If you’ve ever wished for a cookie that’s irresistibly soft, decadent with gooey chocolate, and packed with rich, caramel notes, The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies will be your new obsession. These are the cookies I bake when I want my whole house to smell like pure happiness—each bite is perfectly chewy in the middle, crisp at the edges, and loaded with enough chocolate chips to satisfy even the most intense cravings. Whether you love cookies fresh from the oven or tucked away for late-night snacking, this recipe is going to become your forever go-to for dessert, potlucks, or just a cozy treat with a glass of cold milk.

The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

A pantry-friendly lineup makes these cookies both simple and extraordinary. Each ingredient brings something special: richness, structure, tenderness, or a burst of chocolate flavor. Let’s break down what you’ll need and why every one of these is key to achieving cookie greatness.

All-purpose flour: Provides structure, yielding cookies that are perfectly thick and tender rather than thin or cakey.
Baking soda: Gives just enough lift for that classic, slightly domed cookie top and golden-brown edge.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and intensifies the chocolate flavor—you’ll taste the difference if you forget it!
Unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled): Melted butter lends unbeatable chewiness and a subtle caramel undertone.
Packed brown sugar: Infuses each bite with deep, toffee-like flavor and serious moisture for the perfect texture.
Granulated sugar: Contributes sweetness and helps those irresistible golden edges form in the oven.
Vanilla extract: The aromatic backbone of the dough—don’t skimp, it rounds out every flavor note.
Large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature): The whole egg adds structure, while the extra yolk makes the cookies unforgettable soft and chewy.
Semisweet chocolate chips: The star ingredient, melting into gooey pools with every bite—classic and never out of style.

How to Make The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Baking Sheets

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—the parchment helps cookies bake evenly and makes cleanup so much easier. A correctly heated oven ensures the cookies spread just enough but don’t flatten into pancakes, while the parchment gives you that picture-perfect bottom.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This quick step makes sure your leavener and salt are evenly dispersed throughout the dough, so every cookie bakes up with uniform flavor and that signature soft, chewy bite.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients to Creamy Perfection

In a large mixing bowl, blend the melted butter with the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla extract, the large egg, and that precious extra egg yolk. Beat until you notice the mixture becoming light and a little fluffy—it’s key for building the chewy texture that puts The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies in a league of their own.

Step 4: Bring Wet and Dry Together

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir just until the last trace of flour disappears; overmixing can make the cookies tough. You want a supple dough that promises a rich, chewy result rather than a dense or cakey cookie.

Step 5: Add All the Chocolate Chips

Fold in your semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed—every bite deserves plenty of melty chocolate! If you want to get creative, you can throw in a handful of chocolate chunks or nuts at this stage for extra texture and flavor.

Step 6: Portion and Bake

Scoop the dough into generous, rounded tablespoons and space them at least two inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, watching for edges that are golden while the centers still look a bit soft. This is the secret to The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: slightly underbaked centers guarantee that signature chewiness as they finish setting after you remove them from the oven.

Step 7: Cool to Perfection

Let the cookies cool right on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This resting time gives them the chance to firm up just enough to hold together, ensuring that each cookie has the perfect combination of crispy outsides and gooey middles.

How to Serve The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Garnishes

If you’re feeling fancy, try adding a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top right after baking. The salt brings out the chocolate and caramel notes, making these cookies taste even more bakery-worthy. A drizzle of melted chocolate or a dusting of powdered sugar can also add a fun finishing touch.

Side Dishes

Few things pair better with The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies than an icy cold glass of milk—classic and unbeatable. If you’d like to elevate things, try serving them alongside fresh berries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even a steaming mug of coffee for those cozy afternoon breaks.

Creative Ways to Present

Stack the cookies high on a pretty platter or tuck them into a cookie jar for a nostalgic vibe. For parties, you can package them in clear cellophane bags tied with a ribbon for a thoughtful homemade gift. Or, get playful: make ice cream sandwiches by smooshing your favorite ice cream between two cookies—irresistible!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you manage to have leftovers, store The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and fresh for up to five days, making them perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, or midnight cravings.

Freezing

You can freeze the baked cookies for up to three months—just let them cool completely first and pop them into a zip-close freezer bag or airtight container. You can also freeze scoops of unbaked dough on a tray, then transfer to a bag to bake straight from the freezer whenever you want a fresh cookie fix.

Reheating

To recapture that just-baked warmth, pop cookies in the microwave for about 8 to 10 seconds or warm them in a 300°F oven for a couple minutes. The chocolate goes gooey again, and you’ll swear they were freshly baked.

FAQs

Why do you use both brown sugar and granulated sugar?

The blend gives The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies their perfect balance of chew (from brown sugar) and crisp edges (from granulated sugar), making every bite more interesting and satisfying.

What does the extra egg yolk do?

The additional yolk adds richness and moisture, resulting in a more tender, slightly fudgy center that’s the hallmark of The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Can I substitute the chocolate chips with something else?

Absolutely! Chopped chocolate bars, white chocolate chips, or your favorite nuts are all delicious add-ins. Mix and match to put your unique spin on The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Will chilling the dough really make a difference?

Yes—the brief chill allows the flour to hydrate and the flavors to meld, which amplifies the cookie’s depth and leads to thicker, chewier results that truly live up to the “chewy” in The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

How do I know when they’re done baking?

Watch for golden edges and slightly underbaked centers; they’ll finish setting as they cool. Overbaking leads to crunchy cookies, so trust the process for ultra-chewy perfection.

Final Thoughts

I really hope you give The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies a try—they’ve become a staple in my kitchen and never disappoint. Whether you share them or keep them all to yourself, I promise these cookies will bring you plenty of cozy moments and happy smiles, one bite at a time.

The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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4.5 from 13 reviews

Author: admin
Total Time: 27 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

These chewy chocolate chip cookies are the epitome of homemade goodness. With a perfect balance of sweetness and rich chocolate, these cookies are sure to become a family favorite!

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)

Add-ins:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and beat until light and creamy.
Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Bake: Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until edges are golden but centers look slightly soft.
Cool and Enjoy: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.