My Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
My Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies Overview
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Skills Used: Brown butter for baking, How to Toast Pecans
Today I am sharing with you my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I developed this recipe in 2010 when I couldn’t find a cookie recipe that fit my definition of the best chocolate chip cookie.
This is the recipe that also led me to starting an online cookie company that went viral. I couldn’t make these cookies fast enough to keep up! I guarded the recipe for many years, but decided to share it a few years ago because I have no desire to actually run a cookie company again.
I know a lot of you are probably skeptical at my claim that these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. There are so many recipes out there making the same claim! But I will say, if you love a more grown up chocolate chip cookie that is rich in flavor, has lots of texture, and a good hit of saltiness, then this recipe is for you!
What Makes these my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies?
- Brown butter for incredible depth of flavor and toasty notes
- Ground oats for lots of chew and texture
- Dark brown sugar for more chew and caramel notes
- Lots of good vanilla
- Dark or bittersweet chocolate that stays soft and melty
- The cookies stay nice and thick
- A good hit of salt to balance the sweetness
They have everything you could want in a cookie. Just the right amount of crunchy bits on the outside and an incredibly chewy inside.
They also have an extreme depth of flavor. The perfect mix of sweet, salty and richness.
These cookies also feel a little bit fancy but not so much so that they lose that rustic homeyness that all chocolate chip cookies should have. In my opinion, they are just perfect. So let’s dive into my detailed tutorial for making these seriously incredible chocolate chip cookies!
How to make my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
I do need to preface this recipe and tutorial by saying that these are not the cookies you make when you have a spur of the moment craving for cookies. These are special occasion cookies. These are “I need to impress someone” cookies.
The reason these are not everyday chocolate chip cookies is that they are a little pricey to make and they also take some time commitment. But if you are dedicated to those two things, these are so worth it.
Step 1: Brown the Butter
The recipe starts with unsalted butter. It is a bit more butter than most recipes call for, but it helps with the richness of these cookies. The butter is browned at least several hours before making the cookies so that it has time to cool before being added to the dough. You can also brown the butter the night before.
There are a lot of food trends, and browned butter in baked goods is arguably one of the biggest. I discovered it in 2009 and have never looked back. Brown butter can elevate your basic chocolate chip cookies so much!
How to Brown the Butter
If you are not familiar with how to brown butter, heat butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan and continue cooking until the milk fats fall to the bottom of the pan and begin browning.
You will start to smell the butter when it is getting close to browning. It will smell nutty and then will start turning an amber color. You want it to be a fairly deep amber color, but watch it closely because it can burn quickly. This whole process takes about 15 minutes.
After the butter is brown, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. You don’t want to use hot or even warm butter in this recipe because you won’t be able to cream it with the sugar and it will result in really greasy cookies.
Step 2: Toast the Pecans (optional, but highly recommended)
Immediately after browning the butter, it is time to toast the pecans so that they can also cool before making the dough. The pecans are technically optional in this recipe, but I find them crucial.
Pecans add another contrast in texture, they contribute to the savory aspect, and by toasting them they create an additional depth of flavor. But if you are allergic or absolutely hate nuts in cookies, you can leave them out. The cookies will still be amazing!
I used to be totally against nuts in cookies, but when creating this recipe I couldn’t go back after I tried them with the pecans. I have also converted quite a few no-nut cookie purists with this recipe.
How to Toast the Pecans
To toast pecans, put them in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, paying close attention so they don’t burn. The pecans will become very fragrant once they are toasted. Remove from heat and allow to cool before making the dough.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar Together
Once the butter has come to room temperature and is starting to become solid again, you can start making the cookie dough. The batter starts by creaming the butter and sugar. One of the things that makes these cookies so special is using all dark brown sugar in the dough.
Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it than light brown sugar. This creates so much depth of flavor, richness, and most importantly, chew in the cookies!
Beat together the sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until it is pale in color and fluffy. Creaming the butter and sugar together well is important for the texture and it also increases the volume of the dough. This means, more cookies!
Step 4: Add Egg and Good Vanilla!
Once the butter and sugar are creamed together well, its time to mix in the egg! Not much else to say about that!
Beat in the room temperature egg until completely incorporated.
Next up is the vanilla! The vanilla is an important element in what makes these cookies the best. I always use a really good quality vanilla like Nielsen-Massey vanilla or you can even make homemade vanilla extract for a fraction of the price!
Really, any vanilla will do. But we’re using a good amount of it in this recipe so if you can, get the good stuff!
