I wrote the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Guide to break down every variable so you can finally master How To Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and achieve the exact texture you want.

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Welcome to The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Guide, where I obsess over the exact texture you crave. I test things until the crumb sings, and sometimes I change a bit of all-purpose flour or tweak the butter, just to see what happens.

This is not just another How To Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies list, it’s my lab notes, the good and the messy, the failures that taught me more than the wins. If you like crisp edges, pillowy centers, or something in between, I promise you’ll find a tweak here that makes you want to bake right now.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: mostly carbs with some protein, gives structure and chew.
Unsalted butter: rich in fat, makes cookies tender, adds brown buttery flavor.
Granulated sugar: pure sweetness, adds crispness and spreads during baking.
Brown sugar: has molasses, adds moisture, chewiness and deeper caramel notes.
Eggs: provide protein and structure, help bind and brown the cookie.
Chocolate chips: sugar and fat heavy, give sweetness and rich chocolate flavor.
Fine sea salt: tiny pinch amps flavor, balances sweetness but adds sodium.
Vanilla extract: mostly aroma, tiny calories, makes flavors taste rounded and homey.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour

1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional, for a bit more rise)

1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional, makes them extra soft)

1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk (optional, for chewier texture)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Optional mix ins: 1 cup chopped nuts or 1 cup oats, if you want em

Substitutions that affect texture: swap 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for bread flour for more chew, or for cake flour for a tender crumb

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and if you want a bit more rise add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, also stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch if you want extra soft cookies.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scrape the bowl so nothing’s left stuck to the sides.

4. Add 1 large egg, optional 1 large egg yolk for chew, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined, don’t overdo it or you’ll make the dough tough.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions and fold until just combined, a few streaks of flour is ok, then fold in 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and any optional mix ins like 1 cup chopped nuts or 1 cup oats.

6. Chill the dough 30 minutes to 24 hours depending on time and texture you want, chilling firms the dough so cookies spread less and get thicker, if you want chewier cookies swap 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the all purpose flour for bread flour, for a more tender crumb swap for cake flour.

7. Scoop dough using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop for medium cookies or 3 tablespoons for large, place scoops on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart, for prettier cookies press a few extra chips on top before baking.

8. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 9 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and golden but the centers still look slightly soft, rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

9. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle flaky sea salt if using, let cool on the baking sheet 4 to 5 minutes so the cookies finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; store airtight for 3 to 5 days or freeze dough balls for later.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350 F)
2. 2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Mixing bowls, one large, one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you dont have one
5. Measuring cups and spoons (dry and liquid)
6. Whisk and rubber spatula for mixing and scraping
7. Cookie scoop (2 tbsp for medium, 3 tbsp for large) or a tablespoon measure
8. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

Q: How do I get my cookies chewy, soft, or crispy? A: For chewy go with the egg + extra yolk, more brown sugar, 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch, and chill the dough — bread flour swap 1/4 to 1/2 cup adds chew. For soft use cake flour or more cornstarch and underbake slightly. For crispy use all granulated sugar or melted butter, flatten the dough a bit and bake a little longer.

Q: Do I have to chill the dough? A: Short answer: yes if you want thicker, chewier cookies and deeper flavor. Chill 30 minutes minimum, 24 to 72 hours is ideal. If you skip chilling expect more spread; bake time might be a minute or two less.

Q: How should I measure flour for best results? A: Weigh flour at 280 g for accuracy. If using cups spoon the flour into the cup and level it — dont pack it down. Too much flour makes dry, cakey cookies.

Q: Can I use salted butter or other swaps? A: Yes, but cut the added salt down (roughly 1/4 tsp less per stick of salted butter). Melted butter will make them spread more and feel chewier, softened butter creamed with sugar gives taller cookies. Swapping part of the AP flour with bread or cake flour changes chew and tenderness like the recipe note says.

Q: What chocolate and mix ins should I use? A: Chopped chocolate gives big melty pockets, chips keep shape. Use up to 1 cup nuts or oats if you want them, toast nuts first for flavor. Sprinkle flaky sea salt right after baking for contrast, it makes a huge difference.

Q: How long do they keep and can I freeze the dough? A: Store baked cookies airtight at room temp 3 to 4 days, refrigerating dries them out. Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months. For dough: scoop or roll balls, freeze on a tray then bag, they keep 3 months and you can bake straight from frozen, add 1 to 3 minutes to bake time.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Guide Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Flour: swap up to 1/2 cup all-purpose for bread flour for more chew, or use cake flour for a more tender crumb; for GF, use a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose blend plus about 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per cup, result will be slightly more crumbly.
Butter: if all you got is salted butter, use it but cut the added salt by 1/4 tsp; for thicker, softer cookies replace up to half the butter with vegetable shortening; solid coconut oil works 1:1 too, but gives a faint coconut taste.
Sugars: swap light brown for dark brown 1:1 for deeper molasses flavor and more chew; no brown sugar? stir 1 tablespoon molasses into each 1/2 cup granulated sugar to make a quick substitute.
Eggs: for egg-free use a flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, wait 5 min) per egg, or 1/4 cup applesauce per egg for softer, cakier cookies, both change texture a bit so expect slight differences.

Pro Tips

Tip 1 — Get the butter and eggs right: use butter thats softened but still cool, not melted, press with a finger it should give but not collapse; room temp egg mixes in faster and makes a more even dough, but dont overbeat once you add the flour or the cookies will get tough.

Tip 2 — Chill and timing are your friends: chilling for 30 minutes up to 24 hours firms the dough so cookies spread less and taste better, chill longer for more caramelized flavor, you can also freeze scooped dough balls to bake later straight from frozen for thicker results.

Tip 3 — Texture and flour swaps: swap 1/4 to 1/2 cup all purpose for bread flour if you want chew, or for cake flour if you want tender crumb, add 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch for extra soft centers, and using a mix of chopped chocolate and chips gives pockets of melty goo and snappy bits.

Tip 4 — Finish like a pro: press a few extra chips on top before baking so they look bakery perfect, sprinkle flaky sea salt the moment they come out of the oven so it sticks, pull them when edges are set but centers still soft because they keep cooking on the pan, then cool 4 to 5 minutes before moving to a rack.