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This easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe really does produce the BEST chocolate chip cookies we've ever tasted. They're buttery and crinkly with crisp edges, a chewy interior and lots of delicious chocolate chips.
Although I have a lot of cookie recipes in my file and a good number of chocolate chip cookie recipes, these truly are the BEST (and one of the easiest) chocolate chip cookies that have ever passed through the Café kitchen.
5,700 5-star reviews
I can't take the accolades for creating this recipe, as I found it over at The New York Times Cooking website. With over 5,700 5-star reviews, I was pretty sure it must be something special. I've been making these cookies for a few months now and EVERY time they get rave reviews from family, friends, neighbors, etc. They truly are something special.
What's so special about them? It's not the ingredients, as they're just the usual cast of characters common to most chocolate chip cookie recipes; butter, sugar, leavening, vanilla, flour and chocolate chips. I guess it's the proportion of ingredients that makes these cookies so delicious, as well as a little secret trick that's employed before baking.
Too fussy and complicated
Before we get to that intriguing secret step, however, I have to say that I found the NYTimes' ingredient list to be unnecessarily fussy. Two types of flour (cake flour and bread flour), which a lot of people don't keep in stock. Weird measurements like "2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour" and "1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar". And, for the star ingredient, "1¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content". Fèves? Really? What's wrong with good old fashioned chocolate chips?
I also found that the Times directions are a lot more complicated than they need to be. The instructions call for several bowls, "a mixer fitted with paddle attachment" and instructions to refrigerate the dough for 24-36 hours before scooping it up into mounds for cookies. Have you ever tried scooping hardened dough, right from the refrigerator?
Simplify, simplify, simply!
That's my motto! So with my practical mind in full swing, the one that's always thinking of ways to make life easier for you (and me), Iwondered if this 5-star recipe needed to be this complex. I set about with some testing to see if it could be made simpler.
And the answer is YES! Although I converted the recipe to one-bowl, no-mixer with easy instructions and readily available ingredients (no fancy flours), the cookies are outrageously delicious. If you have a decently supplied pantry and refrigerator, you can make these wonderful cookies today!
Have patience
Well, at least you could definitely make the dough today. That's the little secret I mentioned earlier and perhaps the one caveat for those who "want chocolate chip cookies and want them NOW". Although these cookies are very good if you make the dough and proceed to bake the cookies right away, something magical happens as the dough rests in the refrigerator. And the longer the better, anywhere from 2 hours (if you need cc cookies in a big hurry) all the way to 72 hours.
In lieu of refrigerating the whole bowl of dough (as the NYT instructs), I like to make the dough, scoop it all into mounds (placed close together on a single sheet pan) and refrigerate for as long as I can wait. When I'm ready to bake, I pull out just enough of the mounds that will fit on one sheet pan. The bake time is quick, 12-16 minutes or until light golden brown.
Why refrigerate chocolate chip cookie dough?
What's the point in refrigerating the dough for these BEST chocolate chip cookies? King Arthur Flour explains it this way, "Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies. As the cookies bake, the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less the cookies spread. In addition, the sugar in the dough gradually absorbs liquid."
I believe that chilling the dough also helps reduce excess moisture in the cookies which creates a caramelized flavor and helps attain that highly coveted chewy interior texture with deliciously crispy outer edges.
You might already have the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe in your arsenal. But, if you're like me, always wondering if there might be something even better, you need to try this recipe. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised as you take the first bite of one of these crinkly, buttery, caramel-y, crisp-chewy, outrageously delicious cookies!
Café Tips for making The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
- For best results, measure your flour accurately. Either scoop flour into a measuring cup and level with the flat side of a knife OR whisk (or stir) your flour well, then scoop up the desired amount with a measuring cup and level with the flat side of a knife. If you scoop up flour that has compressed a bit, you can end up with too much flour and inferior results.
- I like to use a retractable scoop to quickly scoop up my dough and make uniform size cookies. For these BEST chocolate chip cookies, I used a medium scoop which is about 2 tablespoons.
- Even though you use a scoop, sometimes the cookies get a little renegade in the oven and lose their round shape. It's easy to get them fairly uniform in shape by gently pressing against the unruly edges with a metal spatula right when you remove the cookies from the oven.
- For a pretty presentation, I reserve about ¼ cup of the chocolate chips and add a few to each cookie as they emerge from the oven.
- This BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe makes a LARGE batch of cookies (4 dozen medium-size cookies). You can cut the recipe in half if desired, but the cookies freeze well both as dough balls and as baked cookies. How nice to have cookies, either ready to eat when thawed or ready to throw on a cookie sheet when the whim hits.
- Because this is a "no-mixer needed" recipe, make sure your butter is very soft. To achieve very soft butter you can:
- Let it sit at warm room temperature for several hours or overnight.
- Boil a cup of water in the microwave. Leave the steaming cup in the microwave along with the butter. It will take 20-30 minutes to soften.
- And if you need soft butter in a hurry, place cold butter in the microwave for 10-second increments, turning the butter after each increment. This will take anywhere from 20-40 seconds, depending on the strength of your microwave. Just watch the butter closely with this technique as it can go from soft to melted very quickly.
- Although this recipe is described as "one-bowl and "no-mixer" feel free to use a mixer if desired.
- I use salted butter. If your butter is unsalted you may want to add an extra pinch of salt.
- I like to sprinkle these cookies with a bit of flaky sea salt. I love Maldon Sea Salt. It's more expensive than regular salt or kosher salt but it's meant to be used as a "finishing salt". Use it at the end, just before serving. It adds delicious flavor to just about any dish. For these cookies, add a light sprinkle just as they emerge from the oven.
- I love these pre-cut parchment paper sheets cut to fit an average size sheet pan. They save a lot of time and come in a convenient, flat storage box. A box of these will last forever!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 1 ¼ cups very soft butter 2 ½ sticks (I use salted butter)
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt optional, I love Maldon
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Stir the very soft butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugars and stir well. (Mixture will not be fluffy at this point,)
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Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
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Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder and salt evenly over the top of the butter mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour and stir with a sturdy spatula until all of the flour is incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lick the spatula and bowl clean, but be sure to wash your face before your mother shows up.
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Scoop up the dough in 2 tablespoon scoops onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Don’t worry about spacing the cookies at this point. You can crowd them so you don’t have to refrigerate several pans. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 72 hours, covered lightly with plastic wrap.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line several sheet pans with parchment paper. Place refrigerated dough balls onto one of the sheet pans, spacing 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. (Keep the rest refrigerated.)
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Bake until golden brown but still soft, 14-18 minutes or until golden brown. Add additional chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies, if desired and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt (optional). Allow the cookies to cool for several minutes on the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
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Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.
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After being refrigerated, the dough balls can also be transferred to a ziplock bag and frozen. Bake frozen cookies as directed above, giving them a few extra minutes in the oven until light golden brown.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Adapted from The New York Times
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days and can also be frozen for 1-2 months.
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Tiffany D. says
Yep, this is the one we've been searching for! It really is perfect and so simple. We refrigerated them for 24 hours and then the family could not wait any longer. Haha! The cookies turned out splendidly. It truly is the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for sharing!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for letting us know, Tiffany!
Sharl says
I just made these last night for the first time and oh. My. Goodness! These were so goooood! I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I halved it and I used 1/8 c. butter flavored Crisco and 1/2 c. butter. I find if I substitute a little of the Crisco it keeps the dough soft if I'm lazy and leave the bowl in the fridge instead of making separate cookie balls to freeze. Though, I did make the cookie balls anyway last night. Anyway, the cookies turned out buttery and perfect and just amazing. Gonna replace my tried-and-true with these.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Sharl!
Angelique Chatelier says
Loved reading the comments above. Real funny. No way are we doing all the work in NYT recipe 🤣🤣. I want want put some nuts (pecans) do i need to reduce the amount of chocolate so the biscuits holds together? Can you give a general guide to how much chocolate and nuts in total can be put inside the recipe?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Angelique, you don't need to reduce the chocolate chips and you could add up to a cup of chopped pecans.
Patti-o says
Ok I just stumbled onto your site today. I have been wanting to make chocolate chip cookies but with my original old recipes I wasn't happy with the spread that they make . Your instructions to these cc cookies seem so simple and easy. I have been baking for many years now and have not found any professional baker to put it into plain and simple words and instructions. I am going to make them today and will let you know the results. Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Patti-o! Let us know how they turn out 🙂
Diane S says
These turned out great! Due to a family emergency the cookie balls were refrigerated for 3 days, but they STILL came out fantastic when I finally baked them. I even froze a dozen to bake later - otherwise I would eat them all! I limit myself to 2 cookies at a time, but I am wearing a path to the kitchen because I keep going back for "just two more"!! I put a chocolate chunk in the center of each cookie right after they came out of the oven - never enough chocolate for me!
Question - would this be a good recipe to use browned butter? My brother makes a killer CC cookie and swears by the brown butter. Brown, cool while measuring other ingredients, then mix with the sugars. Proceed with the rest of the ingredients as stated. I'd love to know if you think it would work. Thank you for a great recipe! ALL of your great recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Diane, you could definitely use brown butter although these recipe is hard to beat as is!
Gale says
When I have made chocolate chip cookies, I sprinkle sea salt flakes on them before I bake them. If you sprinkle after will the sea salt fall off? Love the idea of post chocolate chip accent chips post baking.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gale, if you sprinkle them with salt right when they come out of the oven it will stick. Enjoy!
Donna says
I love all your recipes! My dough comes out really sticky.. am I doing something wrong?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Donna, Thanks for your kind words.
Regarding your question, the dough should be fairly thick, like a classic cookie dough - if you're using the specified amounts of ingredients, you should be fine!
Terri C. says
I made half this recipe and because of the heavy butter flavor, I won't be making them again. I used 1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and got 33 1 T./1.5" dough balls. They baked in 8.5 minutes and spread out fine.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Terri, sorry you didn't enjoy these cookies. We LOVE the buttery flavor!
Deb Frederick says
I made a batch of these babies for the first time this week, to to take to our local vet’s office as a thank you. The staff there give such excellent care to our elderly dogs, including our little Frida, who died in August. I wanted something extra yummy for these wonderful people; and these sure fit the bill! The recipe is so easy to put together. The refrigeration time is a small price to pay for the fabulous results. I love the NYT food folks, but at age 71 with aching joints and back, I don’t want complicated and unnecessary steps, but rather appreciate your streamlined recipes that still taste really, really good! Thank you for sharing your gift of cooking with all of us, your loyal readers!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Deb, for taking the time to share your sweet story! So happy you enjoyed this recipe and hope the vet staff did too!
Jennie says
Have you tried adding nuts and dried cherries to this recipe. Those are ingredients in cookies my family loves but I have such success with your recipes . I wanted to use some of these ingredients in your recipe rather than my recipe, which always spreads too much. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your sweet note of confidence, Jennie! 💕 You could definitely add nuts and dried cherries to this recipe, that would be fantastic. I might chop the cherries up a bit if they're really large. ENJOY!
Gayann says
Mixed these up yesterday, and baked them off today…total WOW! Make these! Chris responded to my question about using dark brown sugar, and I used that…they do not spread much, and I am soooo a fan of this recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Gayann! So happy you enjoyed them and appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
Patti says
I am giving these 5 stars because I know I will love them. They are in the refrigerator now. I am a little ill since I paid particular attention to the part about cleaning the bowl and scrapers etc. The dough was delicious!
I am not a huge baker so this question may be silly, but if I make cookies and use my scoop which is 1 or 2 or who knows how big, I never know how to measure. Level it or make a big scoop? My scoops get bigger and bigger as the batter gets used up. I used a stand mixer since I got one as a present recently and wow! They sure make things easier! I will bake some of the cookies as a present before Xmas, keep the rest for myself.
Your recipe was so clear, explaining what to do with hard butter, answering all the questions in my head. Every recipe I have made of yours has been excellent. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
I usually level the scoop that way the they stay more consistent in size. I'm so glad you are enjoying the recipes, Patti!
Gayann says
Hi! Quick question…may I use dark brown sugar? That would save a trip to the store!
Chris Scheuer says
Absolutely! The cookies will be a bit deeper in color but super delish! ENJOY!
Stacy says
Immediately throw out all other chocolate chip cookie recipes! I’ve probably left a comment before but every.single.time I make these cookies a couple things happen (sometimes all of them) 1) people instantly remember these cookies and seek me out to tell me how good they are, 2) Rave, I mean, RAVE about how good they are, 3) ask me for the recipe or better yet, when I offer it, they tell me no, that they couldn’t be able to control themselves if they made them. The Maldon salt is the secret sauce and it turns these from amazing to “the best chocolate chip cookie” one has ever had. Sorry for the length of this but this must be said.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Stacy! I really appreciate you taking the time to write this excellent review 💕 and I'm so happy others have enjoy these cookies as well!
Lisa says
These were delicious. I made one small change, and that was to use a combo of chocolate chips, and chocolate chunks.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Lisa!
Candace says
Wonderful taste & texture, especially with the topping of salt. I've never frozen unbaked cookies before but your suggestion for freezing is perfect. Love the idea of fresh baked cookies on a moments notice.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Candace!
Mariette says
O wow! These cookies are absolutely PERFECT! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. If I could, I would have given you 10 stars!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks, Mariette!
Stacy says
I’ve made a ton of chocolate chip recipes but NEVER have I received the raving, gushing reviews as when I made these cookies! Almost a year after I first made them, I have people still reminiscing about them! I don’t know if it’s the refrigeration, the Maldon salt or what but these are amazing and I will never waste my time on another recipe. And to date, no bakery cookie, in my opinion, has been able to beat ‘em! Thank you for sharing and perfecting!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Stacy!
Elizabeth Glass says
I have to agree these are my new "go to" cookies! I use to make another recipe that Chris shared BUT I find myself returning to this one again and again!I do refrigerate the dough and it is a game changer! Simply,THE BEST! Thank you! <3
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Elizabeth!
Karen says
Hi Chris, is this oven temp in a fan force oven ,or standard please?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, it is a standard oven temperature.
Debbie A Bergstrom says
I have made this recipe many time and we love these chocolate chip cookies. My question is: is it possible to put all the dry ingredients together in a zip loc bag in my suitcase. We are flying to a house we have rented on an island off the Florida coast. While we are there, add the wet ingredients and bake them there? Thank you Debbie
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Debbie, that should work just fine! Have a wonderful vacation!
Tom says
Oops. Please ignore my last post. I see know how to convert the recipes to metric. Thanks. Tom
Chris Scheuer says
Let us know how they turn out!
Tom Wells says
I haven't tried these yet, but, I plan on making them this weekend. I was wondering if you have this recipe with the measurements listed by weight (grams or ounces). I prefer to cook using weights rather than volumes like cups. I find weights are more accurate and reproducible. Thanks. Tom
Jane says
My husband had a book of award winning chocolate chip cookie recipes that I also used. Had some other internet favorites printed an stored in my cookbook binder, thinking I had found the best crispy outside, chewy inside recipe. I was going to return to my standby but with recent success with your shortbread recipes, I thought perhaps Chris has a chocolate chip cookie recipe.
My quest has ended. The taste and texture is perfect for me as I don’t like bready cookies. The refrigeration step, although tedious, is worth the wait. They were scrumptious warm and I wondered how they would be the next day after fully cooling....they were even better.
Thanks for this recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome, Jane!!
Terri Friedman says
I like to weigh my ingredients. What do you have a conversion for the flour by weight ? Kong Arthur uses 120 grams per cup of flour. Would that be what I should use.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Terri, if you look at the recipe under the ingredients, you can click on the word metric and it will convert the ingredients for you. Enjoy the cookies!