Chocolate Chip Cookies

A classic of American baking lore, these cookies trace their fame to the 1930s and the Toll House restaurant, where the idea to stud dough with bits of chocolate turned a simple treat into an icon. Crisp at the edges and soft in the center, each bite showcases pockets of melty chocolate chips set in a golden, buttery crumb.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (about 12 oz) chocolate chips

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set racks near the center for even baking.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
4. Beat in the large eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then mix in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the dry mixture to the bowl in two additions, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
6. For thicker cookies, cover and chill the dough for about 30 minutes to firm slightly; this helps control spread.
7. Portion the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon mounds (or use a #40 scoop), spacing them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone, about 10–12 minutes.
8. Let the cookies rest on the hot sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
9. Repeat with remaining dough, rotating sheets between oven racks for even color as needed.

Tips

• For consistent texture, measure flour accurately; too much leads to dense cookies. Aim to stop mixing as soon as dry streaks disappear.
• Chilling is optional but improves shape and flavor development; a slightly firm dough bakes up thicker with chewier centers.
• Pull cookies when centers still look pale and edges are just golden; carryover heat finishes the bake for soft middles.

Serving and Enjoyment

Serve slightly warm so the centers stay soft and the chips remain melty. Pair with a cold drink or crumble over ice cream. For a bakery-style finish, gently nudge warm cookies into a perfect circle with a round cutter, then let them cool until just set for clean edges and gooey centers.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For fresh-baked results later, freeze portioned dough mounds on a sheet until firm, then bag and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two as needed.