Everyone seems to love chocolate chip cookies, however there are many differing opinions on what determines the best. There are multiple variables that contribute to our vision of the perfect cookie, thick or thin, chewy or crisp, large or small, milk chocolate or dark chips, nuts or no nuts, so many factors. For many of us the reason for our personal favorite is often simply childhood memories of our Mothers or Grandmothers baking.
All recipes for chocolate chip cookies seem to start with the same basic ingredients, flour, salt, baking soda, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, chips, and sometimes nuts. It is the amount of each ingredient that is added, and the method of preparation that make the difference. I like a cookie that is soft and chewy, yet has just a bit of crisp at the edge. A cookie that has a buttery rich caramel flavor with just a hint of vanilla, and a delicate balance of bitter and sweet chocolate. So after researching countless recipes, and baking dozens of test cookies using different ratios of ingredients and methods of preparation, I have unlocked the secret to what I feel is the best old-fashioned style chocolate chip cookie ever. Sorry Mom.
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour add 2 Tbs. more for high elevation
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown light sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips 60% cacao
- 1 cup of nuts – ½ walnuts and ½ pecans finely chopped (optional)
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In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
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In a medium bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
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Add vanilla extract and beat in eggs one at a time until completely blended.
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Mix in the flour mixture in thirds until just incorporated, do not over work.
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Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if desired.
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For best results place dough in the fridge for 24 hours (of course you can always bake the cookies right away if you prefer not to wait).
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F.
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Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Using a small ice cream scoop, place the balls at least 2″ apart (do not overcrowd).
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Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until edges are golden. The centers should look a little under done.
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Cool cookies for two minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
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Allow baking sheets to cool between batches, or alternate baking sheets (placing dough on a hot sheet pan makes the dough melt and spread out more than desired) .
One of the secrets I discovered to baking the perfect cookie is to allow the dough to sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. Egg whites are a very thick protein, and by allowing the dough to rest, the egg becomes completely absorbed into the sugar, butter, and vanilla, creating a richer flavor and a moister cookie.
I use equal parts of white and brown sugar, which delivers the softness I desire with just a little crunch. I also found using a mixture of chocolate chips gives a delicious depth of flavor.
After searching long and hard for a good cookie this one is the best!! I made my first batch for santa at christmas and have been baking them since!! Leaving them in the fridge changes them for sure. We haven’t bought store bought cookie dough in a long time as this batch makes a good bit and we just store it in the fridge and bake when we want. Thanks!!
Glad you enjoy the recipe. They really are the best!!
Yummy! I made my first batch tonight. Mind you, with a husband and 2 greedy boys, they could not wait for the dough to sit for 24 hours. Yummy goodness!
Sounds like the cookies were a hit. When I make these cookies, I normally bake of a dozen or so right away, then hold the rest of the dough overnight. It is just too hard to wait! Thanks reading my blog and sharing your success.
This is the same as the Guittard Original Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (except for 1/2 tsp vanilla), and it looks delicious! I’m looking for 4 recipes to do a taste test with my friends and co-workers to see which one wins the popular vote, and with your recommendation this one will definitely be a contestant!
Hope you like it, and please try letting the dough rest overnight. It is amazing the added depth of flavor that is created! Let me know how it works out!
That one really looks delicious! My daughter will really enjoy this! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Let me know how your daughter likes them!
Of course, the last pic — bite marks — is my favorite! These sound so good. A mix of chips is a good idea. Isn’t one egg the norm in CC cookie recipes? I’ll be interested to see the difference that two makes.
I really do like the mix of chips (and nuts if you like them) it adds so much more flavor, but what I really loved discovering was the extra richness that the dough gets from standing for 24 hours before baking. Most commercial bakeries use this technique. Let me know how they turn out and what you think!
Put a box of instant vanilla pudding in with the dry ingredients… and you will never make chocolate chip cookies without it again. (OK – everyone has their variation…)
I will have to try that in the test kitchens and see what happens. I am a purest though, and love the pure ingredients, but always open to ideas.