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Freshly baked soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with gooey melted chocolate pools and flaky sea salt

The Best Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

The ultimate bakery-style chocolate chip cookie recipe! Crispy, buttery golden-brown edges with ultra-soft, thick, and gooey centers packed with melted dark and semi-sweet chocolate pools. Simple 15-minute prep with optional easy eggless substitution.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Baking
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (maida) 280g, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda fresh, not baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt balances sweetness
Wet Ingredients
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter 170g, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar 150g, packed for chewy moisture
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar 100g, for crisp golden edges
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature (or see Eggless Note)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract for rich bakery aroma
Chocolate & Topping
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips 250g, or chopped chocolate chunks
  • 1 pinch flaky sea salt (Maldon) optional, for sprinkling on top

Method
 

Cookie Dough Preparation
  1. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Combine butter & sugars: In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the melted cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until smooth, glossy, and well combined.
  3. Add egg and vanilla: Whisk in the whole egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture turns slightly pale and emulsified.
  4. Fold dry ingredients: Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix!
  5. Fold chocolate chips: Fold in 1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips or chunks, reserving ¼ cup to press onto cookie tops before baking.
  6. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 48 hours for rich toffee notes). Chilling prevents cookies from spreading too thin.
Baking & Finishing
  1. Prep oven & pans: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. Scoop dough balls: Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons / 45g), scoop dough balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press a few reserved chocolate chips on top of each ball.
  3. Bake: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and set, but the center is still soft, puffy, and slightly underbaked.
  4. Pan-bang & cool: Remove from oven. Immediately tap the baking sheet once firmly on the counter to settle the cookies into crinkles. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Notes

Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies Variation: Substitute the egg and yolk with ¼ cup (60ml) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt or sweetened condensed milk (if using condensed milk, reduce white sugar by 2 tablespoons). The cookies remain exceptionally soft and chewy!
Freezing Cookie Dough: Roll dough into balls and flash-freeze on a tray for 1 hour. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F (175°C) adding 2-3 extra minutes.
Bakery Secret for Softness: Store baked cookies in an airtight container with a slice of plain sandwich bread. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and stay bakery-soft for up to 5 days!