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This is the only recipe you’ll ever need for SOFT Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The kind of cookies that are ultra tender but still hold their shape and are loaded with tons of ooey gooey chocolate chips.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m obsessed with chocolate chip cookies.
But sometimes I crave different textures. Sometimes I want them to be super soft chocolate chip cookies. Other times, I crave thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies.
Don’t get me wrong, practically any homemade chocolate chip cookie is good with me. It’s just every once in a while, you have a texture craving that must be satisfied.
Which texture of cookies do you prefer? Does your family love soft-batch cookies? Chewy? Crispy? Some combination of it all?! Let me know in the comments below!
How to Make SOFT Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are a few key ingredients to ensure your cookies are ultra-tender and soft.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is hygroscopic, which means it takes in and retains moisture (better than granulated sugar). Adding moisture to your cookie dough can help make it softer and chewier, and stay soft for longer. That’s why I use much more brown sugar than granulated sugar in this recipe. Learn how to DIY your own brown sugar and how to keep it soft in your pantry here.
Cornstarch
Cookies with cornstarch are ultra soft and often slightly gooey and paler in color. It can also aid in lift and height, as it is a thickening agent. Just be sure not to add too much extra cornstarch, otherwise, your cookies will develop an almost glue-like pudding consistency. I find in this recipe, 2 teaspoons is the Goldilocks measurement.
Cream Cheese
Not only does cream cheese add richness and flavor, but it also tenderizes the cookies so they’re super soft, even slightly chewy, without being cakey due to the fat content. I know it’s a bit of a hassle to add in cream cheese here but believe me, it’s these small details that take your cookies from good to GREAT. Be sure to use full-fat brick cream cheese, not cream cheese for spreading on bagels.
How to Bake SOFT Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Be sure your oven isn’t running too hot – learn more about that here. If your oven does run hot, you may want to reduce the temperature slightly to avoid overly browning these cookies.
- Remove these from the oven just before they actually look done baking. The residual heat will continue to cook them and they will solidify as they begin to cool.
- Avoid using a dark-colored baking pan. Learn more about that here.
How to Bake THICK Cookies
The key to making sure your cookies bake up nice and thick instead of flattening into those little sad puddles:
- Make sure your butter isn’t too warm. Make sure your butter is at a COOL room temperature, about 67°F, before creaming with the sugar. Learn more about that here.
- Next, make sure your balls of cookie dough aren’t warm when they enter the oven – otherwise, the dough will melt too much.
- If you experience issues with your cookies spreading too much, try popping the tray of shaped dough into the freezer while the oven preheats.
- If you live in a very humid climate, try adding a couple extra tablespoons of flour to the dough to combat that added moisture.
How to Store Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze your cookie dough balls. Learn more about that, and how to bake from frozen, here.
Science of Cookie Baking
Download my FREE Cookie Customization Guide for quick and easy ways to alter the texture of your favorite cookie recipes. Whether you like soft cookies like this recipe, or prefer cakey, crispy, or chewy, this handy visual guide will show you what tweaks to make to get the texture of your dreams!
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
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2 3/4
cups
(349 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1
teaspoon
baking powder
-
2
teaspoons
cornstarch
-
1
teaspoon
fine sea salt
-
10
tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter,
at cool room temperature
-
1/4
cup
(50 grams) cream cheese,
at room temperature
-
1 1/4
cups
(250 grams) brown sugar
-
1/2
cup
(100 grams) granulated sugar
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
vanilla
-
2
large eggs,
at cool room temperature
-
2
cups
(340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
-
If baking right away, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
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If time permits: wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 72 hours. This allows the dough to “marinate” and for the final cookies to become softer, thicker, and more flavorful. Let dough sit at room temperature until it is just soft enough to scoop.
-
Using a medium (1 1/2-tablespoon size) spring-loaded scoop, drop balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets.
