Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Big butterscotch flavor without being too sweet. These cookies taste how you imagine a Chocolate Chip Cookie should taste!
Texture: The best part! Big, thick, super chewy yet soft on the inside, and crisp at the edges. Perfection.
Ease: Very easy, though I do use two different flours, and there is a chilling period, so some patience is needed – but I promise, they’re worth the wait!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: My all-time favorite cookie recipe. I have extra dough stashed in the freezer at all times.
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I’m super excited to share with you my Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re my version of the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie!
If you’re anything like the hundreds of people who have taste-tested and tried this recipe, you’re going to love it! (Just read some of the comments below!)
You may be asking yourself what makes this recipe “ultimate?” Well, these cookies have HUGE butterscotch flavor, which is exactly what I adore in a Chocolate Chip Cookie. Beyond the flavor is the texture, which is nothing short of incredible.
These cookies have my version of the ultimate texture combination: thick, super chewy, soft, and a little gooey in the middle, crisp and slightly crunchy at the edges, with gooey chocolate chips throughout. Does anything get better than that? I don’t think so.
I would want these cookies to be a part of my last meal on earth, that’s how much I love them!
This is a perfect recipe to learn some of the basics of the science of baking, because with cookies, it’s so easy to see how different tweaks impact the final result! Learn more about that just below.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Why This is the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- This recipe utilizes half bread flour, which lends chewiness to the cookies.
- It also uses a good amount of brown sugar, which lends that butterscotch flavor and a thick, soft texture.
- The extra egg yolk in this recipe also helps keep these cookies soft yet chewy and adds richness in flavor.
- You can think of the 24 – 72 hour chilling period as a “marinating” period. The flavors intensify and the texture will become thicker and chewier. It’s pretty amazing and I promise it’s worth the wait.
Do I Really Need to Use Bread Flour?
You don’t absolutely HAVE to use bread flour, but it adds a ton of chewy texture to these cookies that’s worth the extra trip to the store. If you can’t get bread flour, then use all AP flour in its place.
Do I Really Need to Chill the Dough?
The last key element is the 24 to 72 hour chilling period which is a huge pain in the butt, I know, but it is so completely worth it.
Why? The flavor and texture improve SO much as the dough chills!
If you’re absolutely strapped for time, you can bake off some cookies right away – but I’d definitely encourage you to try chilling and see all the wonders it works on your dough.
How to Chill the Dough
Make the dough and scoop into balls using a cookie scoop. Place in an airtight container and place in the fridge for 24-72 hours. Bake straight from the fridge when ready. Learn more about chilling cookie dough here. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies!
Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies?
I love cookies straight from the oven, so I always keep pre-scooped balls of Chocolate Chip Cookie dough in a resealable bag in my freezer so I can bake cookies off and have them warm from the oven in a matter of minutes whenever I want. Here are more tips for freezing cookie dough.
How to Store Cookies & Keep Them Soft
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Be sure they are completely cooled before storing.
To keep your baked Chocolate Chip Cookies soft, you can add a tortilla on the top and bottom of the cookies to the container a day or two after baking them, or whenever you find the texture starting to harden. The moisture will migrate to your cookies, making them soft and chewy again.
How to Refresh Stored Cookies
If desired, reheat and refresh the cookies in a 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes. Your toaster oven should work just fine. This improves the texture, and there’s nothing like a warm Chocolate Chip Cookie!
Step-by-Step Video
If you want to watch me demonstrate how to make this recipe LIVE, with all of my scientific explanations, tips, and tricks, check out this live Facebook video I did a while back!
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies – my most popular recipe!
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Soft Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Giant Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- See ALL of my cookie recipes + tips on the SCIENCE of cookie baking here!
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (191 grams) all-purpose flour*
- 1 1/4 cups (159 grams) bread flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at cool room temperature
- 2 cups (340 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- If baking right away, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a large spring-loaded cookie scoop, divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls.
