The Best Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
I promise you, of all the recipes on the internet, these Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies will be your favorite! My homemade chocolate chip cookies are turned up a notch with a balance of brown sugar and white sugar and the perfect amount of butter! Browning our butter is the secret to the slightly warm, nutty flavor, and chilling our dough intensifies the flavor and results in perfectly chewy cookies. These old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies will be a hit with your family and friends- make a double batch and freeze some for later!
Growing up, my mom always made the chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the chocolate chips bag. They were delicious and had a cakey texture. These cookies are just as yummy, but with a few additional secret ingredients such as brown butter. The chill time really improves this old fashioned chocolate chip cookie recipe – it helps our cookies to retain their shape and controls the spread.
And for the ultimate chocolate chip cookies, we of course add extra chocolate to the top of the dough balls before baking! These creates nice pools of melted chocolate on the tops of the cookies. Trust me, this will be your favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re Perfect for Now or Later – I love making a batch of these chocolate chip cookies, and freezing individual cookie dough balls for later. They’re great whenever a sweet craving strikes!
- No Special Equipment – No hand mixer or electric mixer needed! I absolutely hate cleaning the bowl of a stand mixer, so these cookies are mixed all by hand in one large bowl! You still get delicious cookies that are golden brown, without so much cleanup!
- The Perfect Chewy Texture – I love these vintage chocolate chip cookies because of their chewy texture and crispy edges. It’s a classic recipe, turned up a notch!
Why My Cookies Are The Best
- Browned Butter – This step infuses the cookies with a deep, toasty flavor that’s hard to resist. It’s a great way to make a classic cookie recipe feel a bit more gourmet.
- Extra Yolks – Adding extra egg yolks helps create a richer, chewier cookie because of the added fat and less moisture compared to using whole eggs.
- Chilling the Dough – Chilling helps solidify the butter, which leads to less spreading during baking and a thicker, more textured cookie.
- Flaky Sea Salt – The finishing touch of flaky sea salt adds a sophisticated contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate and cookie dough, making each bite even more satisfying.
- High-Temperature Bake – Baking at 400°F is slightly higher than many traditional cookie recipes, which often call for 350°F. This higher temperature creates a quicker bake, giving you crispy edges while keeping the center nice and soft.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – The backbone of your cookie, flour provides the structure and helps create the perfect balance between chewy and crispy textures. Opt for a high-quality all-purpose flour, and measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid dense cookies. Ideally, you would use a kitchen scale for perfect accuracy.
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar helps to create those desirable crispy edges on the cookies and adds sweetness without overpowering the other flavors. Use pure cane sugar for a cleaner flavor, or consider swapping a portion with raw sugar for a subtle crunch.
- Light Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds moisture and a rich, molasses-like depth to the cookies, making them soft and chewy. Always pack brown sugar tightly when measuring to ensure accuracy, and for a deeper flavor, you could substitute dark brown sugar.
- Large Egg & Egg Yolks – The whole egg binds the ingredients together, while the extra yolks add richness and chewiness to the cookies. Use room-temperature eggs for better incorporation with the butter and sugars, which helps achieve a more uniform texture.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda is crucial for leavening, helping your cookies rise and giving them that soft, tender crumb. Ensure your baking soda is fresh, as expired baking soda can result in flat, dense cookies.
- Kosher Salt – Salt enhances all the flavors in the cookies, balancing the sweetness and deepening the overall taste profile. Kosher salt is less salty than table salt, which allows for better control over seasoning.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter provides flavor, tenderness, and moisture, making your cookies rich and satisfying. Browning the butter adds an extra layer of nuttiness. Use high-quality unsalted butter, and cool the browned butter slightly before adding other ingredients to avoid curdling the eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract enhances the sweetness and adds a warm, comforting aroma that pairs perfectly with chocolate. Invest in pure vanilla extract rather than imitation for a more natural, robust flavor.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels – The star of the show! semisweet chocolate chips offer a perfect balance between sweet and bitter, complementing the cookie’s flavor without overwhelming it. Opt for high-quality chocolate chips or chop a chocolate bar into chunks for a more gourmet touch.
- Flaky Sea Salt – A sprinkle of flaky sea salt after baking enhances the sweetness of the cookies while adding a delightful crunch and burst of flavor. Maldon sea salt is a great choice for its large, delicate flakes, which stick best when the cookies are still warm.
Substitutions and Additions
- White Chocolate Chips – Swap out the semi-sweet chocolate morsels for white chocolate chips for a sweeter, creamier twist on the classic. The white chocolate pairs beautifully with the browned butter! You could also use dark chocolate!
- Chopped Nuts – Add ¾ cup of chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, to the dough for extra crunch and a rich, nutty flavor that complements the chocolate and butter. Toast the nuts lightly before mixing them in for even more flavor.
