Everyone has a favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies; they are just such an enjoyable classic. Chocolate chip cookies happen to be one of the first things I learned how to bake (we all start somewhere!), and I still love making them to this day. They are definitely a family favorite here! Today, I am super excited to be sharing my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe along with some helpful tips to help you make the best chocolate chip cookies you have ever tasted! They are thick, soft, with just the right amount of crisp on the outside. Simply put they are irresistible - just look at all that melted chocolate! There is a reason I make these cookies so often; they're so darn good!

What are the ingredients in these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies?

The ingredients are mostly what you'd expect from a standard cookie recipe:

• flour, salt, baking soda - the basic dry ingredients found in most cookies for structure, flavour and leavening 
• cornstarch - the secret ingredient that makes these cookies extra thick and soft
• butter - softened butter gives the best texture and flavor to these cookies
• brown sugar and granulated sugar - the blend of the two types of sugars helps keep these cookies soft and chewy, without spreading too thin
• eggs - most cookies have eggs in them to help with moisture, structure, and leavening
• vanilla extract - pure vanilla extract tastes the best, and I use double the amount that my other cookie recipes have to really elevate the flavor
• chocolate chips - I usually like to use milk chocolate chips but semisweet is delicious as well!

How do I measure the flour?

Measuring flour is an underrated and often confusing skill in the baking world. I have written this recipe for how I believe the vast majority of people measure their flour - which is to scoop directly from the bag and scrape the excess off. If you spoon from the bag into the measuring cup (which is technically the "proper" way to do things) you will likely need more flour - closer to 2 3/4 cups. I have weighed the amount of flour I get when I scoop my 2 1/4 cups and it is roughly 350 g (way more than if you spoon and level) if you prefer to use a scale for the flour. This matters only to keep the cookies thick and soft. One way to tell if you have added enough flour is to press your fingers into the dough. The cookie dough should be soft and pliable, but not wet and sticky, so it should not stick to you. 

How do I make these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies?

The cookies themselves come together quickly and easily - you can have a batch of these done in under 30 minutes - but there are a few subtle things that I do while preparing the dough to ensure they are thick and soft every time

Step 1: in a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and set aside

Step 2: In a large bowl, beat butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. We want to essentially whip the butter to help the cookies stay nice and thick.

Step 3: Beat in the sugars, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract until the whole mixture is a pale brown and very fluffy - an additional 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3-4 additions and mix it thoroughly after each. You can use a sturdy wooden spoon or electric beats or a stand mixer for this - whatever you find easiest! Just make sure the flour is incorporated evenly throughout

Step 5: Stir in chocolate chips, then drop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Here is where I usually press some extra chocolate chips into the top of the dough ball

Step 6: Bake in a 375 F oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are just starting to turn golden brown and no longer shiny on top. 375 F is slightly hotter than most of my other cookie recipes but I find the extra temperature helps give the cookies their signature crisp on the outside while keep them soft on the inside!

Tips and tricks to make the best chocolate chip cookies:

• Cream your butter and sugar really, really, well - this is the single most helpful thing I do to make my cookies stay nice and thick and not spread out too much
• Make sure your butter is fully softened, but not too soft or melted
• If you don't have parchment paper for baking, you can use a silicone mat, or just a plain old baking sheet - I like parchment for easier for clean up
• Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes; then transfer them to a rack to finish cooling completely - they will be way too soft to transfer at first
• Save some chocolate chips to add on top of the cookie dough balls before baking to make them extra pretty!
• Try and make your cookies as evenly sized and shaped as possible to help with even baking. I recently got a set of cookie scoops and they have been worth every penny!
• Try milk chocolate chips, or any other add-in you'd like to change it up a bit!

How do I store these cookies?

The cookies stay good in a sealed container for a few days on the counter, but I doubt they will last that long! You can also freeze the cookies once baked, but I prefer to freeze the dough if I don't need the whole batch. The cookies made from frozen dough taste just as good as (if not better than) non-frozen dough.

Other fabulous cookie recipes:

• Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces Cookies
• Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry White Cookies