Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: This cookie has big butterscotch flavor and the small amount of cream cheese in the dough adds an almost indiscernible tang that takes these cookies over the top.
Texture: Ultra soft and perfectly tender.
Ease: Super easy!
Pros: Perfect for when you’re craving that super soft texture in a cookie.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? I’ve been making this recipe for years!
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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.
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The science-based guide so you can bake perfect cookies every time!
But sometimes I crave different textures. Sometimes I want them to be super soft. Other times, I crave Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, or perfectly Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Don’t get me wrong, practically any homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies 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!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make SOFT Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are a few key ingredients to ensure your cookies are ultra-tender and soft, which I’ll talk about in more detail below.
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 make your own brown sugar here.
Cornstarch
Cookies with cornstarch are ultra soft, often slightly gooey, and paler in color. Cornstarch 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.
Measure Your Flour Correctly
It’s super important to measure your flour correctly in any recipe, but it’s particularly important here, where we are trying to achieve a soft texture.
I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh your flour, but if you don’t have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Too much flour can yield dry, hard, or cakey cookies, or cookies that don’t spread.
How to Bake Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Be sure your oven isn’t running too hot. 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 the best (and worst!) baking pans 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. Your butter should be at a cool room temperature, about 67°F, before creaming with the sugar. Learn more about why butter temperature matters in baking 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 freezing cookie dough, and baking from frozen, here.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups (349 grams) all-purpose flour,
measured correctly - 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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 the final cookies to become 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.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2013 and was recently updated with new photos, weight measurements, and more recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Every recipe of yours is heaven! every time I make one, I feel like a pro baker, because its not only about the recipe, its about all the details your explain! Thank you for your existing & I’m so glad I bumped into your Instagram by pure coincidence
Lots of love!
It was probably just me but they turned out too thick for my liking. I like Tessa’s classic ccc recipe better, they are my new go-to favourite (probably for life)!
Light or dark brown sugar for this recipe?
Light or desk brown sugar for this recipe?
I made these for my son’s 4th birthday party. Everyone raved about them at the party. These cookies stay soft for days and are absolutely delicious.
Tess, I’d love to fuck you.
Made these cookies today and they are amazing…. Tollhouse has been shut down for good!!
This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe and I have made so many different recipes!!! My family loves these and they stay soft and delicious!
CaN pecans be added to this recipe
Absolutely DELICIOUS ! They are so gooey and the center and crunchy on the outside ! This is one of the best recipe I have ever seen. When they come out of the oven, it smells like heaven. And when you take a bite, it tastes like heaven. So thank you Tessa , please keep sharing your truly wonderful recipes !
What is brick cream cheese vs cream cheese that is used on bagels? Is it sold in most grocery stores?
I just finished making these delicious cookies, thank you for the recipe, they are great!
4 stars bec its a bit on the sweet side for me. But the texture is PERFECT!!!! THE KIND OF SOFTNESS AND CHEWY COOKIE IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR. but how can i reduce the sweetness? Can i take out the entire white sugar or just cut brown and white to a smaller scale?