- Dried Cranberries – Mix in ½ cup of dried cranberries for a tart, chewy contrast to the sweet chocolate and buttery dough. This adds a burst of color, especially around the holidays.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare Your Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 400°Fahrenheit (200°Celsius). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Brown the Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick (½ cup) of unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes until the butter turns golden brown, with little brown bits forming at the bottom. Be careful not to let it burn! Once browned, pour the butter into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for a minute.
Mix in Remaining Butter: Cut the remaining ½ stick (¼ cup) of unsalted butter into small cubes. Add it to the browned butter and stir gently until it’s completely melted.
Combine Dry Ingredients: While the butter cools, in a small bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
Incorporate the Sugars: Add 1 cup of packed light brown sugar and ¼ cup of granulated sugar to the butter mixture. Whisk until everything is smooth and there are no lumps.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add 1 large egg and 2 large egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the flour into the butter mixture, gently stirring until no dry spots remain. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything evenly.
Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Chilling helps the flavors come together and makes the dough easier to handle.
Shape the Cookies: After chilling, scoop out the dough into 30 evenly-sized balls, about 1-2 tablespoons each. I love using a cookie scoop for this! Place them on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Top with Extra Chocolate: Press a few extra chocolate chips (about ¼ cup in total) into the tops of each dough ball. This creates those lovely puddles of chocolate on top of your cookies.
Bake the Cookies: Place the cookie sheet in your preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. The edges should be golden, but the centers will still look slightly soft—that’s what makes them chewy!
Add a Finishing Touch: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle each one with a pinch of flaky sea salt. This adds a delicious contrast to the sweetness.
Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack if you have one. This step helps the cookies firm up just right before you dig in!
Tips and Notes
- Use a Food Scale for Precision – Measure your ingredients by weight with a food scale for the most accurate results. This eliminates variations, especially with flour and sugar, ensuring consistent, perfect cookies every time. For example, 1 cup of flour should weigh around 120-125 grams.
- Room Temperature Eggs – Use room temperature eggs for better emulsification with the butter and sugar. If you’re in a hurry, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes to bring them to the right temperature quickly.
- Don’t Skip the Chill – Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes is crucial. It solidifies the fat, leading to less spreading during baking and a chewier texture. For even more flavor, you can chill the dough for up to 24 hours.
- Cooling Time – Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. This firms up the cookies and gives them the perfect texture without breaking apart.
Serving Suggestions
- Espresso Martinis – Grown-ups will love pairing this old fashioned chocolate chip cookies recipe with a frothy, creamy vanilla vodka espresso martini!
- Gift-Worthy Treat – Package the cookies in a decorative tin or box and gift them to friends, family, or neighbors. They make a thoughtful and delicious homemade gift for any occasion.
- Pack a Picnic – Pack these cookies up along with some tortellini pasta salad, tomato and onion salad, sandwiches, and more for the perfect picnic! Bring a pitcher of my John Daly cocktail, too!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep them soft and fresh.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
Freezing
- Freezing Dough Balls: After shaping the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Baking from Frozen: Bake frozen dough balls directly from the freezer. Add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time, keeping an eye on them to avoid overbaking.
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The Best Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- large mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- whisk
- spatula
- plastic wrap
- parchment paper
- Cookie sheet
- Cooling rack (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 221 g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 55 g
- 1 cup light brown sugar 156 g
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup 1.5 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels 1 cup for the dough, ¼ cup for topping
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit (190° Celsius). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
Brown the Butter:
- In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes until the butter turns golden brown and you see little brown bits at the bottom. Be careful not to let it burn! Once browned, pour the butter into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for a minute.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
- While the butter cools, grab a small bowl and whisk together 1 ½ cups of flour, ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt. Set this aside.
Mix in the Remaining Butter:
- Take the remaining ½ stick of unsalted butter, cut it into small cubes, and add it to the browned butter. Stir gently until it’s completely melted. This helps cool the browned butter.
Make the Dough:
- Pour 1 cup of light brown sugar and ¼ cup of granulated sugar into the melted butter mixture. Whisk it well to make sure everything is smooth and there are no lumps.
- Add the large egg and the two egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture. Whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the flour into the butter mixture, gently stirring until no dry spots remain. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything evenly.
- Gently fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Chill the Dough:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps the flavors come together and makes the dough easier to handle.
Shape the Cookies:
- After chilling, scoop out the dough into 30 evenly-sized balls (about 1-2 tablespoons each). Place them on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Before baking, press a few extra chocolate chips (about ¼ cup in total) into the tops of each dough ball. This will create those lovely puddles of chocolate on top of your cookies.
Bake the Cookies:
- Place the cookie sheet in your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Note: At the 6-minute mark, remove the tray from the oven and gently tap it on the counter to flatten the cookies slightly. This helps create a chewy, crinkly texture.
Add a finishing touch:
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle each one with a pinch of flaky sea salt. This adds a delicious contrast to the sweetness.
Cool and serve:
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack if you have one. This step helps the cookies firm up just right before you dig in!