-
Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, or until barely golden brown. Don’t overbake - the cookies will continue to cook from residual heat. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
This recipe was originally published in 2013 and recently updated with new photos, weight measurements, and more recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I really love the flavor of these cookies, and how soft they are, even a few days later! I tried baking them using my conventional oven, and then tried one tray using the convection bake setting on my oven, and liked them even more that way. My only negative (and this may be because of my ingredients) is that they didn’t brown very much at all. I wanted them to get slightly more golden in color, but I didn’t want them to over bake. Maybe it’s just not the recipe for much browning, and I just need to make another of your recipes the next time I want a more golden-brown chocolate chip cookie. (And hey, who doesn’t like more cookies? )
I always love a cookie recipe with cream cheese! So glad to have found this recipe, they turned out amazing!
I made these for the August Baking challenge and I’m so glad I did! They are so soft and chewy and I love the golden tops! I chilled my dough overnight and they came out fantastic! I got rave reviews from my kids so I’ll definitely be making these again.
BEST chocolate chips cookies EVER! I always want fluffy cookies and most times they fall flat. These were fluffy, soft, and not too sweet as some chocolate chip recipes can be. Less white sugar, more brown and the cornstarch . These are now my go to cookie!
Wonderful cookies! The taste is sensational. I struggled with flattening – I think my butter was too soft so I made a second batch. Thanks Tessa for yet another wonderful recipe!! ❤️❤️
Super soft with ooey goooey chocolate, as promised! Made two dozen and three hours later there are now only 6 left lol. Only three adults in the house! Needless to say, they’re delicious and addictive.
Thanks Tessa
Perfect soft cookie texture! Mine finished baking in 10 minutes. I scooped the dough into balls first then refrigerated over night. It made it easier to just transfer the cookie dough balls to a sheet pan and bake!
This is as easy as any chocolate chip recipe, and it is very tasty. I baked up a dozen cookies after letting the dough rest for 2 hours, I froze the rest and will bake them as needed.
Very good, thick, light and gooey. I was a bit skeptical about adding cream cheese, but you can’t taste it at all. I made mine with half bittersweet and half caramelized white chocolate chips, they turned out a bit doughy in the middle, but guess it’s just my ancient oven. I popped them back for a couple minutes and they turned out perfectly soft. Sooo good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Yum!!
LOVING the cream cheese addition to this yummy cookie!
My family and I love to bake together! When we saw your challenge on instagram we couldn’t resist. This was one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’ve ever used. So delicious! Thank you so much for sharing and happy Chocolate Chip Cookie day!
Delicious! These were very light and chocolatey, really tasty. I’m used to chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, but these are a definite add to the recipe vault. Thanks Tessa!
So soft and yummy!
Today gave me a reason to rid myself of a bag of chocolate chips and some leftover cream cheese. And to focus on something positive in the face of creeping dystopia. Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
Ultra soft, tender and gooey? ✅
Butterscotch flavor? ✅
Tang? Not really, but maybe that’s why it’s “almost indiscernible?” ♀️
Super quick and easy? ✅✅
I’ve made the Ultimate Choc Chip Cookies a million times and the Bakery Choc Chip Cookies 2 million times. I figured I would never try another choc chip cookie recipe again bc there was no need. These 2 recipes are perfect. Well, I was wrong. This month’s baking challenge is soft, chewy, and excellent. Guess I have 3 perfect recipes now.
These turned out beautifully! A few of them spread a little thin, but I only chilled the dough about 90 minutes so that may have been the problem. Otherwise they look and taste great!
So easy to throw this dough together and the cookies are delicious!
Loved this recipe! So sweet and soft… My favorite kind of cookies
So good! Love the idea of using cream cheese.
Excellent cookies, really chocolatey, soft and chewy and delicious!
Can u tell me substitute used in this recipe for eggs?
Absolutely delicious and chewy!! I learned to shape the dough into cookie balls then freeze them to keep them from flattening out too much! My new favorite cookie recipe along with her best ever brownies!
Thank you for your trials to gift us with these tried and true amazing recipes. 🙂
I love it!!! 10 plus
Hiii
I’m about to try this recipe today and I wanted to ask if the recipe uses light or dark brown sugar?
Can’t wait to try them out.
My daughter and I made these today and they’re wonderful, but I’m wondering about storage..do they need to be kept in the fridge because of the addition of cream cheese or are they ok kept out? And if so, for how long at most?