Add the best quality vanilla you can afford into the batter and mix until combined.
Step 5: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
I always add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the batter before the flour. I find if you mix them in before adding the flour it will evenly distribute them without needing to dirty an extra bowl to mix dry ingredients together.
The combination of both baking soda and baking powder in this cookie gives it a little more tenderness and helps keep the cookie a bit taller.
Also, a note about salt: You want to use kosher salt or a medium coarse sea salt. These salts will hold their shape when mixed and baked and will not totally dissolve in the batter like table salt will. You don’t want the whole batter to be salty, you just want little flecks of salt mixed throughout to balance the flavors.
Mix in the baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt until combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again.
The main structure for these cookies is a combination of both all-purpose flour and ground oats. You can technically use store bought oat flour for this recipe, but I prefer to pulse oats in my food processor because I like to keep a little more texture to the oats.
Ground oats or oat flour is going to add a really nice oaty flavor to the cookies and will also add some texture and chew without these becoming oatmeal cookies.
Add the flour and ground oats into the mixing bowl and mix until almost completely absorbed. This should only take about 15-20 seconds of mixing.
Step 6: Add the Mix-ins
The quality of chocolate is extremely important in my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. My all time favorite chocolate chips are Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
. These chocolate chips don’t have the same stabilizers in them that other chocolate chips do. This means they stay soft and melty in the cookies for a really long time and never get really hard.
I think dark or bittersweet chocolate works best in these cookies. But if you like a sweeter chocolate, I suggest getting a good quality chocolate bar and chopping it up for the cookies. Most chocolate chips don’t really melt, but chocolate bars will and it makes a huge difference!
Add the chocolate chips or chunks and the chopped toasted pecans. Fold the mix-ins in to evenly distribute and to finish mixing in the flour.
Step 6: Scoop the Cookie Dough
I think the size of the cookie is also an important part of what makes the ultimate chocolate chip cookies. Scooping large mounds of dough allows the cookies to stay thick and have crispy edges and a chewy center.
I use a large cookie scoop that is 3 TBSP in size. It makes big, bakery style cookies. I also keep the mounds rounded so the cookies stay nice and thick.
If you do not have a scoop you can use a measuring cup and slightly flatten out the bottom of the cookie, keeping the top rounded, and place them on the cookie sheets.
Only place 8 cookies per sheet pan. Too many cookies will not allow them to bake evenly and will cause the cookies to spread out more when they are baking.
Step 7: Garnish the Cookies and Bake
Before the cookies go into the oven, I like to garnish them. We’re going for ultimate here right?
I sprinkle the cookies with a bit more kosher salt or flaky sea salt. I also like to add a few more chocolate chips on top so that the chocolate is really visible when they come out of the oven.
I readily admit that I have had a lot of really awesome cookies and I have tried all the big recipes out there that claim to be the best. And I may be a bit biased, but I have yet to find a recipe that tops this one according to my taste preferences.
Be prepared to be asked to make these all the time if you ever share them with family or friends. I have a few family members that I do not live near anymore that are probably jumping for joy right now knowing that they can now make these themselves.
I think they have the best of all cookie worlds. Slightly crunchy on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside, with all kinds of complexity in flavor. If you do try them please let me know what you think and if they are your ultimate cookie!
My Ultimate Chocolate chip cookies
This is arguably the best ultimate chocolate chip cookies ever! The cookies are thick, and slightly crisp on the outside and incredibly chewy on the inside and made with brown butter and a good hit of flaky salt!
Ingredients
- 1 stick + 1 TBSP (9 TBSP, 126 gr) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 3/4 cup (70 gr) chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
- 3/4 cup (147 gr) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp (7ml) good vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1 cup (140 gr) good quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I like the ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips or a chopped dark chocolate bar)
- 1 cup (120 gr) ground oats or oat flour (*see note)
- 1 cup (120 gr) all-purpose flour
Instructions
Note: There are a lot of in depth details in the written post about how I make these cookies. I highly suggest reading through it if you have the time.
- Brown the Butter: At least several hours before baking the cookies, cut the butter up into small pieces and put it in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and start boiling. Stir frequently until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Pour the brown butter into a bowl and set aside to cool until solid.
- Toast the Pecans: Put the pecans in a dry pan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently for a few minutes until the nuts smell toasty. Remove from the heat to cool before making the dough.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (180 C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the cooled & solidified butter and dark brown sugar on medium/high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed. Add the flour and ground oats or oat flour to the mixing bowl. Mix until just absorbed, only about 15-20 seconds. You don't want to over-mix the dough.
- Add Mix-Ins: Add the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and the chopped pecans. Fold in until evenly distributed. The dough will be very thick.
- Scoop rounded mounds of dough (about 3 TBSP each) and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Garnish: Top each cookie with a few more chocolate chips or chocolate pieces and sprinkle with some coarse salt.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly under baked. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pans before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Prep Ahead: You can make the dough and scoop into cookies and freeze them. Store in a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen dough balls at 325 F (160 F) for 16-18 minutes.
*You can make homemade oat flour by putting rolled or quick oats in a food processor and pulsing until a coarse meal.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 486
148 Comments on “My Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies”
I love that there are so many similarities between your best chocolate chip cookies and my recipe I have been trying to perfect. Browned butter brings them to the next level undoubtedly. And I love love those ghirardeli chocoalte chips.
Those Ghiradelli chips are wonderful, but have you tried the Guittard ones? They are so damn good.
These are probably what you made me. huh? They were so good, and these look SO good.
I love everything about em. yes to all the above. YUMMERSSSSS
It is what I made you my dear. Only yours were smushed…
Nom nom! I’m allergic, so can I omit the pecans? Thanks for this great recipe 🙂
Of course you can. I think maybe that’s the only acceptable reason 🙂
I’m currently reworking my family recipe for cookies… I will always stand by those as “MY” cookies, but these are wonderful and I might just try them; and I’ll definitely try all the tips for the “Best Ever” cookies! I love browned butter, especially in cookies. It just adds a little something extra and is absolutely wonderful!
I’ll be looking out for yours if you post it! I’m always up for trying somebody else’s recipe!
These cookies sound amazing, Bettie! What I love are the many variations you have on the usual CCC recipes out there, such as the cooled browned butter and the dark muscavado sugar. I’m definitely going to try making your recipe right down to the letter. Thanks for posting this!
Let me know if you do and what you think Nancy!
wow, those cookies look seriously amazing!
Thanks Isobel! I’m wishing I had some right now 🙁
Cookies are my thing. These look marvelous. I couldn’t agree more about the browned butter and chocolate. I haven’t played around too much with vanilla. I can only imagine.
Cookies are my thing too Emily! Best baked good ever!
I can not wait to try these! But I think I’ll wait until I’m not at high altitude anymore. 🙂
Good call Alyssa. I’m sure you would be disappointed if you tried them there.
What size mounds of dough do you use? I generally use small cookie scoop.
My scoop is about 1/4 cup. So like I said, you could just use a 1/4 cup measuring cup and flatten the dough mounds out on bottom. You want a large ball of dough so you get all of the contrasts in textures.
There are so many cookie recipes out there but chocolate chip cookies will always remain my favorite! There’s nothing quite like one fresh from the oven.
These cookies look heavenly…lovin’ that melty chocolate look. It’s my favorite to eat them as soon as they’re cool enough right out of the oven. 🙂 Great step by step instructions. I’m always looking for a new cc cookie recipe.
I never get tired of chocolate chip cookies and their recipes, sigh ! If I had the energy right now I would brown the butter and get a batch of these best ccc cookies started! Thanks for sharing your recipe – I’m pinning for later 😉
would you recommend making these if butter can’t be used? How would i substitue vegan butter? Also, do you happen to have the weight measurements for this recipe? thnx
You can definitely make them with vegan butter and in fact I have made these numerous times with vegan butter and ener-g egg replacer for vegan friends. They aren’t the same. Still good, but not the same. You can’t really brown vegan butter, so just use it at room temperature. If you want to add another layer of flavor since the browned butter won’t be used you could toast the oatmeal before making it into flour. Just put it on a sheet pan in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. Watch it closely and shake the pan occasionally. It will start to smell nutty. Then grind it into flour.
I do not have the weight measurements on this. You could check out this chart though: http://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml
Küpsised…….
Thanks for sharing this recipe, i try baking this cookies, but mine turn out like a stone.the shape of my cookies didnt flaten like yours and was dry. I was wondering could it be the butter evaporated during the butter burn process
Hi Simonne,
I don’t think it is the butter unless you went waaaay to far with it. You should remove it from the heat as soon as it becomes a dark amber color. I’m guessing that it may be too much flour. How do you measure your flour? You want to fluff it up and then lightly spoon it into the cups and then level it off. It is easy to get too much flour into the recipe. Was the dough dry? It may be the climate where you live too. If I am making a batch of cookies and the dough seems really dry I always add a TBSP or two of water or milk to add some moisture. But it is really humid where I live so sometimes I have to add a few extra TBSP of flour than the recipe calls for. But I always write the recipes for what it should read in typical climates. I’m also wondering if your oven is cooking too hot. It is a common problem with ovens. That would explain the cookies not flattening out and possibly the dryness of them. Maybe try turning it down 25º and see if that helps.
