The BEST Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

What Makes These Cookies the Best (For Real)

By now, when you see a blogger say something is the best, your reaction is probably: “Sure, Jan.” But here’s what makes this recipe different (and better!) than the rest.

• A flavor that’s so good…but what is it? You know how sometimes you bite into something and you can’t quite put your finger on the flavor you’re tasting? In these chocolate chip cookies, it’s almond extract. Often an ingredient in sugar cookies, I add it to these chocolate chip cookies to create a little magic. 
• Cozy cinnamon. I add a little bit of cinnamon for warmth, but not so much that these end up tasting like snickerdoodles. Like the almond extract, it’s an ingredient that takes these soft chocolate chip cookies to the next level, without dominating their flavor.
• Chocolate in every bite. I use mini chocolate chips, which means more chocolate throughout the cookies so no bite is left without! And I use dark chocolate for more intense chocolate flavor. (You can use this trick in my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies too.)

What You’ll Need

I bet you have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Unsalted butter – Soften this so it mixes easily into the cookie dough.
• Sugar – Equal parts white sugar and light brown sugar. The moisture in the brown sugar is what helps these soft chocolate cookies have the perfect chewy texture.
• Eggs – Let these come to room temperature with the butter.
• Extracts – The classic vanilla extract, then the almond extract too.
• Flour
• Salt – If you’d like, you can also sprinkle some flaky sea salt on the tops of the cookies as they cool.
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Dark mini chocolate chips – If you can’t find dark mini chips, you can use semisweet.

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

As with most chocolate chip cookie recipes, this one’s super easy!

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Cream the butter and sugars. Use a paddle attachment to combine the white and brown sugar with the butter until the mixture is creamy.
• Add the eggs and extracts. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then after the second egg is incorporated, add the extracts.

• Mix in the dry ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix them in until fully incorporated. Stir in the remaining flour.
• Finish the dough. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

• Bake. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown and set, but the centers still feel a little soft. 
• Cool. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes more before enjoying.

Tips and Variations

Here are some additional pointers and ways to switch up this recipe.

• Don’t overmix the dough. If you do, your chocolate chip cookies will be tough instead of soft! Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
• Add some chocolate “puddles.” I love mini chips for the chocolate-in-every-bite factor, but if you want the best of both worlds, press some regular size chocolate chips or chocolate discs into the dough after portioning it onto the pan for big bites of chocolate.
• Make them nutty. If you like your chocolate chip cookies with nuts, you can add a handful or two of chopped pecans or walnuts with the chocolate chips.

Freezing the Dough for Later

A common question people ask about cookies is: can you freeze the dough? And the answer for this one is yes! Here’s how I like to do it.

• Portion the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. You can crowd the balls of dough pretty close together, as long as they’re not touching.
• Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until the balls of dough are solid.
• Place the frozen dough in a freezer bag or airtight container. 

Now you can bake a single soft chocolate chip cookie, a few, or a whole batch whenever you like! Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

How to Store

• Room temperature: Wait for the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze these soft chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. Let them thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for a warm treat.

More Cookie Recipes

• Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• Epic Fudgy Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Soft & Chewy Pistachio Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
• Flourless Lemon Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies