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Perfect chocolate chip cookies that bake up thick and chewy every time and they’re ready in just 20 minutes. No chilling or softening butter required!
I know. The internet does not need another chocolate chip cookie recipe, right? I mean, who do I think I am showing up here and claiming to have perfected such a simple cookie.
Well, I’m a person who literally has spent years searching for and experimenting with cookie recipes that proclaim to be “the best.” I ate a lot of cookies that were good. Many that were great. Not so much on the perfect though.
I mean, some of them were super close, but they required hours of chilling and I’m sorry, when I want a cookie, I want a gosh darn cookie.
I don’t want a cookie in an hour. I don’t want a cookie tomorrow. I want a cookie NOW.
So, I set out to make the perfect chocolate chip cookies that didn’t need to be chilled. In doing so, I came across a recipe on Allrecipes that calls for melted butter and no chilling. Say what? That’s basically the opposite of every good cookie recipe, but what the heck. Doesn’t hurt to try.
After all, my dad broke all the rules with his famous homemade biscuits, so maybe breaking the rules is the way to go with cookies too.
I changed the recipe up a bit each time I tried it, writing down what changes made things better and what made things worse. I finally ended up with this recipe.
Why these cookies are perfect:
The cookies are huge. I don’t want to eat five small cookies. I want to eat one big cookie. It’s just my preference. Mostly because bigger cookies allow for more softer, chewier middles.
These are soft. Like, soft soft. Super soft. The edges don’t really get crisp, so if you’re looking for crispy edges, keep moving. These things are soft all the way around and all the way through. I love it!
No chilling! You go from cookie craving to cookie making to cookie eating all in just 20 minutes.
No pudding mix in these guys! I like pudding cookies just fine, you guys. They’re good! But I don’t always have pudding mix on hand and I also think they taste not quite as “classic” as a cookie without pudding.
The butter gets melted! What’s the big deal about melting the butter? Well, that means you don’t have to panic because you forgot to leave butter out on the counter to come to room temperature. You don’t have to attempt microwaving it for 8.342 seconds, because any shorter leaves butter that’s too hard, but any longer leaves butter that is melted through. Just melt the dang butter and be done with it!
It’s a small batch! Okay, okay. This one could go either way. I mean, I like having a cookie jar full of cookies, for sure. But I really like my cookies fresh from the oven! This recipe just makes 9 cookies, so you’ll still have a few leftover for tomorrow, but maybe the next day you can make a fresh batch and get them fresh from the oven. It’s the best of both worlds.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients:
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Dry Cookie Dough Ingredients – You’ll need some standard baking ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and brown sugar. We use more brown sugar than white in this recipe to keep the cookies extra soft and chewy!
Wet Cookie Dough Ingredients – Melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract for flavor!
Espresso Powder – My secret ingredient! It’s optional, but I promise it’s worth adding! It enhances all the flavors, especially the chocolate.
Chocolate Chips – You can use any variety you like. Milk chocolate, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips will work in these cookies!
What Readers are Saying!
“I’ve been searching for the perfect cookie recipe and I’ve got to say.. this is IT. So extremely easy to make and the thickness & softness is to die for. So good!!” – Victoria
How To Make Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Butter: The first step to making this chocolate chip cookie recipe is to melt some butter! We usually just heat it in a saucepan, but you can use the microwave too.
And sometimes if we’re feeling fancy we’ll let the butter continue cooking on the stove until it has turned a nice golden brown. Browned butter adds some extra caramel flavor, but these taste great either way!
Mix: Next up you can add in the sugars and the espresso powder (optional, but trust me it’s good) to the butter and mix well before beating in the egg and vanilla.
That espresso powder will give an extra depth of flavor to these cookies without making them taste like coffee. Skip it if you don’t have it on hand. To finish making the cookie dough add in the remaining ingredients and combine with the chocolate chips. Save a few of the chips to top the cookies.
Bake: When your chocolate chip cookie dough is ready and the oven has pre-heated you can scoop the dough into equal sized portions onto a baking sheet. We make nine large cookies with this recipe. They’re the perfect size, in our opinion.
Eleven minutes is the magical number for these perfect chocolate chip cookies. If you make smaller cookies, adjust the bake time accordingly, but do not overbake!
Once they’ve finished baking allow them to cool and serve!
And, in case you’re wondering, I also have a recipe for perfect homemade brownies and perfect homemade blondies on the blog! There are some pretty perfect monster cookies, too! Oh, hey, there’s brookies too!
FAQ’s:
Each of these chocolate chip cookies contains about 361 calories. These are big, bakery style cookies!
Our recipe was formulated to make thick, soft cookies that don’t spread. Be sure to measure the flour properly (use a dry measure and spoon the flour in, then level it off – don’t pack the flour in) for the best results.
In a cookie jar, of course! They’ll keep for at least 5 days at room temperature, and even longer in the fridge.
Yep! Let them cool completely before transferring to a wax or parchment paper lined freezer safe container or bag. They’ll last up to a couple months.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES!
We’ve got lots and lots of cookie recipes, so maybe check some of these others out too!
- Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
- Kit Kat Cookies
- Biscoff Oatmeal Crunch Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Leave a review!
Did you try these cookies? Please leave a star review and a comment down below to let us know what you think! We love hearing from you. 🙂
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips, any variety
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add butter to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Alternately, melt in the microwave. (Optional step for extra caramel-y flavor: Brown the butter! Keep cooking after the butter has melted. The butter will foam and bubble as it cooks. Once the liquid becomes golden brown remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool for 2 minutes. Use 1 additional tablespoon of butter if browning it to account for evaporation.)
- Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and espresso powder to the butter and beat until well combined.
- Beat in the vanilla and egg until just combined.
- Gradually pour in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand, reserving a few to press onto the tops of the cookie dough, if desired.
- Portion into 9 large balls of dough and place on a large baking sheet. Dot the tops with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake for 11 minutes exactly. Cookies will still be slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. Do not overbake. Let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack or eating.
Gaye Shank says
I had to double the recipe and they turned out great. These have become the favorite chocolate chip cookies for friends and family.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks, Gaye!
Lynn says
I had used the same chocolate chip recipe for a long time but it didn’t always work sometimes flat sometimes not. I decided to go on a search and see what I could find. This recipe is amazing. The compliments I get on them every single time I make them. They are fairly fail proof. Easy to make quickly. I add additional chips probably a total of one and a half cups and I do about half and half chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Sometimes instead of making the large cookie I’ll use the medium size scooper and bake them for a shorter time. They have been my new go to for several years now always great results truly the perfect chocolate chip cookie
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you love the recipe so much, Lynn! Thank you!
Janet says
Found this recipe a few years ago and oh my goodness!! Everyone loves it and I’ve given away countless dozens to friends, family, new neighbors, etc. Recently I switched for a while to a Crumbl copycat recipe after a Crumbl opened in town. But they fell short and I’m back to this recipe and this will be the only chocolate chip cookie I ever make! It seriously can’t be beat. Thanks for cookie perfection!
Karly says
I’m so happy you like the recipe so much! It’s our favorite go-to recipe as well. 🙂
Kathy says
These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever!!! Very easy to make. Good thing it only makes nine or my family would have to go on a diet. Have made them several times, have totally forgotten about any of my other recipes. Thank you soooo much for sharing your recipe!
Karly says
Love to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Betsy Bowman says
Looked great until they cooled. Then they got flat like every other recipe I’ve ever used.
Karly says
Sorry to hear these spread for you. That’s never been an issue with this recipe for us. If you try again, make sure that you’re using real butter (not margarine), measuring your flour properly (spoon into a dry measure and then level it off – don’t pack it in) and that your oven temperature is correct (some run hot or cold).
Angela Anderson says
My cookies didn’t spread. Not even a little. But they were good.
Karly says
That’s generally a result of measuring the flour a little too heavy handed. Be sure to fluff the flour first, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. Don’t pack it in. 🙂
Marisa says
You’re officially a genius! Get your MENSA application in immediately!!! This recipe is perfection. And so easy to whip up. It’s a keeper!
Karly says
Haha, thanks Marisa!
Angela says
I just made this once again for the umptiest time and they always always turn out fantastic and are simply the best. Thanks for this outstanding recipe, it is truly the best.
Karly says
Thanks, Angela! So glad you love these as much as we do!
Suzanne Cam says
Karly,
How long should I do these in my Air Fryer?
Speaking of Air Fryer, I tried to sign up for your email and ebook at airfried.com and I got a confirmation email from the same address as your buns in the oven site. Are they the same? Do I need to sign up for each one separately?
How can I get your Air Fryer ebook?
ThankQ, Suzanne Cam
Karly says
Hi Suzanne! I’ve never made these in the air fryer, so I’m not sure how long they’ll take.
We use the same email provider for our emails, so that confirmation comes from the same email address, but then you’ll start getting recipe emails from our airfried.com address. Confusing, I know. You do need to confirm the subscription by clicking the link in the email you received and then you’ll get the ebok emailed to you.
Lilly says
I was excited when I found this recipe. I tried it and you are so right. Instant hit at my house. I went one better and baked dozens and wrapped them in pretty packages with hot chocolate packets to give to my children’s teachers at Christmas time. I included a little thank you card attached with the recipe and a link to this page. They raved about them. I will be making these for many years to come.
Karly says
Thanks for sharing, Lilly! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! And such a sweet gift to share!
Fiona says
Do you flatten the cookies at all before baking them?
Karly says
Nope! Just leave them in the shape they come from with a cookie scoop.
deb says
I’ve made these many times and they are perfect!!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Karly says
So glad you like them! Thanks, Deb!
Kris R says
Hi Karly, I just wanted to let your reader’s know I have made these cookies dozens of times now. With the Tollhouse recipe, I can get cookies across the board, hard, crispy, chewy and just right – occasionally, or total flat melt down.
With the recipe you created, my cookies are consistently just right, I can count on it. Thank you so much.
Karly says
Oh, that’s wonderful to hear, Kris! So glad the recipe works for you! 🙂
Cheryl Taul says
Okay, that’s it…Hands Down the most delicious chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had! There was another recipe that I used each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas and they were large and soft but there is just something about this chocolate chip recipe on your site that tastes so much better. One thing…I used a baking mat on the cookie sheet and my cookies were not done until 20 minutes….not 11 minutes. I’m guessing it was the baking mat for the longer baking time. The cookies on the bottom were perfect and uniform and everything came out so delicious and soft! Thank you so much for this recipe. It will definitely replace the other recipe that I’ve used and I’ll be baking these all year long, for sure!
Karly says
Hi Cheryl! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! I can’t imagine baking them for 20 minutes, but it sounds like they’re turning out how you’d like so I’m happy to hear that! 🙂
Lori Ann says
These really are perfect. I have loved all of your recipes so far. Thank you!
Karly says
Thanks so much, Lori Ann!