To chip or chunk, to sea salt or not, to cream or melt/brown the butter…chocolate chip cookies (or chocolate chunk cookies!) are personal. These are my all-time favorite, and do require creaming softened butter with sugar, and I do enjoy a hearty chunk of melty dark chocolate from a bar in these. However, they also work without sea salt on top, and chips get the job done, too. I’ve recently used Guittard’s dark chocolate chips, and actually appreciate their shape – it’s almost like a fatter mini-disc, and I fine the particle size of the chocolate is wonderful as well – producing a great melting texture and mouthfeel. But no need to be snobby here – use the chocolate that you have.
I know it’s a lot to ask to bust out the mixer for cookies some days, but these are worth it. They are at once just crunchy enough on the edges, and soft/chewy/supple in the middle. The recipe is balanced, just sweet enough (for a cookie), and has a great texture….all attributes that are quite hard to find in a cookie.
(however, if you do not have or just *cannot* get our your mixer, you can use my other favorite chocolate chunk/chip cookie, which calls for melted butter, by visiting this post).
Each oven is different, so you’ll have to dial-in baking times. I find that my oven at 365F (yes, bake these at 365F) for 12 minutes from balls straight from the freezer are perfection. Size matters, too. I scoop mine out into 2TB size balls. I think this size is perfect for snacking, and more importantly, the diameter doesn’t inhibit dunking into milk.
Resting the batter in the fridge is not essential, but you will get more consistent results if you do. 99% of the time, I do for at least 8 hours, and up to a few days. And, 99% of the time, I am freezing the dough balls, and baking-off as I wish. Make a double batch if you’d like, too.
And my last note, please use a scale if you have one! Cookies are so, so prone to measurement errors. The investment in a scale will pay dividends in your baking, cookie and coffee-making endeavors – I promise!
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 stick 113g unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup 50g sugar
- 3/4 cup plus 2 TB 165g light or dark brown sugar packed in the cup if using volumetric measures
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla optional
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- pinch cinnamon or a few gratings of nutmeg optional
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt heaped 1/4 tsp fine sea salt for you salt fanatics out there or for those of you who don't top with flakey salt
- 1 3/4 cup 220g all purpose flour
- 1/2 lb 225g chopped chocolate or chocolate chips/chunks any will work
Instructions
- If wanting to bake right after mixing, pre-heat oven to 365F with rack in the middle position.
- Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with hand mixer until very light and fluffy, a full 5 minutes on medium-high. Scrape down half-way through mix time.
- Add in egg, vanilla and baking soda, cinnamon or nutmeg if using, and salt. Mix again for 1 minute, until well mixed. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add in the flour, and mix briefly just to combine. Add in the chocolate, and mix again until the chocolate is combined. If using chopped bar chocolate, it may break up a bit more in the mixer, but I like the freckled texture/appearance this gives the cookie.
- Portion out into 1/2 TB to 2 TB sized balls, rolling slightly to create a round shape (or use a cookie scoop). If freezing balls for later, place on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate and transfer to freezer to freeze entirely, then transfer into a bag once frozen.
- To bake, place desired number of cookies on a baking sheet (staggering 3×2 to fit a total of 13 on a standard baking tray) – I usually just bake 2-4 at a time for fresh cookies on a whim. Sprinkle each cookie with flakey sea salt.
- Bake 11-13 minutes, until golden and set on the edges, and still a bit pale in the middle. Or, bake until dark brown and crunchy – it's up to you! Allow to cool slightly before enjoying, or cool all the way and store in a container at room temp for up to 3 days.