If you’re looking for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the whole world…I have it right here!
I have made Nestle Tollhouse, Cook’s Illustrated, Paula Deen’s and many other chocolate chip cookie recipes in my life. And while they have all added to my weight gain over the years (ahem), none of them were the absolute perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Some came darn close – but never 100% perfect.
But I finally have found it.
The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.
The recipe that out-does all other chocolate chip cookie recipes. The chocolate chip cookie recipe that meets all my tests, one that turns out perfectly for me every time. One that I can freeze into balls and that would bake up just as good as if you baked them without freezing since I love freezer cooking.
As I have been getting more into cooking more from scratch, finding a recipe that used real butter instead of shortening was a must. But it was hard to get a cookie that didn’t fall flat, or turn out nice and soft in the middle using butter. That was until now. These real ingredient chocolate chip cookies are soft in the middle and a little chewy and crispy on the outside.
Basically the perfect cookie.
This one tops them all. Seriously, my search is over! It’s FINALLY over.
My criteria for the perfect chocolate chip cookie was:
- Must use “real” butter, not shortening
- Must use “real” vanilla, not imitation
- Must taste amazing. Even the next day.
- Needed to be soft and not flat
- Needed to use quality chocolate chips (I love milk chocolate Ghirardelli)
- Needed to be able to be frozen, baked later and turn out perfectly since I am a huge freezer meal gal.
This recipe met all these tests 100% perfectly.
In fact, I will let the pictures show you how good these are.
You can see how beautiful this cookie looks on the inside – a perfect blend of chewy and soft melty goodness.
My personal secret: make sure your cookies are a nice big size. I usually roll mine into 1/4 cup or 4 Tablespoon sized balls. In fact, I use this cookie scoop which is the perfect size.
If you want that gooey center with a bit of chewy outside…make them big.
I love that this chocolate chip cookie recipe is not too flat, and the flavor is to die for. I was given this recipe by a friend who got it from hereistherecipe.com.
If you want to freeze this cookie dough, just form into balls and freeze individually. Then place into a ziploc freezer bag until you are ready to bake. Add a few extra minutes to your baking time and enjoy.
These cookies are pretty much the best thing ever, especially after a big freezer meal cooking marathon…. ……totally hits the spot.
Here is the Master Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that you can print out!
Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups real unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips or other quality chocolate chips, 11.5 .
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Using paddle attachment on mixer, cream butter and sugars together just until blended.
- Add eggs, one a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla.
- Put mixer on low speed, and add in dry ingredients.
- Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand gently.
- It's best to make bigger cookies for the right texture - so I would recommend using a 4 Tablespoon size scoop to form your cookies.
- Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes. I like mine to look a little undercooked in the middle, then let them finish cooking on the cookie sheet for a few minutes while they cool. Then move them to a cookie rack or plate to keep cooling.
- If you are freezing these cookies: Form into balls, and freeze on a cookie sheet. After frozen remove and add to a Ziploc freezer bag. They will last for about a month in the freezer. To bake just take out and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes of baking time.
Nutrition
Loved this recipe?
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I want you to bake these cookies and tell me what you think!
Come back to this post and give me your honest opinions. I think it’s the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever and I hope you do, too.
—> See ALL of my Freezer Meals recipes here.
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- Karrie’s Favorite Inexpensive Kitchen Gadgets
- Making 50 Freezer Meals in one Day
- Freezer Meal Tips for Beginners
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About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Sam says
Haven’t tried this yet, but am wondering if i could use gluten free flour?
Karrie says
You could try it, but there are so many gluten free flours out there and will most likely change the texture.
Billie Hopper says
This is the only chocolate chip recipe I ever use! Never fails and is a family favorite. Thank you for this quality recipe and all the enjoyment we have had from using it 😁
Peggy Lowe says
This has become my go to recipe. I have baked these for many different groups and got the same compliment every. single. time. “These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had”
Karrie says
So happy to hear that!!! Thanks Peggy!
Leyla Davis says
Absolutely the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! My family requests these all the time. I’m a baking legend in my family thanks to this recipe! My mother-in-law requested these at a cabin in CO (14,000 feet in elevation)! We adjusted the temperature for the altitude & they were perfect!
Karrie says
Thank you so much! So happy you love them too!
Joanna Pistilli says
Fantastic recipe, I’ve made it several times.
Wondering if anyone has tried reducing the butter to 1c and if it makes a significant difference? My butter blocks come in 2c quantity and then I can get two batches out of one block of butter.
Sandra says
Dear Karrie, I’d like to make these cookies but I don’t want to use all that butter. 1 1/4 cup it’s a lot. What can I use instead? 1/2 cup of butter & apple sauce maybe? Please let me know.
Thank you, 😊
Karrie says
It is a lot of butter, but thats what makes them taste so good!!
Busy mom says
Great cookie! We used an ice cream scoop. We like a big handheld cookie! You will only need one! But you’ll eat two! We like to use dark chocolate chips. I also used salted butter, we like salted butter with the dark chocolate. We do molasses and granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar for a richer flavor (same thing as brown).
We did a double batch and with the ice cream scoop it makes 32 cookies. We froze half, anxious to see how the salted butter does frozen. It may affect it.
Will try again!