The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
I love cookies.
And I REALLY love chocolate chip cookies.
But they are kind of like pizza – totally ubiquitous but hard to find a really stellar variety.
For years, I didn’t even attempt chocolate chip cookies, because I was disappointed every single time by flat crisp cookies with little chocolate chip mountains poking out of them or bready, dense cookies with no real flavor.
All I wanted was the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that would turn out a no-failure version every single time.
I wanted a crisp exterior with a perfectly-soft but not underdone interior, plenty of chocolate chips, and bonus points for looking pretty.
Apparently, that was a tall order.
Then I tried this recipe about seven years ago in Texas.
After a couple of false starts and adjustments to the flour levels, baking time, and temperature, they came out perfectly.
And I haven’t even tried another chocolate chip cookie recipe in the past five years.
This one is it for me.
I make these all the time and every single time, they’re absolutely perfect.
The only complaint I’ve ever gotten about them is that last year we took a big bowl of this cookie dough up to a family event and made them fresh and Bart’s grandmother said, “Well, how is my store-bought dessert supposed to compete with THESE?!”
And not only do they taste incredible, but I love how gorgeous they are.
I know that it doesn’t actually matter how they look as long as they taste good, but it gives me an extra little bit of happiness to take them out of the oven and have them look like the chocolate chip cookie of my dream.
Occasionally, I’ll sub out half the chocolate chips for mint chips instead, which is Bart’s favorite, or I’ll do half butterscotch chips and half chocolate chips.
One thing I don’t recommend, though, is skipping the shortening.
Shortening is not my favorite thing, and I never use it except in this recipe.
But right after we moved to Arizona, I made these cookies when some friends came over for lunch and I hadn’t yet bought new shortening, so I just used all butter instead.
It’d been a while since I’d made these cookies, and while they were fine, both Bart and I commented separately that they weren’t as good as we’d remembered. They were fine, but I couldn’t believe I’d been so enraptured with this recipe.
A few weeks later, I bought a tiny can of shortening at the grocery store and tried them again.
And this time, they were again, the best chocolate chip cookies ever.
The texture was perfect, the taste was divine, and I vowed to never go the all-butter route ever again.
So if you’re still on the quest for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, give this one a try and let me know how they turn out.
And maybe invite me over to try one for myself.
P.S. If you liked this Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, you might also love these cookies:
- Double chocolate M&M cookies(my husband’s OTHER favorite cookies)
- 4 ingredient no-bake peanut butter cookies
- Chocolate Chip S’mores Bars
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
The best chocolate chip cookie recipe. This turns out perfect chocolate chip cookies every time - you'll never have to try another recipe!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I always use dark)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cups purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- coarse salt for sprinkling
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375.
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In a stand mixer, beat butter and shortening together until combined (about a minute). Add sugars and beat another minute or two. Add vanilla and egg. Beat again.
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Mix in the chocolate chips.
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Add the flour, soda, and salt. Mix JUST until combined. It will look over-floured for a few seconds, but should come together fairly quickly.
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Scoop golf-ball size spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet, sprinkle each ball with a pinch of kosher or sea salt and bake for 9-11 minutes (mine are 11 minutes, every time, except when I've made them in a higher altitude like Utah, and there it's about 9 minutes). They should be light-colored and puffed when they come out of the oven, but dry-looking (not shiny or wet). Let cool on the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Since we've moved to Utah with a higher altitude, I use 2 Tablespoons LESS flour.
Is it just me, or is egg missing from the list of ingredients?
I am going to try these today but use coconut oil for the shortening.
Is it just one egg?
Haha. This is the recipe I’ve been using for years now. My entire family agrees, it’s simply the best. No need for any other chocolate chip cookie. They make amazing cookie ice cream sandwiches as well. 🙂
Yep half butter and half shortening has been my grandmas secret for decades! I just came across Cook’s Country chocolate chip cookies and those are now my go to! ❤️?
Is this recipe supposed to have an egg in it??
I don’t see egg listed in the ingredients but it is in the list of steps.
I have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe but in the interest of experiments I’ll totally have to try these too. =)
I made these today. I just happened to have 1/3 cup of butter already softened, so it was meant to be. You’re right! They are great. I happen to think one can never have too many CC Cookie recipes, though. The more, the merrier 🙂
Just wondering how many eggs the recipe calls for. I thought it seemed strange that there weren’t eggs listed on the ingredient list and then read the directions and noticed eggs listed. Thanks!
I promise, I’m not blind. Eggs weren’t listed when I looked at the ingredient list the first time! lol
I typically make the Toll House cookie recipe on the chocolate chip bag and think they are THE BEST. But, as a lover of chocolate chip cookies, I will give this one a try. 🙂
So I’m in Australia – what is an equivalent for Shortening?
Lard is the equivalent for shortening.
Just made these. Yummy!!!
I like be my family and I won’t ever be able to thank you enough for these AMAZING cookies!!! I’ve made the most 4 times now and they are perfection! Thank you so much for sharing!! ???
These were wonderful! I am always searching for a chocolate chip cookie that is soft and chewy and doesn’t go flat. I made these with butter flavored crisco (didn’t have plain crisco)and regular butter in the amounts called for in the recipe. Increased the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and decreased the white sugar to 1/4 cup to assure the “chewiness” (not sure if that is even a word, but you guys know what I mean). Did everything else as advised in the recipe and they are delicious! No more flat cookies for me! Thank you for a great recipe.
P.S. Love that I didn’t have to chill the dough!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know!
Hello,
Should I use salted or unsalted butter or does it make any difference ?
Thank you
I use unsalted, but salted is fine too – just decrease the salt VERY slightly.
I make these often – they are my favorite cookie recipe – and now they’re on The Kitchn.
Hello, i was wondering if lard will work in place of shortening?? I have all natural lard with no bha or bht in it and thats what the old folks used to use before shortening was invented. I may have organic shortening. I too dont care for alot of the foods since my daughter was born… the government is ruing our foods. I made vegan chocolate chip cookies once and although they tasted somewhat ok except for the discusting vegan chips (you couldnt pay me enough to go vegan, maybe a day but thats pushing it) anyways used melted coconut oil, definatly a mistake! Never do that again.. Let me know if you think it would effect the taste any?
I’ve never tried it, but if you do, let me know how it works out!
I’ve just started following you and love all the suggestions! I do have a question about the cookies. I tried making them and they were great, with the exception of being too salty. I used unsalted butter, skipped the salt at the end, and used 1/2 vs 3/4 tsp of salt, but they’re still salty. Eek, any ideas what I’m missing?
That’s so odd! I have no idea why that would be – I’m so sorry not to be helpful!
Try using 1/8 or 1/4 tsp of salt. Always go with a lower amount of salt first until you get it to your liking once you have tasted them baked. Everyone’s taste buds are different. Salt is suppose to compliment the chocolate. One things for sure, once it’s added you can’t take it back out.
I made these for 2 of my grandsons yesterday:) Thumbs way up..(PS I tried one..Delicious..) I’m a baker..this is a keeper.Thank you.
Thanks so much for letting me know!