Chocolate Chip Cookies
5.0 from 1 reviewThese are the chocolate chip cookies I come back to when I want crisp edges, chewy centers, and enough chocolate that every bite feels intentional.
Use the chocolate you love. Guittard Super Cookie Chips and Guittard 46% semi-sweet chips can be used almost interchangeably here; for contrast, I like adding super dark chocolate chunks on top, or mixing in milk chocolate chips if you want the cookie to lean sweeter.
The Maldon sea salt at the end is small, but it makes them feel like the kind of cookie you buy from a special bakery.
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The Chocolate Chip Cookie Standard
Every family recipe box seems to have a chocolate chip cookie in it, and that cookie often becomes the standard you carry with you. We all picture the perfect chocolate chip cookie a little differently.
Mine has crisp edges, a chewy center that rises above them, and a deeply caramelized bottom. To me, the best chocolate chip cookie does not choose one texture - it gives you all of them.
Ingredient notes
Key ingredients
Mixed chocolate
Different shapes and cacao percentages melt differently, which makes the cookie more interesting. Chips hold their shape, chopped chocolate melts into puddles, and larger wafers give you those bakery-style pools.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar
Brown sugar brings moisture and chew because of the molasses, while granulated sugar helps the edges spread, set, and crisp. The balance is what keeps the center soft without losing that golden edge.
Yogurt
A small amount keeps the dough tender and helps the center stay soft. It adds moisture without making the cookie cakey.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch softens the flour's structure just enough to keep the middle plush and chewy.
Maldon sea salt
The flaky salt gives a clean little crunch and makes the chocolate taste deeper. It is the finishing touch that makes these feel special.
Brands I used for this recipe
These are preferences, not requirements. If you choose the non-dairy route, these are the products I test with. Dairy equivalents can be used at the same listed amounts and temperatures.
Forager Unsweetened Plain Yogurt
Plain unsweetened yogurt adds moisture, acidity, and body so the crumb bakes up tender without tasting tangy.
Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks
For a non-dairy version, I use Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks in the cookie dough. Dairy butter can be used at the same listed amount and temperature.
Rising Star Baking Supply Vanilla Bean Paste
I use Rising Star Baking Supply Vanilla Bean Paste for this recipe.
From this recipe
Tested notes
Guittard Super Cookie Chips and Guittard 46% semi-sweet chips work similarly here. For more contrast, add super dark chocolate chunks on top, or use milk chocolate chips if you like a sweeter cookie.
For a thicker cookie, chill the dough overnight. For a softer middle, pull the cookies while the centers still look a little underdone.
Testing notes
Why this works
How the crisp edge and chewy center happen
The edges hit the heat first, lose moisture faster, and set into that golden crisp ring. The center stays thicker and softer, especially when the dough is chilled and the sugar balance is right.
Why the dough chills
Chilling gives the flour time to hydrate and the butter time to firm back up. The cookies spread more slowly, bake thicker, and develop a deeper flavor instead of rushing straight into the oven.
Why I like weighing the dough
When every cookie is the same size, they bake at the same pace. It is the easiest way to get the edge and center exactly where you want them.
Why the centers should look a little soft
Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. They keep baking on the hot sheet pan, and that carryover heat is what gives you the chewy middle.
Inside the recipe
How It All Comes Together
From Instagram
Watch the reel
Watch the dough come together, the chocolate go in, and the cookies finish with flaky sea salt.
Open the reelSmall things that matter
Tips for the best cookies
Use chocolate you truly like eating on its own.
Mix chips, chopped chocolate, and larger cookie chips if you want more texture.
Chill the dough for at least 45 minutes, or overnight for a thicker cookie with deeper flavor.
Portion the dough by weight if you can. I like 70-75 g for bakery-style cookies.
Press a few extra chocolate pieces on top right before baking.
Sprinkle Maldon sea salt on the cookies while they are still warm.
Troubleshooting
If This Happens
The cookies spread too much
Make sure the dough chills for at least 45 minutes before baking. If it still feels very soft when portioned, give it more time in the refrigerator before it goes into the oven.