Can you use arrowroot In stead of corn starch
I haven’t tried, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
These cookies are FABULOUS!!! I love to bake, but I am trying to stay healthy and make delicious healthy things that my family will love. These were an instant hit all around. Everything about these cookies is delicious from the batter to the cookie to one dipped in milk. I followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and put sea salt on the top. I would definitely make them again and recommend the recipe to anyone wanting to make a healthy, yet taste bud approving cookie!
Thanks
Dunkin
Hi, Tessa. Thank you for all your great recipes. I was wondering about how you test your recipes to see if they are good. I usually do a taste test on my family, with them saying whether it is good or bad. How do I get a more in depth analysis? Can you give me suggestions on how to analyse my recipes?
Thanks!
Hey, can I use a mixture of 2tsp baking powder +1 teaspoon oil + 2 tablespoons water as replacement for each egg in this recipe? This is what I generally use as egg replacement.
What adjustments would I need to make for high altitude? I live over 8,000 feet.
I made these cookies yesterday Sunday January 8,2017. They are fantastic. Soft and loaded with chips and chunks ( I used both). This am still soft and wonderful. I made 41 nice size cookies . Thanks for recipe.
Hi Tessa!
Cant find cream cheese where I live… would I be able to use sour cream instead? I am so excited to try making these, sure I wont be disappointed!
Thanks
-Yusra
Hi Tessa,
These cookies turned out SO well! I had to make about 20 dozen (yah, TWENTY) cookies for an event, so instead of chilling then scooping, I scooped the dough out onto waxed paper and froze them a a few days in advance, then bagged them up to store until I was ready to bake.
From frozen I baked them for 12-13 minutes.
Straight from the oven on Sunday afternoon, these just tasted like a fabulous chocolate chip cookie with a little crispy edge (which is my favorite)–I didn’t really get that soft batch texture. But then I stored the few that were leftover and had one this morning.
HOLY CHOCOLATE, that cookie was exactly what a soft batch cookie should be! I’m not sure my hubby will want me to make any other kind of chocolate chip cookies again!
Thanks for developing such a great recipe!
So happy to hear that Laurel!! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment 🙂
Can you PLEASE write and actual measurement for the butter instead of “1 and 1/2 sticks?” Some companies package their butter differently, and remember people from outside of the country might use the recipe too.
Someone else suggested 6 ounces/12 tablespoons
or about 0.75 cups.
If I followed “1 and 1/2 stick” it’d be several cups
Thank you! That answers my question… These cookies are our family’s favorite!!
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter. Is that 1/4 cup sticks or 1/2 sticks??
Not sure what you mean but 1 1/2 sticks = 6 ounces or 12 tablespoons.
I made these last month and submitted a review, but I ended up here again today because I was notified of another comment submitted. I was reading through some of the comments. In January of 2015 there was a comment about the butter and it says “the recipe calls for 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter….” and your reply didn’t correct her. The recipe I see calls for 10 Tablespoons of unsalted butter — not 12. Was that changed since 2015 or something? Or should it be 12 Tablespoons? Thanks!
Hi Pam! Please see the note in italics at the bottom of the post. This was originally published in 2013 and has been updated and improved since then. I’d recommend referring to what’s inside the recipe box for the latest and most accurate info 🙂
Can toffee chips (heath/ skor chips) be added or would it change the texture of the cookie from soft batch to crispy?
Is both baking powder & soda necessary or can I just use the 1 tsp of required soda & another as a powder substitute? Thanks!
I love all your posts..your experiments aree brilliant..learning alot…thanks for sharing..
I wanted to ask if I can substitute the cream cheese with another ingredient? thankss 😀
After many years of tinkering with the recipe on my own, I finally found the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe – thank you!!
How many cookies (approx) does this recipe yield? I bake once a month for a homeless soup kitchen and was wondering how many batches I would need.
Thank you, I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Kim
So pleased with this recipe! We’ve been a strictly Tollhouse or “break-n-bake” house for so long, that I was itching to try something new. We LOVE them!! Thanks so much. I’ll definitely be making these again 😀
Wow! I’ve been searching for a better chocolate chip cookie recipe and I think I’ve found it! Thank you!! One tip – instead of chilling the dough and then scooping it (when it’s firm and harder to scoop), I lined a tray with parchment and used a #24 disher to scoop the just-made (and soft) dough into balls, placing them on the tray. I then popped that into the fridge to chill. Later, when it was time to bake, I simply transferred the chilled dough balls onto a baking sheet and popped them into the oven. The #24 disher is 2.67 Tbsp, so my cookies required a slightly longer baking time (12-13 minutes), and are a nice ample size (3.25″ in diameter). I am thrilled with this recipe!
