These delicious basic chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy in the middle, crispy at the edges!
The chewiness not only depends on the amount of sugar I use, but also depends on the type of sugar I use.
I use both dark brown sugar & white sugar.
Brown sugar
To make a chewy cookie we need a moist cookie.
Brown sugar is made of molasses and molasses is hygroscopic-which means it absorbs moisture from the air so the cookie will be moist even after baking.
I use dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar means more molasses which increases chewiness with its moisture.
If you don’t have brown sugar at home you can learn how to make it from here.
Don’t Overbake Cookies
This step is very important if you want to have chewy cookies. Even if you have a very good recipe, if you overbake, you can change the texture of the cookies. These cookies bake 8 to max 9 minutes. When the edges and top of the cookies are lightly brown but top of them are still soft, you have to turn off the oven and keep them on the baking sheet where they still keep baking. This way you ensure the chewiness otherwise say “bye bye chewiness and softness.”
How to Achieve Softness
The softness comes from the cornstarch. I make sugar cookies with cornstarch and I know it very well that cornstarch gives my sugar cookies the softness. In this recipe it has the same effect.
Do these cookies require chilling?
One of the reasons the cookies are chilled is to prevent spreading. The more the dough chills, the less the cookies spread.
My chocolate chip cookies spread too. If you immediately want to bake them, just know that they will spread, your cookie will be thin instead of thick. Still you will have the chewiness. This dough makes 22 cookies. So if you want, you can bake some of them to see how they come out. I advice chilling because I like it thick. When it is thick, it is softer.
But…. there is another reason why the cookies should be chilled. It is for the flavors. The more the dough chills, the more deep flavors come out.
You can use chocolate chips or a mixture of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. When you chop the chocolate be sure they are in appropriate size, not too big!
Let’s talk about the recipe now.
I put flour, baking soda, salt and cornstarch in a medium bowl and mix well and set aside.
I put the butter in the bowl of my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until it is soft. Later I add the brown sugar and white sugar and cream until light and fluffy. I stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with my rubber spatula to be sure they are all mixed. After butter and sugar are creamed well, I add the egg and vanilla and mix until totally combined. I scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
Later I add the flour mixture in 3 batches until it is incorporated.
Finally, I stir in the chocolate chips (or a mixture of chocolate chips and chunks) and mix with my spatula evenly. So each cookie will have almost same amount of chocolate.
I take 40 gram (2 tablespoons) pieces of the dough and roll into balls. Then I place them on the baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake at 325°F(165C°) degrees for 8-9 minutes until they are lightly brown and soft in the center.
They look puffy when they come out of the oven.
Using my fingers, I gently press down on my cookies. You can use a back of a spoon. They look pretty but still missing something!
I put extra chocolate chips to decorate so everyone can say they are CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!
Enjoy your chewy, soft and tasty basic chocolate chip cookies!
These chocolate chip cookies are chewy and soft in the middle, crispy at the edges. They are delicious!
- 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour (dip and sweep)*
- 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 150 g (2/3 cup packed) dark brown sugar
- 105 g (1/2 cup) white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional
- 150 g (1/2 cup and 1/3 cup) chocolate chips or mixture of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks
- some extra chocolate chips for decorating
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Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cornstarch in a medium bowl and set aside.
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Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until it is soft with a hand-held mixer or with paddle attachment if using a stand-mixer. Add the brown and white sugar and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula to be sure they are all mixed.
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Add the egg and vanilla, mix well. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
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Add flour mixture in 3 batches until it is totally incorporated.
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Stir in the chocolate chips (or chocolate chips and chunks mixture) and mix evenly with a spatula.
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Cover the dough with plastic film and keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F(165C°). Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
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Remove the dough from the refrigerator and wait for 5 minutes until it comes to room temperature.
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Roll the dough into 40 gram (2 tablespoons) balls and place them on the baking sheet. Leave enough space between the balls about 2 inches (5cm).
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Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until they are lightly brown and soft in the center. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. The cookies will be puffy. Gently press down on the cookies with your fingers or with back of a spoon. Put extra chocolate chips to decorate the cookies. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
*You can click here for dip and sweep method if you use cup measurements.
Recipe adapted from Anna Olson
The calorie information above is an estimate that is provided by an online nutrition calculator.