Gemma’s Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Save RecipeI’ll show you how to make the Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe and why it will give you a perfect chocolate chip cookie every time!
Hi Bold Bakers!
As a pastry chef for years, I know a thing or two about cookies so I’m excited to share with you how to make my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. Move over Toll House and Mrs. Fields, the Bigger Bolder King of all Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes is here, and it is here to stay! Follow my recipe and my Bold Baking Tips below and I’ll show you how to make chocolate chip cookies like you’ll find in your favorite bakery or restaurant.
Watch my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Video!
Brown to White Sugar Ratio
What makes this the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, you might ask? First of all this recipe perfectly combines the magic ratio of brown to white sugar. While this seems like a small detail it makes a huge difference in the texture of the cookie. The brown sugar makes it crispy on the edges with a caramel scent while the white sugar provides that sweet gooey middle. I get asked a lot, “How do you make cookies chewy not cakey?” and this is one of the ways to do it.
Serious Chocolate Chunkage
The next thing that makes this the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is obviously the chocolate. Normal cookie recipes are 80% cookie dough to 20% chocolate chips but my recipe is all about the chocolate chunkage. I like to use bittersweet chocolate with 72% cocoa solids and I chop it up from a bar of chocolate. These chocolate chunks along with 2 rich eggs, 1 cup of butter and of course the brown and white sugar really do take these cookies to the next level. Now if you don’t eat eggs, you can always use my egg substitute chart and still enjoy my cookies.
Should You Age Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?
YES! As a pastry chef, I used to age my dough 3 to 5 days in advance because aging your dough over time helps develop more flavor and gives a lovely texture to your cookies. Just cover them with cling wrap in your bowl and they’ll keep just fine in the refrigerator. If you don’t want to age it, you can just chill your dough for an hour. Chilling your dough helps keep your cookies from spreading while baking. Also, at this stage you can freeze your dough in balls or rolled into a log and wrapped in cling wrap. It keeps well in a freezer for up to twelve weeks.
How Long Does it take to bake a chocolate chip cookie?
Last but not least, my recipe calls for 1/4 cup of dough for each nice and big cookie and they bake for exactly 12 minutes. This means the cookies are ooey-gooey on the inside, crisp on the outside, and with perfect pockets of melted chocolate chunks.
Honestly, just writing this is making my mouth water. These are the ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies and I cannot wait to hear what you Bold Bakers think! Please leave a review and your comments below. And make sure to submit your own photos on this page for everyone to see!
Don’t Miss More Best-Ever Recipes:
- 1 cup (8 oz/240g) butter
- 1¼ cups (7½oz/225g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (6oz/180g) white granulated/caster sugar
- 2½ cups (12½oz/375g) all-purpose flour/plain flour
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs*
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 2 cups (12oz/360g) bittersweet chocolate chunks
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl melt the butter. Add in both white and brown sugars and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in one egg to the sugar-butter mixture, stirring until it's fully mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with your spatula.
- Whisk in the second egg and the vanilla and scrape the sides of bowl again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with the spatula to fully combine. Make sure you've scraped the bottom of the bowl and there are no streaks of dry ingredients left. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be soft but DON'T add more flour. It needs to be chilled now to firm up.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Chill the dough for a minimum of 1 hour. This will make it easier to scoop and you cookies will keep their shape better while baking. (This dough can be made and kept in the fridge for 7 days. The dough also freezes really well)
- Scoop 14 balls of cookie dough (1/4 cup/100g each) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave some space between the cookies as they spread out during baking.
- Bake the cookies at 375oF (190oC) for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookie is beginning to turn golden brown throughout, but still doughie in the middle. It is really important you don't over bake these cookies otherwise the won't be soft in the middle.
- Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. #
- The raw dough can be frozen for up to 8 weeks.
If you don't have Brown Sugar you can easily make it at home.
Bittersweet chocolate is about 70% cocoa solids. You will find this information on the label of a good chocolate bar.
*Aging the dough: Make and store the dough in the fridge for up to 7 days. The flavor and texture will just get better over time.
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!
Have you made a recipe? Share photos on my website or across social media with the hashtag #boldbaker.
And don't miss my NEW Bold Baking recipes and tips. Sign up for my weekly email newsletter.
