I finally perfected my Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies with a surprising pantry swap and a simple timing trick you’ll want to learn about.
I’ve chased the ultimate soft batch chocolate chip cookie for years and at last one bites back with that Pure Nirvana feel. I call it the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Soft And Chewy because every bite somehow stays tender but still has character, you know.
Using simple staples like all purpose flour and big handfuls of semisweet chocolate chips the cookies hide little surprises that make you curious to try them again. I messed up a bunch of times, yeah, but now when one comes out right you’ll understand why these Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are impossible to stop eating.
Try one, and tell me what you think.
Ingredients
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle; line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup unsalted butter (softened), 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice.
4. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions and mix just until no flour streaks remain; dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.
6. Fold in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
7. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge (or 15 minutes in the freezer) — this helps the cookies stay thick and soft and improves flavor, but if youre impatient you can bake right away.
8. Use a medium cookie scoop or about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie; place scoops 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and gently press the tops so they flatten slightly.
9. Bake 9 to 12 minutes at 350°F until edges are set and centers still look slightly underbaked, rotate pans halfway if baking more than one sheet; remove from oven, sprinkle flaky sea salt if desired, let cool on the baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl plus a medium bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a whisk if you wanna do it old school)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding
7. Medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Refrigerator or freezer for chilling the dough (optional but helps)
FAQ
Best Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies! Pure Nirvana Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap with cake flour 1 to 1 for extra tender, pillowy cookies, or use bread flour 1 to 1 for a chewier bite. You can also try a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, if it doesn’t have xanthan add about 1/4 teaspoon per cup.
- Cornstarch: replace with tapioca starch 1 to 1, potato starch 1 to 1, or arrowroot 1 to 1. If you skip it the cookies will spread more and be less cakey, just so you know.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup): use salted butter 1 to 1 but cut the recipe salt to about 1/4 teaspoon, or use a vegan stick butter 1 to 1 for dairy free, or try vegetable shortening 1 to 1 for taller softer cookies though the flavor changes.
- Light brown sugar (1 cup packed): make your own by mixing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown or 2 tablespoons for dark brown, or swap coconut sugar 1 to 1 (slightly drier), or use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel note.
Pro Tips
– Weigh your flour if you can — 2 1/4 cups is about 281 g. If you dont have a scale, spoon the flour into the cup and level it, dont scoop and pack or youll get dense, dry cookies.
– Get the butter soft but not greasy, it should still hold its shape. If its too warm the dough will spread, too cold and you wont cream it well. If dough looks too soft after mixing, chill 15 minutes before scooping.
– Use a mix of chopped chocolate and chips (half chopped, half chips) for pockets of melty chocolate, and press a few extra chips on top of each ball before baking so they look bakery-perfect. Sprinkle flaky sea salt right after they come out while the chips are still molten, it really makes the flavor pop.
– Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for most even browning, take them out when centers still look slightly underbaked and let them rest on the pan 5 to 10 minutes to finish. To freeze, freeze scooped dough on a tray then transfer to a bag, you can bake from frozen—just add a minute or two to the baking time.
Best Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies! Pure Nirvana Recipe
I finally perfected my Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies with a surprising pantry swap and a simple timing trick you'll want to learn about.
36
servings
159
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl plus a medium bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a whisk if you wanna do it old school)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding
7. Medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Refrigerator or freezer for chilling the dough (optional but helps)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle; line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat 1 cup unsalted butter (softened), 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice.
- Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions and mix just until no flour streaks remain; dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.
- Fold in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge (or 15 minutes in the freezer) — this helps the cookies stay thick and soft and improves flavor, but if youre impatient you can bake right away.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie; place scoops 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and gently press the tops so they flatten slightly.
- Bake 9 to 12 minutes at 350°F until edges are set and centers still look slightly underbaked, rotate pans halfway if baking more than one sheet; remove from oven, sprinkle flaky sea salt if desired, let cool on the baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 36g
- Total number of serves: 36
- Calories: 159kcal
- Fat: 7.9g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.15g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.8g
- Monounsaturated: 3.9g
- Cholesterol: 24mg
- Sodium: 113mg
- Potassium: 42mg
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 0.7g
- Sugar: 13.6g
- Protein: 1.6g
- Vitamin A: 141IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 8mg
- Iron: 0.38mg
