As my best friend Lauren and I approached our 30th birthdays last year, we set out to solve a very important question for our thirties: which is the best chocolate chip cookie? We spent nearly a year testing the most talked-about recipes, trying specialty ingredients and different techniques. Nothing quite felt right until we looked at the simple recipe on the back of a chocolate chip bag — and found our favorite.
We both texted at the same time that this must be “the one.” After baking them repeatedly and making a few minor tweaks, I can confirm: these are easy, delicious, and reliably perfect. Today I’m sharing the recipe and the small adjustments that turned it into our go-to cookie.
Why These Are The Best – (Hint: EASY + NOT FANCY!)
I’ve tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes. Some call for obscure flours or tiny amounts of exotic ingredients that sit unused in the pantry. Others require days of refrigeration. I made the famous NYT version in college and it was excellent, but impractical when you want cookies now.
These cookies require no specialty ingredients, no long waits, and minimal equipment. They bake up with a bakery-style appearance: substantial, with slightly crisp edges and chewy centers. They’re fast, simple, and consistently great.
Consistency is Key
Many recipes produced wildly different results between batches. We’re not professional bakers, and most home cooks aren’t either. What we wanted was a recipe that delivers the same result every time, even with small variations in measuring or mixing.
This recipe does that. It’s forgiving and reliable, so you don’t need to worry if a child sneaks in a little extra flour or stirs a bit too enthusiastically. The outcome is steady and dependable.
My Thoughts On Sugars
The original calls for 3/4 cup each of granulated and brown sugar. I prefer to cut sugar where it doesn’t sacrifice texture or flavor, so I use 1/2 cup white sugar (organic cane sugar works well). You can reduce it slightly if you like less sweetness and still get great results.
For that bakery-style color and depth, use dark brown sugar. It makes a big difference in both tone and flavor.
What Chocolate Chips To Use
We split the household preference: Jeff likes milk or semi-sweet, while I prefer bittersweet. I often reach for larger bittersweet chips (like Ghirardelli) because they create generous pockets of melted chocolate.
You can also chop a bar of chocolate for even larger chocolate pools. The cookies in these photos combine semi-sweet chips with chopped dark chocolate because that’s what we had on hand.
How Flaked Salt Changed My Life
These cookies don’t require fancy ingredients, but a sprinkle of flaked sea salt at the end elevates them. I used to use a coarse grinder, but flaked salt gives a pleasing crunch and enhances the chocolate, adding a bakery-like finish.
It’s optional, lasts a long time, and is an easy way to make the cookies taste more special.
Ideal Cookie Size (My Favorite Cookie Scoop)
I like large cookies. The original recipe claims four dozen, which would only be true for much smaller scoops than I use. I prefer heaping scoops from a medium-large ice cream scoop to make 12–15 substantial cookies per batch.
Mom Hack: Kid-Sized Cookies
If you make large cookies for adults but want smaller portions for kids, reserve some dough and use a slightly smaller scoop for kid-sized cookies. I fill the scoop about three-quarters full and add fewer chips to those portions. Kids get their “own” cookie size, and adults get the big ones—everyone’s happy.
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups+ semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- Sea salt or salt flakes, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate).
- Drop large heaping scoops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if using. (You can also add salt after baking for a cleaner look.)
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
And there it is — simple, dependable, and delicious. I hope you try this recipe and love it as much as we do. Enjoy!