The cookies did not spread enough
Check that the butter was at room temperature and the flour was measured accurately. Let very firm dough portions sit for a few minutes before baking so they are cold but not solid.
The centers look underdone
That is what you want when the edges are set and lightly golden. Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes so the centers can finish setting without losing their chew.
The cookies baked unevenly
Weigh each portion to 70-75 g and leave room between them on the baking sheet. Cookies that are the same size will reach the crisp-edge, chewy-center stage at the same time.
Before you slice
Texture and serving notes
These are best slightly warm, when the chocolate has softened again.
If they have been stored overnight, warm one for 8-10 seconds before eating.
I love them with coffee or a cold glass of milk, especially while the edges still have a little crispness.
Keep it good
Storage
Counter
Store baked cookies airtight at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Fridge
Refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours if you want to bake them later.
Freezer
Freeze portioned dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes as needed.
Recipe FAQ
Questions that come up
Should I weigh the ingredients or use volume measurements?
I strongly recommend weighing the ingredients in grams for the most reliable result. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but the amount in a cup can change depending on how an ingredient is filled, packed, or poured. These recipes are easy to follow, but their ratios are precise, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when volume measurements are used. I still use teaspoons and tablespoons for small amounts like leaveners, salt, spices, and flavorings because those are the most practical measurements.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I cannot guarantee the same texture, rise, or structure. If you would like to experiment, a cup-for-cup (1:1) gluten-free baking blend intended to replace all-purpose flour is the best place to start. Results may differ from the recipe as written.
More recipes to try
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 11-13 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 12 cookies
Measurement note
For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 300 g all-purpose flour300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 5 g cornstarch5 g (about 2 1/8 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 3 g baking soda (weigh for accuracy)1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 g fine sea salt (weigh for accuracy)3 g fine sea salt (weigh for accuracy)
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed100 g (about 7 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 100 g granulated sugar100 g (about 1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 115 g butter, room temperature115 g (about 1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 1/2 tablespoons water, gelled)1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 1/2 tablespoons water, gelled)
- 45 g plain unsweetened yogurt45 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 3/4 teaspoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 250 g mixed chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped chocolate250 g (about 1 1/2 cups) mixed chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped chocolate
To Finish
- Extra chocolate piecesExtra chocolate pieces
- Maldon sea saltMaldon sea salt
Instructions
- 1Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2Make the flax egg by stirring together the ground flaxseed and water. Let it sit until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
- 3In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and slightly lighter, about 2-3 minutes.
- 4Mix in the flax egg, yogurt, and vanilla until combined.
- 5In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
- 6Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- 7Fold in the mixed chocolate, saving a handful for the tops.
- 8Cover and chill the dough for at least 45 minutes.
- 9Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 10Portion the dough into 70-75 g balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets with room to spread.
- 11Press a few extra chocolate pieces onto the tops.
- 12Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look soft.
- 13Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.
- 14Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a rack to finish cooling.
Helpful notes
- Guittard Super Cookie Chips and Guittard 46% semi-sweet chips work similarly here. For more contrast, add super dark chocolate chunks on top, or use milk chocolate chips if you like a sweeter cookie.
- For a thicker cookie, chill the dough overnight. For a softer middle, pull the cookies while the centers still look a little underdone.
Meet the baker
Angela Heckler
Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Made it? Tell us.
Ratings and reviews
If I could give these 6 stars, I would! I’m obsessed with chocolate chip cookies that are gooey and also have some crunch, and these cookies have THE perfect texture! Don’t skip the flake salt because it’s the perfect combo with all of the melty chocolate. My husband and young son said they might be the best homemade cookies they’ve ever had! We can’t wait to enjoy these again!
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Ali!! I agree on ALL the textures, it needs to be an experience lol! And, I'm thrilled to hear these ranked high for everyone :).
Questions from readers
Recipe questions and answers
can i exchange the flax egg with one normal egg? :(
Absolutely! Anywhere my recipes say flax egg, just substitute with egg. Let me know how these turn out for you!
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