Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Name: Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (softened (2 sticks)); 1 cup brown sugar; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups chocolate chips

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This chocolate chip cookie recipe is simple, chewy, buttery, and chocolaty. It’s been a favorite in our house for decades and is always on a cookie tray, in lunch boxes, or just because it’s the weekend!

For a gluten-free option, try our Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Stacked Chocolate Chip cookies on a parchment square.

Why I Love These Cookies

There's something magical about a warm chocolate-chip cookie fresh from the oven - crisp-edged, gooey-centered, buttery, and studded with melted chocolate.

This is not a "fussy" modern take or a trend-driven remake. It's the cookie recipe my family has loved for decades - simple, reliable, and requested again and again for holiday cookie boxes, lunch-box treats, quick snacks after school, or a cozy evening at home.

Whether you're baking for a crowd, a holiday cookie swap, or just yourself with a cup of tea, this is the cookie you'll reach for without a second thought.

Why this recipe endures

No chill, no stress - Unlike recipes that require overnight refrigeration, this dough bakes beautifully straight from the mixing bowl. Perfect when you’re short on time but craving fresh cookies.
Consistently satisfying results - This recipe delivers that classic balance: slightly crisp edges, soft chewy centers, and plenty of chocolate in each bite.
Versatile and timeless - Convenient enough for weekday baking, yet comforting enough for holiday cookie boxes. This formula has proven itself across decades of cookie-making.

Ingredients

Butter (softened): The base of these cookies' rich flavor and tender texture. Softened butter creams beautifully with the sugars for that classic chewy-centered bite.
Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, caramel notes, and chewiness. Essential for that bakery-style texture.
Granulated Sugar: Balances sweetness and helps the cookies spread just enough in the oven.
Eggs: Bind the dough and contribute to structure. They keep the cookies soft and tender.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and enhances all the chocolate and buttery flavors.
All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure. Measure using the spoon-and-level method to avoid over-packing.
Baking Soda: Helps the cookies spread and brown beautifully.
Baking Powder: Adds light lift, keeping the centers soft while maintaining slightly crisp edges.
Salt: Balances sweetness and deepens flavor-don't skip it.
Chocolate Chips: The star of the show. Semi-sweet is classic, but dark or milk chocolate works beautifully too.

How to Make These Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Top view of chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet with more dough on the side.

Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Cream butter and sugars; add eggs and vanilla, then stir in flour, salt, baking soda (etc.), finishing with a generous fold-in of chocolate chips.
Scoop dough by cookie scoop or spoon onto a prepared baking sheet. No need to refrigerate - you can bake immediately. That said, if you do want to make them ahead, it’s perfectly fine to chill from a short time to an overnight rest.
Bake until edges are golden and centers still look slightly soft - the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
As soon as they come out of the oven, try the "inverted glass trick" (see below) to encourage round, bakery-style domes.

Pro Tips & What to Expect

Skip chilling - or don't: While many cookie recipes stress the need to chill dough, for this cookie, it's absolutely optional. Dough baked right away produces chewy, buttery, homemade-fresh cookies. That said, some bakers prefer a short rest or chill to slightly firm the butter, which can reduce spread and add a subtle depth to flavor.

The "inverted glass trick" for round cookies: As soon as cookies emerge from the oven, gently press a warmed (or at least not cold) upside-down glass over each cookie for a second or two. This helps encourage a round, domed shape and can make homemade cookies look more "bakery style."

Texture you can control
- Bake right away for classic, soft-chewy cookies.
- Chill dough briefly (30-60 min) or refrigerate overnight for slightly thicker, more compact cookies with deeper flavor. Many sources note that chilling helps firm fat, reduce spread, and deepen flavor.

Make-ahead & dough freezing: You can portion dough, freeze balls, and bake off single batches - great for holiday boxes or spontaneous cookie cravings.

Storage: Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container. They stay soft and delicious for several days, or add a slice of bread to keep them moist even longer.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

No - this recipe is designed to be baked right away. But if you prefer a slightly firmer, chewier cookie (or want to bake later), a short chill or overnight refrigeration can help shape and deepen flavor.

What if I chill the dough - do I need to let it warm up before baking?

If chilled for a long period, let the dough sit 5-10 min until pliable; if you bake frozen dough balls, just add a minute or two to the bake time.

Why do my cookies sometimes spread too thin?

Very warm butter, over-soft dough, or a super-hot oven can cause excess spread. A brief chill or lower oven temperature helps, and the inverted glass trick helps keep them round.

Can I swap the chocolate chips or add nuts?

Absolutely. Semi-sweet chips bring classic flavor, but feel free to experiment with dark, milk, or white chocolate - or add chopped nuts for texture and depth.

If you enjoy this classic cookie, you might also like some of our other chocolate-chip and riffed-cookie versions:

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are the treat of choice for mint lovers (like me) or when you want to make a treat for St. Patrick’s Day!
If you love warm spices, these Ginger Spice Cookies are a favorite reader recipe. They’re easy to make when you’re craving molasses cookies.
Mexican Chocolate Cookies are a double chocolate, easy-to-make cookie with Mexican chocolate spices. And I promise, it’s impossible to stop at just one!
If you love chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies, you will want to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe is also a favorite!

See more Cookies →

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