Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a perfect cookie? ›

It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch. That's right, the flavorless thickening agent used for soups, stews, and curries is also the secret weapon for baked goods that boast a silky-smooth mouthfeel.

If you're after a sweeter flavor, opt for milk or white chocolate, but if you want to break down the already sweet cookie dough, go for semisweet or dark chocolate.

Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

After you cut out shapes, allow the dough chill on the pan in the refrigerator to prevent over spreading as they bake. For drop cookies, use a scoop to ensure even amount of dough for each cookie—uniform sized cookies bake more evenly. Give about 2 inches of space between cookies on the pan for spreading while baking.

While there may be countless variations, each cookie at the core has four ingredients – butter, sugar, flour & eggs. The proportions of ingredients and the methods of mixing are what define our cookies. Dough spreads – Inside the hot oven, the butter starts to melt and the dough gradually starts to spread out.

Adding too little flour can cause cookies to be flat, greasy, and crispy. Most recipes assume you'll use all-purpose, but if you want a lighter, crumblier cookie texture, choose one with a lower protein content such as cake-and-pastry flour. Baking soda helps cookies spread outward and upward while cooking.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

So, when you mix corn syrup into your cookie batter, all of that moisture will make and keep your baked cookies deliciously tender. The texture of cookies benefits from corn syrup as well. As you combine your ingredients to make your cookie batter, corn syrup will pull some of the surrounding air into your batter.

What kind of chocolate is best for chocolate chip cookies? ›

Semi-sweet chocolate, which is what the majority of recipes will call for, hovers around 50 to 60 percent cacao, meaning that while it is more complex than milk chocolate, it still errs on the sweeter side. Semisweet chocolate chips are a crowd-pleaser, especially if you are trying to cater to younger palates.

When you find a recipe that calls for melted chocolate chips, reach for Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Our Test Kitchen team found that these chips melted down very easily and had a super creamy texture.

The best cookies have layers of texture. A slightly crisp outer shell that holds up to some heat with an inner core that's soft and chewy. Premium cookies taste great at room temperature, straight out of the fridge or slightly heated. Creating cookies in small batches is key.

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