Classic Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have a confession: when I need to gather everyone in the kitchen fast, I don’t ring a bell—I bake cookies. There’s something about the smell of butter and vanilla that brings people together quicker than any group text. These are our family chocolate chip cookies: simple pantry ingredients, no fussy tricks, and a cozy, nostalgic crumb that tastes like great-grandma’s recipe—because that’s the legacy I want in our home..
Servings: 60 cookies
Calories: 116kcal
Cost: varies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Cookie Baking Sheet
- Cookie Scoop optional
- Spatula
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter if using salted, reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Before You Begin: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 1: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Step 2: Add 2 ½ cups of the sifted flour to the bowl along with the baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined.
- Step 3: If the dough feels too sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour. If not, skip that step. The dough should hold its shape but still be soft.
- Step 4: Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly mixed.
- Step 5: Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart.Pro Tip: Using a small cookie scoop helps keep them uniform.
- Step 6: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops are just barely browned. The cookies will still look soft but will firm up as they cool.
- Step 7: Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Step 8: Enjoy with a glass of milk, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.
Notes
Baking Tips:
- Make sure your butter is softened, not melted. Soft butter gives the best texture with tender centers and crisp edges.
- Use room-temperature eggs so they blend smoothly with the butter and sugar. If your eggs are cold, run them under warm water for a minute.
- Sift the flour to prevent lumps and give the cookies a finer crumb.
- Start with 2 ½ cups of flour, then add up to ½ cup more only if the dough is sticky. This helps you adjust for humidity and altitude.
- Do not overbake. The cookies should look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to bake on the hot pan as they rest.
- For gifting or storage, cool cookies completely and stack between parchment paper in a tin or airtight container.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Rewarm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to restore that fresh-baked texture.
- Freeze extra dough by scooping it into balls and freezing on a tray. Once solid, store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.3mg