Hi Gemma,
I followed your recipe exactly, measuring everything in cups with a measuring jug, however the dough didn’t turn out runny at all – it’s actually quite dense and crumbly. Could you please tell me where I could’ve gone wrong? Thanks
Hi Yana,
Did you bake them? and did they turn out?
Honestly I would triple check the measurements because it should have turned out like mine. It sounds like too much flour or not enough butter.
Best,
Gemma
Great recipe. I made these this morning. Halfed the recipe and it still gave me 22 palm sized cookies (25gms) which was more than enough.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’m thrilled to hear that. Thanks for trying out my recipe.
Best,
Gemma.
Hi Gemma
Just watched your video, the cookies you make looks so good! I’m eager to try them out, but would you please let me know if it would be fine for me to store these chewy cookies for 2-3 days? I’m bring it to my friend in the U.S and i’m in the UK. (Or should i bake them longer to make it harder?) imm really worried about the taste and texture change after a few days. Thanks in advance and for sharing your recipe !
Hi,
So don’t bake them for longer. They will last 2 days. Just bake them off last minute and take them with you.
They should be totally fine.
Best,
Gemma.
Hi Gemma , can i use demerara sugar instead of brown sugar ??
Hi,
So If you only have demerara sugar then use it. It’s just a much darker sugar and doesn’t always bake the same.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
That was such a great tip about aging the dough. Had never heard about it. Yesterday I was watching your video before mixing the batter and it was 9 pm already. I couldn’t be happier knowing I could age the dough and it would make the cookies even more tasty. It is so convenient as well, one doesn’t need to be up till late at night to bake the cookies, it is such a time saver. I did not have chocolate chunks, which I always prefer over chocolate chips but I am sure they will still taste wonderful, regardless. Moving forward I will keep bars of chocolate on hand to make chocolate chip cookies, muffins and cakes.
Awesome! This is the best chocolate chip recipe ever! Thanks for sharing.
I’m thrilled to heat that, Dee. Thanks for letting me know.
Gemma 🙂
Hi~! This is Frances from Taiwan. My son tends to complain about chewy cookies, wanting crispier cookies. And he likes them sweet. This recipe is right up his alley. He took one bite and took the whole tray with him. It was just that good~!
Thanks for your comment, Frances. Glad he like them.
Best,
Gemma.
Hello Gemma..love from India..I am a huge fan of urs..but i think baking is not my forte..i tried ur cookie recipe for the first time but in microwave because we dont have oven. But it comes out just oppst of urs like hard in the middle and gooey in edges. My microwave temp just exactly yours. I tried to bake for 1mnt first but its undone, so i set for another 2 mnts thn its get burned in the middle. Then i put another batches for 1mnt+1mnt+30sec thn its done but remains same hard in the middle and goey in edges. I really want to know where it goes wrong?? Will u please tell me that if i have to use current dated baking soda because mine becum little old?? Love..Poulomi. ☺
Hi Poulomi,
Really glad you like my recipes. So I don’t think it’s the fact that you area bad baker, but maybe it is your microwave?? It sounds like your microwave is causing the trouble. this recipe is supposed to be baked so maybe it’s not great for the microwave.
Have you tried my microwave cookies or cakes? maybe those are best for you.
Best,
Gemma.
Thumbs Up..!! Thanks Ms.Gemman ;-))
fantastic!!!
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma! I’m planning on making this tonight (or tomorrow) for a friend who lives outside of the city so I’m thinking to make it crispy/crunchy instead of soft/chewy texture. What should I change from the recipe? The amount of butter? The baking temperature and time? Thanks!!!
Hi Sarah,
A little extra time will do this for you, but do not allow to burn. This will hold up well even as it is!
(https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/chocolate-chip-cookies/) this recipe is crisper in texture.
I hope your friend appreciates your baking, well done you,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma , is there any substitute for almond flour ?
Hi there,
for which recipe?
The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe used plain/all purpose wheat flour.
Now I wonder if you mean ‘can I I use almond flour’ in this recipe. The answer is NO!
Almond flour is a lovely thing, but it will not hold these cookies together for you. (I use almond flour in this cake (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/flourless-chocolate-cake/) and it works really well with chocolate.
I hope this is of help to you,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma , can you please upload the recipe of french macarons !
Hi there,
here you are (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/french-macaron-donuts/). There is a Pot of gold macaron recipe on the website too.
Do work this recipe exactly, it is tricky!
Gemma 😉
Hi Gemma ! I baked these cookies yesterday and it was yum !! Everyone liked it . Thank you for sharing the recipe with us .
This is what I love to hear, thank you, I am happy to hear this,
Gemma 😉
Hello,
I would like to make these cookies with oatmeal. Just love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Is there a recommended ratio/portion that I could add for the oatmeal flavor without sacrificing the texture of the cookies? Thanks in advance!
Hi Heidi,
Here is where I would be tempted to say ‘throw in a handful’ as my mum would say!
However, really oatmeal is not so much a flavor as a texture. I think you can add it liberally enough, but not so much that it over stiffens the batter.
Reducing the flour by 2 ozs, and replacing with oat flour may change the balance of the recipe, as this is a different flour. I would be tempted to just add rolled oats, and test it. Quick cook oats again are different as they are more processed, so will give a different result too. I would need to try it to be sure, but you can do it, it cannot be a fail,
Gemma 🙂
Hi gemma..i tried this n my family love this. My first batch is gone in a second. My boys love it..but because im from indonesia..cookies here is all crisp..my husband is the opposite with me..i like this kind of cookies ( like ur recipe) while he loves the all crisp choco chips cookies. Tho im a huge fans of soft cookies like yours..n glad im now can make it my self ( cuz i can’t find it here) what i want to asked is..maybe once in a while im gonna make the way my hubby like it. How can i make this cookie crisp, not only the outside? Thanks in advance..and thanks for ur recipe..my family n my friends said my cookies r better than d store bought..lol
Delighted you like this recipe 🙂
One of my favorites.
Gemma.
I tried this cookie recipe but they turned out to be so soft and cakey. I followed the recipe entirely. I really want to know where has gone wrong…
Hi,
So Can you do me a favor and check was your raising agent baking powder? or baking soda?
Baking powder makes cookies cakey and soft.
Gemma.
Gemma I tried these chocolate chip cookies and I must say they turned out great.My kids just loved them and I also have freezed a batch for next week.Thank you for yummy recipe
I hope they do not find them in the freezer! 😉
Good for you, well done, I am happy you liked this recipe,
Gemma 🙂
Hi gemma,
Thnx for sharing such a lovely recipi.iam new to baking n iam following ur recipies.i made pretzels n today i made these cookies they turned out well but they spread much more n wen i tastes them they r salty.is it bcoz i used the salted butter.pls help me.
Thnx once again
Hi Aisha,
The salt is a matter of taste. I use salted butter all the time, and add salt too, but I understand that this is not ok for everyone. If oyu use salted butter you may prefer not to add more salt to the mix.
Did you chill the dough before you baked it? This is an important step in this recipe as it sets up the dough and prevents it spreading in the oven. Preheating the oven is always important for baking too. The ingredients all have their place too, so real butter, rather than a tub of vegetable butter works best.
I hope you are finding what happened for you, every step is important,
Gemma 🙂
These cookies were delicious and so easy to make! My 4 year daughter loves to help me bake and she had a ball making this recipe with me. I made them smaller and cut back on the cook time a little and they turned out perfectly crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle. Thanks for the great recipe, Gemma!
Thank you Jennifer, it is great to have this lovely review of this recipe. I appreciate it,
Gemma 😉
Hi,Gemma! How to bake your chocolate chip cookies with fan oven or without it?
Hi there,
good question! I tend to use the fan oven, and adjust the time. In theory however you should use a baking oven (conventional) it is more correct!
If you use a fan assisted oven you can reduce the temperature by 10c/20f, this too will help.
Gemma 🙂
A-mazing!!! My family devoured them!!!
Hi Patricia,
Good! that is the idea, I am happy when you are,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma, this recipe is really the BEST! I followed your recipe exactly as stated except for the baking time because of my faulty oven (I had to bake them a little bit longer but watching them very carefully) and they turned out so perfect: big, a bit crispy on the edges but so chewy in the middle! My family loved them sooo much that they are asking me to bake another batch soon. Now Im wondering if I can use the same dough for white chocolate and macadamia cookies? Wont that change the consistency of the dough?
hi Jackie,
thank you for your kind words, I appreciate your review of this recipe.
Yes, I believe that you can adjust this recipe easily, and change up the chocolate, add nuts etc, and all will be well. I do not think you need to change the basic recipe, but do consider that white chocolate is sweet, so perhaps pull back the white sugar, by about 60g/2os.
I hope this helps, and that your family enjoy your own recipe!
Gemma 🙂
Thanks Gemma for this lovely recipe. I tried it yesterday and the cookie is delicious.
But the cookies when baking spread out more than i expected n came out quite flat. Wondering if there is something i did wrong ?
Hi Rachel,
Did you chill the dough before baking? that is a must so they don’t spread to much.
Gemma.
Hi Gemma, yes i did chill the dough.
I just watched your video for this cookie again n noticed my dough was much more liquid than yours before chilling it 😅.
Will try it again soon. 😁
Hi Gemma,
Im making these tonight, but my dough didn’t look anything like yours did on the video the recipe said not to add more flour to dough. That it would be soft so I have it in the fridge chilling now can’t wait to see how they turn out. Wish me luck.
Thanks!
Good luck!!! These are my favorite cookies.
Best,
Gemma.
I am so happy I found your website and enjoy the videos and love the recipes. On this particular recipe can I substitute milk chocolate chips for the bittersweet? Thanks!
I’m thrilled you like my recipes, Nancy. You can use any chocolate that you like, that’s no problem.
Best,
Gemma.
Dear Gemma,
Thank you for this recipe!! These cookies are such a huge hit in my family, especially the little ones have been flocking around. Also your recipes and hacks made me fall more in love with baking – I keep trying a new recipe every week. I wanted to get your recommendation on the best kind of oven I could use for baking cookies. Which oven would help? I have used a convection microwave in the past, I have been thinking of a toaster oven now. Would that be good? It would be wonderful to get your counsel on the matter! Keep inspiring us. Cheers.
Hi there,
A convection microwave is a great appliance, and now you can choose a fan assisted one, which is as good as having a full sized oven for many things. Being able to use the different functions as you wish is really useful, and it should last you for years.
A toaster oven is great for some things. You need to understand how it works, and manage it, then it can be used for lots of things. The best advice i can give you is to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! this is where people go wrong, they do not understand how the oven works!
I hope this is of help to you,
Gemma 🙂
HEY, LOVED YOUR RECIPE, CAN’T WAIT TO TRY IT OUT! But can you please tell me if we need to preheat the oven before baking the cookies??
Hi,
Yes always preheat the oven before baking off anything.
Best,
Gemma.
Love these cookies! So yummy and gooey in the center. I don’t use white sugar anymore so I replaced it with coconut sugar and they came out delicious, my hubby even loved them and he’s not much of a sweets guy.
Thrilled to hear that, Marcie.
These are my favorite cookies 🙂
Gemma.
Hi Gemma, thank you for the amazing recipe. Is it possible to reduce the amount of sugar? I want to have less sugary cookies and more chocolaty flavour especially that I will add some swiss chocolate in it.
Hi,
Really glad you like this recipe. You can reduce the sugars by 1/4 but no more then that. It might change the end result of your cookie a small amount.
Happy Baking!
Gemma.
Dear Gemma,
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes, tips and tricks with us. I tried making your best ever Chocolate Chip Cookies and they were an instant hit (I’ve submitted a picture)!!!
Thank you so much and keep up the great work 🙂
Greetings from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Priti
Thank you so much, Priti.
Really glad you like my recipes.
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Please i will like to find out if i can reduce the amount of sugar and get the same results? i am trying to cut down on my sugar intake. Thanks
Hi Eunice,
I know other bold bakers have done this, particularly reducing the white sugar. I think you can take this back by as much as 1/2. It will change the recipe to an extent, but it will still be good,
Gemma 🙂
These were the best! I’m at a high altitude and have struggled to find a recipe that works. These were perfect. Not cakey, which all high altitude recipes seem to be.
If baking from frozen do I have to defrost first?
Hi Christina,
Great! I am really happy to hear this. My first job in the US was as an intern in a bakery in Lake Tahoe, I had no idea what was going on! I learned fast.
The high sugar content of these cookies will help at altitude.
Baking from frozen may present problem. If you form the dough into a sausage shape, well wrapped for freezing, then it is easy to slice into cookies, these will defrost really quickly. Raising the oven temperature by 20f/10c will also help. Thank you for letting us know how this recipe worked for you,
Gemma 🙂