- If time permits, wrap dough balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 72 hours. This allows the dough to “marinate” and makes the cookies thicker, chewier, and more flavorful.
- When ready to bake, place dough balls on prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- Although I prefer cookies fresh from the oven, these can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. See pink tip box above the recipe for storage tips.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated with more baking tips and new photos. Photos by Constance Higley.
I’m trying to lose ten pounds right now. I happened upon your article, though. The pics of those cookies and your mouth-watering descriptions are driving me NUTS! I too tried tweaking recipes and experimenting. I came up with one incredible batch-but forgot to write down what I had done. So I hope to recover the secret to the perfect batch with your recipe. By the time I’d finished reading I thought to myself, “I bet the author is a tub of lard!” But doesn’t look like it from the picture. Thanks for the tips. Mmmmm…can’t wait to try out your recipe. Meanwhile I’m going to cry my way through the rest of the day as I try to lose weight. Boo hoo hoo hoo. Got to go work out…
Hi Tessa,
I’m planning on making this recipe, but how would I the cookies after I baked them? And I I planned on freezing the dough, do I shape them prior to freezing? And when I want to bake them can I just bake them straight away or do I have to let it thaw,
I think you’re missing a crucial word in your first sentence so I’m not entirely sure what you’re asking. To freeze the dough, shape the dough into balls, place on a sheet, and freeze until firmed. Then remove the frozen dough balls to an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to use. I like to take out my frozen cookie dough balls and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking, adding on an additional minute or 2 of baking time.
Your cookies look great! I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! I have just baked the cookies and although the are delicious they have turned out more like little cakes rather than cookies. Have you any idea what I’m doing wrong?. I followed the instructions and chilled the dough for 48 hours. Any guidance would be much appreciated. Ellie
It sounds like you may have over-beaten the butter and sugar. If you make cookies again, try to beat for 2 minutes, not a second longer. Beating the butter and sugar incorporates air into the dough and too much beating can make it light and cakey instead of chewy. Good luck!
I was also wondering about the bread flour, I had trouble finding that exact type of flour. Is this the same as pastry flour? Any suggestions for substitutions?
I never buy bread flour. Can it be substituted or will it effect the cookie?Thank you.
How many gram is the butter stick that you are using? Thanks
Tessa,
After reading your cookie test posts, I realized that we have the same checklist for the Ultimate CC cookie! I just wanted to let you know that in your recipie, you’ve listed Vanilla extract and baking powder in the ingredient list, but in the actual instructions they aren’t included anywhere. It may be nice to fix it for beginner bakers 🙂
Thanks for pointing that out – fixed!
I made these last night and baked them off this morning. They are beyond good! So soft, but also chewy. YUM
Tess,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! The cookies are heaven, soft & chewy in the middle but crunchy on the outside. A bonus: Huge & just the right thickness. I couldn’t wait for 24hr 😀 I baked a dozen for samples and froze the other two dozens in the freezer. I can’t wait until tomorrow. How can they be any better! Wish I know how to attach a picture I took of the cookie next to a quarter.
I made some minor adjustment to the recipe. Instead of butter, I had used 2cups of room temperature organic coconut oil & added chopped pecans/walnuts & unsweetened coconut flakes.
Thanks again for the sharing this WONDERFUL recipe!!
I’m so excited you enjoyed the recipe. Good to know that coconut oil works! Thanks for your comment.
Thanks! I must say even though these are a little undercooked. They are, by far, the best choco chip I’ve tasted!
Yay! I like my cookies to be slightly gooey in the center but if you prefer them to be more cooked, go ahead and add a minute or two to the baking time!
I’m actual using a stone. Would that cause them to cook faster on the outside? I guess I will try a different pan with the rest of the dough.
It’s possible. I would definitely try out a different pan! Also, you may consider investing in an oven thermometer. It seriously can make a world of difference to know what temperature your oven is actually at when baking!