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Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bake Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies for soft, gooey results in about 70 minutes - follow simple steps for the best cookies.

Prep Time60 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time70 minutes
Yield24

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter together with the granulated sugar and packed brown sugar until the mixture is pale, smooth, and slightly aerated. Scrape the bowl down a couple of times so the sugars fully incorporate into the butter — you want a soft, glossy mass that still holds its shape but yields when pressed.

Step 2: Add the Eggs and Vanilla

With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to become fully integrated before adding the next. Fold in the vanilla extract and scrape the bowl once more; the batter should be cohesive, slightly loose, and shining from the butter, with small ribbons forming as the paddle lifts.

Step 3: Activate the Leavening

Quickly dissolve the baking soda in the hot water so it wakes up, then add that mixture to the bowl along with the salt. Beat briefly to incorporate — this is the moment the batter gains a subtle lift and a whisper of aeration from the baking soda’s activation.

Step 4: Fold in Flour and Chocolate Chips

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a sturdy spatula to gently fold in the all-purpose flour until just combined, then fold in the semisweet chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed. The resulting cookie dough should be thick, soft, slightly tacky, studded with chips, and holding gentle peaks when scooped — a dense, pliable mass with glossy spots where chips press through.


Step 5: Chill the Dough

Scoop the dough together into a log or press it into a bowl, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour (or up to overnight). Chilling firms the dough for cleaner scoops and deepens the flavor while keeping the interior tender when baked.

Step 6: Portion and Bake

When ready, preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare cookie sheets with silpat or parchment. Portion roughly 1–2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into smooth balls, and space them on the prepared pans. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just barely browning — slightly underbaked is the goal to keep them soft and gooey inside.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a rack or plate to finish setting; the centers will remain tender with melted chocolate pockets. Arrange the cookies on a shallow plate, stack a few casually, and break one in half to reveal its gooey interior before serving.


Notes