I made these today and served them to my bridge group, No one could eat just one. They are everything you say they are. They are staying soft and are rich and wonderful. This is a keeper!!!!
That’s wonderful to hear!
HI, In Venezuela I can not found brown sugar , what can I do?, to make Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies? my mail [email protected]
you just add molasses to white sugar. there are lots of recipes online. depends on if you want dark or light brown sugar. But try 1 cup white sugar and 1 TB molasses and you can adjust from there.
OMG!!!! After scouring the web for a good choc chip cookie recipe, and many failed attempts this is the best recipe ever! Simply amazing; however I did not have cream cheese but oh well. Definetly my go to recipe now. Thanks so much
I made a half recipe of these and chilled the dough for about 12 hours before baking. I also used salted butter and organic unwashed sugar subbed in for the granulated sugar.
My batch came out very slightly on the cakey side and the cookie part had a very mild flavor. The cookies remained nice and soft, even 12 hours after baking.
I might try these again, but with baking soda as the only chemical leavener.
Cannot wait to try these!! Can this recipe be cut in half?? I tried that recently with the Toll House and it did NOT work! My cookies were flat as a board.
I don’t see why not! Esp since there are two eggs, that makes it a little easier.
FANTASTIC reipe! Definitely a keeper. I didn’t chill the dough as per recipe, and only did half to test my first batch. What I love about these cookies is how they continue to stay soft even after cooling which is not the case with other cookie recipes I have tried. I also like how there isn’t a butter after taste in my mouth. Wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
There are so many ccc recipes out there, it’s so hard to choose! But I was so intrigued by your addition of cream cheese & cornstarch, so I just had to try it and I have no regrets! This is one of the best ccc recipes I’ve tried, my cookies usually turn out flat and I don’t know if it’s the 2 hr chill time or the cream cheese or the cornstarch but they look magazine ready and taste soooo good. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing! Cream cheese does make everything better 😛
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been trying to get my chocolate chip cookies to have a more cake like appearance and not fall flat like a pancake. I have read countless blogs, professional baking sites, cookbooks etc. and it was not until I read your blog about your experiments with CC cookies and the different consistencies achieved, that i had to try the “more brown sugar” over granulated sugar a whirl.
I read your blog this morning on this subject and this afternoon I baked. I used my CC cookie recipe but change the sugar consistency to 75% brown sugar and 25% granulated sugar.
BULLS EYE! Right on the money. My husband and I are now please as we stuff our faces with these pouches of heaven.
Thank you. I am a fan and follower now!
I’m so so so happy to hear that!!
hi ya, so far so good, just wanted to point out that there is no direction on the vanilla. Typically you add it after the eggs, so that is what I will do, but you may want to add that into the recipe directions, thanks!
Thanks for pointing that out – I fixed it.
Oh and cream cheese too! Love the texture/flavor it adds!
I swear by cornstarch in cookies and it’s a must – have for me now in all choc chip cookies! I love softbatch-style cookies so much. Pinned!
cream cheese in cookie dough?! I never would have guessed. I’m sure it’s amazing and I will be trying it next time I bake some sweets 🙂
These soft chocolate chip cookies were the best I have had in any recipe! The texture was outstanding , I guess with the cornstarch and cream cheese in the recipe. They were 10 times better then Toll House recipe! Thanks Tess So glad to be on your site! Everyone should try this recipe you won’t be sorry!
I’m so intrigued by this recipe! I can tell it’s one of those I’m going to have to try soon!
I adore soft batch chocolate chip cookies! These would definitely have me feeling better in no time 😉
Love the use of cream cheese in these! The texture looks perfect!
Can’t beat a good, classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. This one sounds incredible!
You just cannot disappoint with cornstarch in chocolate chip cookies! Tessa, I swear by it! And all the brown sugar. And the cream cheese! Incredible addition to your chocolate chip cookie week 🙂