Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, No Mixer)
I found a really, really good recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies that I'm sharing, along with a few tips. Chewy, soft centers with a slight toffee taste.
Servings (change as needed): 30 (or 24 larger cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted or unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (~245 grams) (or 1 cup Light Brown sugar + 1 Tablespoon molasses)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons flour, Note 1 (total 265 grams flour)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter)
- 1 ½ cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (any kind or combination)
- Optional garnish: sprinkle of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- MELT BUTTER AND SUGARS: In medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugars. Remove from heat and stir until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Let cool on stove or put in fridge to cool for 5 minutes before adding eggs.
- ADD LIQUIDS: Stir in egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
- ADD DRY INGREDIENTS: Use a wooden spoon to fold in flour, salt and baking soda just until combined. Don't overmix. Fold in chocolate chips/chunks - make sure mixture is cool first so chocolate doesn't melt - I use my hands to distribute chocolate chips evenly.
- CHILL DOUGH: Wrap dough in two logs in plastic to firm it up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. For deeper caramel notes, better crinkle, & best chew, chill dough for 24-36 hours. (NOTE: cookies can be baked without chilling if you're in a rush, but they may spread more in the oven and flavor will not be as deep).
- HEAT OVEN to 325F/163C.
- BAKE: Cut chilled dough into thick slices for easier handling. Form into cookie mounds and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Note 3 - baking times for different-sized cookies. [At this point, the mounds can be flash frozen and put into ziploc bags to be baked later as you need them]. For a chewy texture, bake on middle rack for ~`12-14 minutes until light golden brown. Rotate halfway through for more even browning. If you like crispier cookies, bake for the full 14 minutes (or 15 for large cookies). Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired.
- COOL: Cool cookies for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack or a plate.
Notes
- How to measure flour properly (important): It is best to weigh flour for baking purposes, but if you don't have a scale, scoop the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon, then level it off with a knife (scoop and swipe method).
- Variations
- Use half chocolate chips and half chocolate chunks. Or a combination of different kinds of chocolate chips.
- Add some chopped pecans or walnuts (about 1/2 cup/54 grams).
- Baking times for big and small cookies:
- 30 small: ~1.5 Tbsp / 28–30 g (#40 scoop): 12-13 min
- 20-22 medium: ~2 Tbsp / 38–40 g (#30 scoop): 12.5-14 min
- 16-18 large: ~3 Tbsp / 55–60 g (#20 scoop): 13–15 min
- From chilled dough add 1–2 min; from frozen add 2–3 min.
- Make ahead:
- To store: The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
- To freeze:
- Wrap 1-2 logs of dough in parchment, place in zip-top bag, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- Alternatively, form dough into cookie mounds or discs, lay out on a pan, flash freeze them for 30-60 minutes, then transfer dough mounds to a ziploc bag or sealed container to use as needed.
- To bake from frozen: If in a log form, defrost, slice into discs and bake. If frozen in mounds, bake straight from the freezer for 14 minutes or a minute or two extra.
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg