This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. It is crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, loaded with flavor and big chunks of chocolate
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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Chocolate chip cookies are a classic, timeless treat that never gets old. Chocolate chip cookies are made with butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and of course, chocolate chips. They have a delicious, buttery taste and delightfully crunchy texture that’s complemented by the sweetness of the chocolate chips melted in their centers. Their slightly crunchy exterior, and gooey inside makes them an irresistible treat. They are a traditional treat that has been passed down through generations. People love to customize and create their own version of chocolate chip cookies by adding nuts, other types of chips or even a touch of spice for a unique twist. The combination of chocolate chips and cookies has become so popular that it can easily be found in most grocery stores in pre-made or pre-packaged forms, although some prefer to make their own chocolate chip cookies from scratch. There are so many recipes that sometimes it is hard to know which one will make a good cookie. So we collected the advise from a number of great bakers to create the best chocolate chip cookie ever.
A VISIT TO FLOUR BAKERY IN BOSTON TO LEARN ONE OF THE SECRETS OF MAKING GREAT COOKIES
On a recent trip to Boston, we stopped at Flour Bakery + Cafe. Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery has several great books on baking, and one of the best tips for making cookies – the batter needs to be mixed longer than you might think. Using the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients in the mixer bowl, first on low until combined, and then on medium for 6 to 8 minutes, stopping every couple of minutes to scrape down the bowl.
USE THE BEST INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE EVER
This is the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. It was created by combining tips from some of the best bakers and using the very best ingredients. I really liked ideas from Shirley O. Corriher, Joanne Chang, Sara Moulton and America’s Test Kitchen. All of these things added up to the best chocolate chip cookies ever – crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, loaded with flavor and big chunks of chopped chocolate.
Use thebest ingredients. We have listed thebrands for some of the ingredientsbecause ingredients are everything. We have found that these brands give superior results. And by using brands like Horizon dairy products and organic sugarwe cut our carbon footprint in halfand are helping to control climate change.
THE SCIENCE TO MAKING THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
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THE SCIENCE BEHIND MAKING GREAT COOKIES EVERY TIME
To make great cookies, it is important to understand a little of the science of making them. They are small, so there is less room for error, which is why measuring accurately is so necessary. And they have very few ingredients, so each ingredient has a key roll, and using the best of each ingredient will make a big difference.
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING GREAT COOKIES
USE THE BEST INGREDIENTS – The brands we have listed will let you make great cookies every time. They not only taste better but production of each is controlled so the product is consistent. The size of the sugar crystal, the amount of protein in the flour, the shape of the salt – all these things will affect the way the cookies bake. Cookies are so small that little differences in the ingredients can lead to a big difference in the cookies.
FLOUR
Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flourhas a lower protein amount than some all purpose flours – 10.5 percent protein. This is a good flour for baking cookies, since it makes them more tender. In addition, the company ensures that the protein content is carefully calibrated, so you get consistent results. Also, it is important to use the unbleached flour.
King Arthur Flour– King Arthur is an employee-owned company that responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, which means the flour gives you the same results, every time you bake. King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour– 11.7 percent protein – is good for baking cookies that are a little more hearty and need some substance, which the higher protein provides.
SUGAR
We useWholesome organic sugar, because it is produced from sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution andclimate change, and is a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest. Buying sugar from fields that are green cut helps prevent this destruction. The sugar also has a better taste because of how it is produced, but mostly we use it because it is a sustainable choice. It is more expensive than buying the standard brands, but the difference is only a few cents per recipe, so it’s worth it. We also save money bybuying this in bulkdirect from the company andstoring it in jars in the pantry. Instead of buying brown sugar, we add some molasses or sorghum syrup to a recipe, since brown sugar is just sugar with molasses added. This saves money, since brown sugar is more expensive than white sugar, and it saves storage.
VANILLA
Heilala producesthebest tasting vanilla we have ever tried. Plus, it is ethically produced. We double the amount of vanilla usually called for to add extra flavor. Vanilla extract is usually half alcohol and half water, so the extra vanilla can add back some of the liquid that was removed when browning the butter.
CHOCOLATE
Using a high quality chocolate makes a really big difference. We useValrhona chocolate, because of the quality and because it’s an ethical choice.
SALT
We like the quality ofDiamond Kosher saltand don’t want the iodine taste. The weight and structure of salt varies between brands so it is important to choose a salt and stick with it to be consistent.
BUTTER
Usingbrowned butter, or buerre noistte as it is known in France, adds a huge amount of flavor to baked goods. We useHorizon Organicbutter to make browned butter. We think Horizon products taste better than any other dairy products we have tried. This is probably because the products are organic and from family farming partners. Just as important, Horizon is acertified B corporationthat has committed to becomingcarbon positive across their entire supply chain by 2025.
METHOD FOR MAKING COOKIES
USE A SCALE AND MEASURE IN GRAMS – Use a scale to measure all the ingredients by weight. This is absolutely essential. The inaccuracies from using measuring cups can easily lead to failure when baking. Different brands of flour and sugar will be different when measured with measuring cups, and not all measuring cups are accurate either. But measuring by weight is the same every time. Measuring by weight is also much easier – just put the mixing bowl on the scale, zero the scale, add an ingredient, zero the scale again, add the next ingredient, and so on. Measuring in grams is more accurate because it is a smaller, more precise measurement than an ounce or pound. Also, grams are often easy numbers to remember, making it possible to make the cookies without looking at the written recipe and easy to compare recipes. Clean up is easier, since there will be fewer bowls and no measuring cups and to clean up. And cooking with children is easier because they quickly learn how to add ingredients until the scale reads the correct amount.
CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES – Cream the butter and sugar for several minutes to make sure they are light and fluffy, but not so long that the butter starts melting. This will take about 5 to 8 minutes in a stand mixer. Do not let the mixture exceed 68 degrees F.
USE A SCALE AND A SCOOP TO MAKE DROP COOKIES – Use the scale to make sure the cookies are exactly the same size. Using a scoop makes forming the cookies fast and easy and will also help maintain the same shape.
REFRIGERATE THE DOUGH OVERNIGHT – This allows the flour to absorb the liquid in the dough and hardens up the butter, making the cookies bake better. You can refrigerate the dough in the bowl covered with plastic wrap, but it is easier to measure out the dough as cookies for drop cookies or form it into a flat square for rolled cookies, and wrap in plastic before refrigerating it.
VACUUM PACK AND FREEZE EXTRA DOUGH -After refrigerating the dough overnight, freeze extra cookie dough as cookies in a vacuum packed container. Portioning out the dough and then vacuum sealing them keeps them fresher and makes it easy to take out just a few for baking.
USE AN OVEN THERMOMETER – Use an oven thermometer to check the oven temperature before putting the cookies in. The temperature of ovens vary, and may not be the temperature on the dial.
ALLOW THE COOKIES TO COOL ON A RACK – Allow the cookies to cool for a minute on the pan, then transfer them to a rack to keep them from getting too dark on the bottom. The cookies will become more crisp as they cool on the rack, though we realize allowing them to cool before eating them is almost impossible.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Equipment
- scale
- instant read kitchen thermometer
- oven thermometer
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 290 grams King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt if unsalted butter is used
- 300 grams Valrhona milk chocolate pieces roughly chopped in half
- 100 grams Horizon butter browned and refrigerated until solid
- 120 grams Horizon butter
- 300 grams organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sorghum syrup
- 2 large eggs one whole egg and one egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons Heilala pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients on the counter an hour before starting and allow them to come to room temperature.
- Place a medium sized bowl on the scale. Zero the scale and measure the flour and baking soda (and salt, if unsalted butter is used) into the bowl. Measure the chopped chocolate, add to the flour and stir to combine.
- Place the stand mixer bowl on the scale and measure in the browned butter, butter, sugar, and sorghum syrup, zeroing the scale for each measurement.
- Using the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients in the mixer bowl, first on low until combined, and then on medium for 5 to 8 minutes, stopping every couple of minutes to scrape down the bowl. The batter should be light colored and fluffy, but the butter should not melt or start to look greasy. Use an instant read digital thermometer to make sure it doesn’t go over 68° F.
- Crack the egg and egg yolk into a small bowl. Add the vanilla and mix with a fork until blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add the egg mixture to the batter and mix for two minutes until the mixture is incorporated.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter and mix just until the flour is mostly incorporated. Do not overwork the batter. Remove the bowl and stir with a spoon to incorporate the last bit of flour by hand.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on the batter to make an airtight seal. Refrigerate the dough overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F, using an oven thermometer to check the temperature.
- Using a scale, scoop out 55 grams of cookie dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. Place them on the silicon baking mat on the baking sheet, leaving a two inch space between each ball.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, in the center of the oven. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and the centers are still soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- When they are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and slide the Silpat onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS SUSTAINABLE:
Check out the chart on the blog post to see how food choices affect climate change. This recipe uses responsible brands and items that are lower on the chart and the production creates less greenhouse gas.
HOW THIS COOKIE RECIPE FITS IN WITH OUR PLAN TOEAT BETTER:
We have listed the brands for some of the ingredients because ingredients are everything, especially in something small like cookies. We have found that these brands give superior results. And by eating a plant based diet and using brands that are ethically sourced and sustainable,we cut our carbon footprint in halfand are helping to control climate change.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography