The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies! Thick, soft in the center, lightly crisp on the edges, and packed with gooey chocolate chips. It’s a no-fuss, one-bowl recipe made with pantry staples, and they bake up beautifully every time. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or treating yourself, this is the chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll come back to over and over!
What Readers Are Saying
“Samantha, these really are the best! Chewy, soft and yet a beautiful light crispness on the edges. Thank you! I’ve been searching years for a recipe like this!” – Lynne
My Go-To Cookie, Every Time.
The dough comes together easily in one bowl with no mixer needed, making these perfect for beginner bakers or whenever you want fresh homemade cookies fast. Sam x
No mixer needed – Simple one-bowl recipe
Thick and chewy texture – Soft centers with crisp edges
Loaded with chocolate chips – Rich and gooey throughout
Freezer-friendly dough – Bake fresh cookies anytime
Chewy chocolate chip cookie video
Why this recipe works
These chewy chocolate chip cookies are designed for the perfect soft and chewy texture:
Melted Butter
Using melted butter creates a richer flavour and helps give the cookies their chewy texture without needing a mixer.
Cornstarch
A small amount of cornstarch keeps the cookies thick and soft while creating a more tender center.
Chilled Dough
Chilling the dough prevents excessive spreading, helping the cookies stay thick with chewy centers and crisp edges.
Balanced Sugars
A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar gives the cookies the right balance of crispness, moisture, and caramel-like flavour.
Ingredients you’ll need
Unsalted Butter
Adds richness and helps create a chewy texture.
Granulated Sugar
Helps create lightly crisp edges.
Light Brown Sugar
Adds moisture and a deeper caramel-like flavour.
Egg
Binds the dough together and adds structure.
Vanilla Extract
Enhances the flavour of the cookies.
All-Purpose Flour
Provides structure while keeping the cookies soft.
Cornstarch
Helps create a softer, thicker cookie texture.
Baking Soda
Helps the cookies rise and spread evenly.
Salt
Balances the sweetness and enhances flavour.
Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Adds rich chocolate flavour and gooey pockets throughout the cookies.
How to make chewy chocolate chip cookies
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Add both sugars to the slightly warm butter and whisk for 20 seconds until well combined.Â
Step 3: Whisk in the egg and vanilla until well combined, about 15 seconds.
Step 4 Add the flour mixture and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold and mix until a soft cookie dough forms; it will be thick.
Step 5: Add the chocolate chips and mix through until well distributed. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 356ºF (180ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 6: Scoop and weigh 45g (1.5oz) of dough for each cookie; roll into balls and place on the lined tray without flattening. Leaving a gap between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.
Tips for the best chewy cookies
- Chill the dough – Helps create thicker cookies with chewy centers
- Do not overbake – The centers should still look slightly soft when removed from the oven
- Use room temperature egg – Helps the dough combine more evenly
- Use Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft, thick, and tender
- Measure flour correctly – Too much flour can make the cookies dry
Try these recipes next
The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the Butter: Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals.
- Cool the Butter: Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 5-10 until it’s only slightly warm. Ensure it doesn’t firm back up.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Mix Sugars: Add both sugars to the slightly warm butter and whisk for 20 seconds until well combined. Note: The mixture will thicken gradually; avoid leaving it too long as it will become harder to whisk the egg in the next step.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Whisk in the egg and vanilla until well combined, about 15 seconds.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold and mix until a soft cookie dough forms; it will be thick.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips: Add the chocolate chips and mix through until well distributed.
- Chill the Dough: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes, or if the bowl is too large, wrap the dough and refrigerate without the bowl.Â
- Preheat the Oven: While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 356ºF (180ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop and weigh 45g (1.5oz) of dough for each cookie; roll into balls and place on the lined tray without flattening. Note: Without a food scale, use 3 level tablespoons per cookie.
- Arrange on Tray: Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookie balls 10cm (4 inches) apart to allow for spreading, and leaving gaps near tray edges. Bake in batches, as they won’t all fit on one tray.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Centers may look slightly under-baked; that’s what keeps them soft and chewy.
- Finish Baking: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on tray for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. They’ll still be soft and delicate so handle with care to avoid breakages. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now and everyone loves it. For some reason I’m just now noticing the difference in weights between US Customary and Metric, specifically the butter. Under the US Customary, it’s 130g, but when switching to metric, it’s 160g. I’ve always just used the metric measure to do everything by weight, but can you explain the difference? My cookies always seem to spread more than your pictures even when baked straight from the freezer, so I’m wondering if I’m using too much butter now.
Hi Jeff! Thank you so much for your kind words and for baking this recipe over the years. I really appreciate your support and your patience.
I’ve just re-tested the recipe and made a couple of small updates to improve it. You were absolutely right to notice the discrepancy, the correct butter measurement is 130g, not 160g. I’ve now fixed this in the metric version to match the US Customary, so thank you for pointing that out!
I also increased the flour to 2 cups (240g), just an extra 1/4 cup, which has completely solved the issue of the cookies coming out too flat. They now bake up thicker and puffier, while still keeping that delicious chewy center and lightly crisp edge.
Thanks again for your helpful comment, it led to an even better cookie! Sam 🙂
Absolutely delicious just needed a couple of extra minutes in my oven.
Hi Kristie, I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies! Oven temperatures can vary, so I’m happy to hear you found the perfect baking time in yours. Thanks for trying out the recipe and sharing your tip! Sam 🙂
I made these cookies and was super careful to measure/weigh the butter and flour just as you instructed. (I read your guide) and they taste good, but they are SO flat and spread out that you can almost see through them!! They were in the fridge a little over an hour and I used a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper. I also checked my oven temp. What do you think I did wrong?
Hi Greta, I appreciate you trying the recipe and following the instructions closely. Flat cookies can occur if the melted butter was still too warm when mixed, if there was a slight under-measurement of flour, or if the dough needed more chilling time. Using a heavier baking sheet might also help as it can distribute heat more evenly, minimizing spread. For future attempts, consider adding a bit more flour and ensuring your oven is properly calibrated for even heating. Sam 🙂
Samantha, these really are the best! Chewy, soft and yet a beautiful light crispness on the edges. Thank you! I’ve been searching years for a recipe like this!
Hi Lynne! I’m thrilled to hear that you loved this cookie recipe, and it’s wonderful that it met your expectations for the perfect balance of chewy, soft, and crisp! Your kind words mean a lot, and I’m so glad my recipe could be the one you’ve been searching for. Happy baking, and I hope you continue to enjoy many more delicious treats from my blog! Kindest, Sam x
Love this recipe, thank you for sharing!
Just was wondering, instead of scooping the dough, could you roll it into a log and slice them?
Hi Karyn! So happy you enjoyed this choc chip cookie recipe, it’s one of my favorites too. You could definitely try that yes! I would recommend rolling the dough into a log before it chills in the fridge. If there is too much dough to handle, you can create two logs. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for the 1 hour. I hope this helps! Sam 🙂