Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's nothing better than Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies straight from the oven. This basic recipe is easy to make in 20 minutes and bakes up a moist cookie with crisp edges.

There’s no better cookie than a traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie! Are we right!?! What occasion or life event isn’t better by sharing these soft middles and crispy edges? These are the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies that you'll want to bake ALL. THE. TIME. 

Truth be told, it’s the basic Nestle Toll House recipe with a few modifications that make them absolutely perfect. 

If you love chocolate chip cookies, definitely try Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and our Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Cheesecake Filling!

Tips for Making the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Butter

Yep, the butter. Always use good quality salted sweet cream butter. It makes a difference in the taste, for sure. Grocery store brands can be okay, so don’t fret if that’s what you have on hand. 

Soften Your Butter

Again, it’s about the butter 🙂 It needs to be softened/melted a little less than halfway. You can do this in the microwave, but another way is to set it in your oven while it preheats and let it melt slowly. 

Oh, don’t forget to set a timer if your butter is in the oven, so it doesn’t melt too much! (That makes flat cookies, and we don’t want that!)

Bring Your Butter Back to Room Temperature

We know we just melted it, but warm butter just won’t work for the perfect chocolate chip cookie! Letting it sit while you're mixing your dry ingredients should do the trick.

Barely Beat Your Eggs

If you want soft cookies, just barely beating your eggs into the sugar mixture is the way to go. Make sure they're mixed in, but please don’t over mix!

Make those Cookies BIG!

Who likes a small, puny cookie? Go big!! Using a cookie scoop yields even results and keeps your hand clean. Of course, you can always use a spoon, too. 

Use a Silpat Baking Mat

This is one kitchen accessory you’ll use over and over again for sweet and savory recipes, so it’s a good investment. A Silpat Baking Mat creates a moist and delicious cookie with a tiny bit of crisp around the edges, which is exactly what we want!!

Don’t Over Bake!

The key to a soft but slightly crisp cookie is not over baking. When the edges get a little brown, we find they’re ready—even if the center is still soft and a bit puffy. By the time they cool, they’ll be perfect.

TIP: Did you know cookies continue to cook once they are out of the oven? For a soft-baked texture, take them out of the oven while their middles are still soft. 

Cookie baking is a little bit of science, so they don’t always turn out perfect, but these tips should help get you to pro-baker status in no time! No matter what, cookie dough is always good to eat! 

Ways to Make Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Even Better

• Add a little extra chocolate. For you chocolate fans, this is a no-brainer, but for those who don’t know, adding more chocolate to your cookies makes them better. Just a ¼ cup will do the job. 
• Add different types of chocolate. Of course, you can add Nestle Toll House morsels, but add chocolate chunks to dark chocolate to really give your cookies good flavor and texture. 
• Place a few chocolate chips or chunks on top of the cookie to make it look extra chippy!
• Let the cookie sheet you're using to bake your cookies cool between each batch.

If you're out of an ingredient, check out baking substitutions for an alternative.

How to Make - Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 - Soften Butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. and soften your butter. You want about ⅓ of your butter soft, not the entire amount. 

Step 2 - Mix Dry Ingredients

Measure and then mix your flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Step 3 - Mix Butter, Sugar, & Eggs

Beat softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy in a large mixer bowl. We like to use a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's the best, but a handheld works well, too. Add and beat eggs, one at a time. Mix well, but don’t overbeat the eggs.

Step 4 - Add Flour Mixture and Chocolate Chips

Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts (optional). Drop by rounded tablespoon or cookie scoop onto ungreased baking sheets or Silpat baking mat. 

Step 5 - Bake

Bake for approximately 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown around the edges, but soft in the middle.

Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then place on baking racks to cool completely. 

Baking note:

For high elevations, increase flour to 2 ½ cups. Add 2 teaspoons of water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to ⅔ cup each. Bake chocolate chip cookies for 7 to 9 minutes

Other Must-Try Cookie Recipes

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Absolutely!

Chocolate Chip Cookies freeze well and make a wonderful treat from the freezer when you need something sweet! They last about 3-4 weeks in the freezer.

To freeze, let your cookies cool completely and then place them on a baking pan layered between parchment paper to freeze individually. Once frozen, store in a zipper seal bag or other airtight container labeled with the date.

Enjoy your Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies with milk, or all by themselves!

Freeze all your baked goods with confidence when you know the Tips to Prevent Freezer Burn.

We Love Hearing from YOU!

If you try these Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it went in the comments below; we love hearing from you! Better yet, use the hashtag #suburbansimplicity if you make the recipe.

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More Cookie Recipes You'll Love

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Cheesecake Filling
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with White Chocolate