 days, lets the flour hydrate and the flavors deepen, giving thicker cookies with chewier centers. If you are short on time, 45 minutes in the freezer is the minimum useful chill.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
They are ready when the edges are golden brown and the centers still look soft and slightly glossy, usually 10 to 12 minutes at 180°C. Do not wait for the centers to look firm in the oven, because they set as they cool on the hot baking sheet. If you bake past 13 minutes, the cookies turn crisp all the way through.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the covered dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavor improves on day two and three. Scoop and bake straight from the fridge, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time if the dough is very cold. For longer storage, freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months.
Why are my cookies dry and crumbly?
Over-measuring flour is the usual cause, so spoon flour into the cup and level it rather than scooping packed cups. Baking too long also dries them out, so pull them at 10 to 12 minutes while the centers are still soft. Using only white sugar instead of the brown sugar called for also makes a drier, crisper cookie.
Can I use cold butter instead of melted?
Melted butter is what gives this recipe its chewy center and toffee-like flavor, so cold creamed butter will change the texture to a cakier cookie. If you only have cold butter, melt it and let it cool 5 minutes before mixing with the sugars. Do not use hot butter, or the eggs will scramble.
Can I freeze the baked cookies?
Yes, freeze fully cooled cookies in an airtight bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, or warm them at 150°C for 4 to 5 minutes to bring back the just-baked texture. Avoid reheating above 160°C, which burns the chocolate.
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