Bettis, thanks for the quick reply. I keep some dough in the freezer and will try and bake them again . Maybe i overbaked them the first batch ?
The flour i measure them by cup. The dough seem right though not dry, they are able to be shape nicely . Do you flatten your cookie dough before baking ?
Just a warning, the dough may not be easy to work with after being thawed. For some reason I haven’t had very good luck with freezing or refrigerating dough that has oatmeal flour in it. It for some reason seems to be dried out. But if you thaw it completely and it seems dry try mixing in a bit of water or milk to refresh it.
I do not flatten out the cookies before baking, but you definitely can. I’m guessing it really is your oven cooking too hot.
Hey there! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I did try this recipe and my dough just didn’t flatten out like yours did. I tried turning down my oven temperature by 10 degrees and still, the cookies only rose up and not out. Also, they weren’t really golden brown after 9 minutes so I left them in there for a couple more minutes. The cookies were no longer moist in the middle. Should I still make the temp lower? Or did I put too much flour?
It is possibly too much flour or it is possible your oven is cooking too hot. In my last apartment I had an oven that cooked almost 50 degrees hotter than what it said it was at and the first few times I tried making this recipe in that oven (that I had made 100s of times) the cookies didn’t flatten out. Was the batter dry before you scooped it?
Oh, and what is the best way to store these cookies to keep them fresh? Should i leave them out? If so, how long would they last? If they should be kept in the fridge, would doing so change the texture or flavour of the cookies?
Thanks!
The best way to store them is in an airtight container. It will keep them moist and keep them from drying out. I leave them at room temperature and they should be good for 4-5 days. You can also wrap them well and freeze them.
These cookies are delicious. I am bookmarking this page. Thank you for sharing… yummy!
So glad you loved them Lulu!
Absolutely love these. The dough is just as delicious, so I was lucky to even get some of the cookies baked. These are addicting – I can already tell!
They are sooo addicting Summer. I’m so glad you loved them. It is difficult for me to make any other cookies because these are always such a hit.
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hello betti, these recipe looks wonderful!! anyway, can i still make it if i don’t use the oat flour? or do i have to make a new measurement for the all purpose flour?
Hi Claire,
You can still make it if you don’t have oats or oat flour. Add 1/4 cup all purpose flour to balance out the dry ingredients needed (so you will need 2 1/4 cup flour all together.) The cookies won’t have quite the same flavor and texture because the oat flour really adds a lot to both, but the recipe will still work!
Bettie, these sound wonderful and I am certainly going to try. I really enjoyed the way you write. I think it would probably be fun to read your cookbook. Have you written one?
Thanks Julian! I do not have a cookbook but I hope I will someday! Let me know if you try the cookies and what you think!
These are hands down the best cookies I have ever had! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. I have made these as my Holiday cookie this year and I think it will be a tradition now.
I made two batches of these, and changed nothing but the pan I was using. My first batch was dry and did not flatten out at all right. Turned out kind of doughy on top and almost burnt on the bottom. Second batch, I used an air insulated pan and voila! Problem solved. They became the perfect cookie.
I will mention that I am at a high altitude in a moderately dry climate. But If there are others out there looking to try this out in similar setting, I recommend that air pan and keeping the rack in the middle or top. All my friends and family have requested them again already.
Please how many grams make a cup and can I brown margarine instead of butter.
Technically margarine will brown, but it will not taste good. This recipe really needs to use real butter. 1 cup of butter is 1/2 lb or 226 grams.
Hi Bettie! I’ve been searching and searching for a really great chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I think I might have finally found this in yours! The only problem is that I am gluten free. Do you have any suggestions on how I would go about making this recipe with gluten free flours? Thanks in advance!
Hi Audrey! I actually did a post that is a gluten free version of almost the exact same cookies. They are awesome too! Here is the link!
https://bakerbettie.com/dark-chocolate-and-toasted-pecan-cookies-wbrowned-butter-gluten-free-edition/
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Hey! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Carry on the fantastic work!
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Hello, these cookies look amazing. I was wondering if I could still beat the ingredients together without using a that machine. Maybe with a fork? Thank you so much!
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I have to say these were a little disappointing. The batter was quite dry and needed some extra moisture, plus they didn’t spread out well once in the oven (and my oven usually runs a little colder). I’ll go back to my normal recipe as these don’t quite work for me.
I’m sorry you did not enjoy the recipe Joseph. It really sounds like your batter had too much flour in it. This could be a climate thing or a measuring thing. It is very easy to accidentally put too much flour in your measuring cups. Always fluff up the flour with a spoon or fork and then very lightly spoon it into the measuring cups being careful not to pack it down. Of course, everyone has their own preferences, so what is my favorite will definitely not be everyone’s favorite. Thanks for trying it out!
joseph, if the recipe didnt turn out it was your fault.
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I can’t stop making them.. and of course eating them with my friends and family!!! No doubt THE best chocolate chip cookies evaaaarrr! Thank you!!
WOW! Thank you so much for the rave review. I am ecstatic to hear that you and your friends and family love them so much!
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Can I use extra large eggs for chocolate chip cookies?
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Hiya!
If I don’t add the pecans should I still use the same measurements for everything else?
Thanks!
Can you use Quaker original instant instant oatmeal packets for your chocolate chip cookies?
Hi Bettie – thanks for all your awesome baking inspiration!
When you brown your butter do you keep the solid bits and add to the mixture or do you sieve out? Or do you not get solid bits and I’m doing it all wrong!!?
Thanks so much.
Norma
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Hi Bette! Sounds like an incredible recipe. I will be trying these soon to add to my daughters wedding “Coffee & Cookie Station” at her wedding. Will these freeze well? I will need to freeze them for approximately 2 weeks. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
I made some of your chocolate chip cookies but only I didn’t have the pecans or the dark brown sugar and the Mexican vanilla. But they turned out great and really huge on the cookie sheet lol. But very yummy can’t wait for my hubby and kiddos to try them.
These are awesome, however in my opinion, if you have the exact weight ( in grams) for all the ingredients it would be the best!!! Thank you for an awesome recipe!
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How many cookies does your recipe make? It say “Yield 2”
Hi Pete! Sorry for the confusion. One recipes yields 2 dozen (24) cookies. Happy baking!
Looking at the picture of your chocolate chip cookies I could you keep saying there chewy but I can tell by looking at them they’re the cake variety well since they’re chewy I’m going to say more of a brownie consistency than cake and then when I saw you put.Not Only baking soda but baking powder too definitely the cake variety. Which is fine and yes you can still achieve a somewhat chewy Center like a brownie but I’ve never had old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies like my mom used to make she was born in 1914 so those are the days of great Bakers there was no such thing in the 20s 30s 40s late 50s frozen dinners and some box food came about but really The Big Box food didn’t come out till the 70s so in other words cooking from scratch is all my mom did weather it was baking or making delicious candies like homemade fudge penuche or divinity and homemade desserts bar cookies like butterscotch blondies and so many more and homemade casseroles that did not come out of a box anyway back to the cookies I’ve never had ANY as good as my moms where they are crunchy and chewy at the SAME TIME and she always made the kind with the milk chocolate chip not semi-sweet ever so she always used Hershey’s Brand chocolate chips not the Toll House recipe another reasons my mom’s cookies were so awesome and you’re probably not going to believe this but she never used butter OR margarine she made them with shortening and that’s what gives them that crunchy chewy Center and yes they are flattered but not totally flat and plus she omitted the baking soda and didn’t call for baking powder at all just baking soda.. and yes they are very very rich and a lot of people I guess just don’t like something that sweet I do probably cuz that’s what I grew up with you know it all depends on what variety you like obviously you like the cake/browmie variety I like the really crunchy chewy variety they’re so rich and sweet that you can only eat a couple and they of course had pecans in them too but just wanted to share that she always used shortening and I know that’s not good for you nowadays and I was thinking geez I really want to make my mom’s variety I’m afraid I’m going to screw them up if I use butter because they’re going to come out with a different consistency the whole nine yards so I don’t know what to do on that but you’re cookies sound really awesome I’m going to incorporate a couple things from your cookies to put in my mom’s like I’m going to toast the pecans which mom may have done that I don’t remember and if I do use butter I’m definitely going to do the Browning technique and I’ll probably only use the dark brown sugar if I do the butter not shortening. So thanks for the wonderful recipe it sounds really good I might even try it sometime if I’m in the mood for a more of a brownie type chocolate chip cookie.. thanks so much for sharing