Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with golden edges and gooey centers. Easy bakery-style cookies made with simple ingredients and foolproof tips for perfect results every time.
If you love thick, soft, bakery-style chocolate chip cookies, this is the recipe you’ve been looking for. These cookies have golden edges, gooey centers, and plenty of melty chocolate in every bite. The kind that disappear the minute they come off the cooling rack.
This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe when I want something reliable, comforting, and downright delicious. No flat cookies. No dry crumbs. Just soft, chewy perfection every single time.
Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just because you need a good cookie (and don’t we all?), this recipe delivers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy centers with lightly crisp edges
- Thick, bakery-style cookies that don’t spread
- Loaded with chocolate in every bite
- Simple pantry ingredients
- Easy freezer step that guarantees perfect texture
What Makes These Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe uses a few smart techniques that make a big difference:
- Butter + a touch of shortening Butter gives rich flavor, while just a little shortening helps keep the cookies soft and prevents over-spreading.
- Brown sugar + powdered sugar Brown sugar adds moisture and chew, while powdered sugar creates a softer, more tender crumb.
- Freezer chill before baking Chilling the dough briefly keeps the cookies thick and gives them that bakery-style look and texture.
It’s a simple method, but the results are consistently excellent.
What you will need to make The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies : (Be sure to see the full printable recipe below this post.)
Unsalted butter
Cake shorting
Brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt
Semisweet chocolate chips.
How to make The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and shortening. Gradually add the brown sugar and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
NOTE: For the best results and from keeping the cookies from spreading, pop the dough in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes. I did this before scooping the dough into balls. - Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may appear slightly undercooked, but they will firm up as the cookies cool. Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, gently add a few chocolate chips to each cookie. Things optional but it really gives the cookies a bakery look.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you have any leftover cookies which I doubt you will, store them in airtight containers. They will stay soft and chewy for four or five days. They also freeze well. Just take them out of the freezer when you want a sweet treat and pop them in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Delicious!!!
Helpful Tips:
- Chill the dough for at least 15 minutes before baking to prevent spreading
- Don’t overbake. The centers should look slightly underdone
- Press a few extra chocolate chips on top right after baking for that bakery-style finish
- These cookies freeze beautifully and reheat perfectly
Entertaining Suggestions:
Serve these cookies:
- Warm with a cold glass of milk
- Alongside sweet tea for a Southern treat
- Wrapped up as gifts for neighbors and friends
- As an after-school or after-dinner favorite
- For Christmas! I can guarantee that Santa will love these cookies.
They’re the kind of cookie people ask for again.
Storage and Freezing Tips
These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies store beautifully, making them perfect for baking ahead or saving a few for later.
To store:
Once completely cooled, place cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and fresh for up to 4–5 days. If you want to keep that just-baked softness, tuck a slice of bread into the container. It works like a little Southern kitchen trick.
To freeze baked cookies:
Let cookies cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When the craving hits, let them thaw at room temperature or warm one for a few seconds in the microwave.
To freeze cookie dough:
Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen just add 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Make Sweet Memories
There’s just something about a warm chocolate chip cookie that feels like home. Maybe it’s the smell drifting through the house, or the way everyone seems to wander into the kitchen “just to see what you’re doing.” These soft and chewy cookies are the kind you make on slow afternoons, rainy days, or when you want to treat someone you love — including yourself.
Thank you for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more delicious Southern recipes.
Check out these other delicious cookie recipes.
Easy No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Melt in your mouth Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies
The Best Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Snicker Bar Cookies
–Be sure to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you and if you have any questions about the recipe, feel free to ask.
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Until next time, keep savoring the good life. Oh before I forget, in case you don’t have my cookbook “Deliciously Southern “here’s a link to get an autograph copy. A wonderful gift to yourself or someone you love. Deliciously Southern (Autographed Edition)
A perfect gift to yourself or to someone you love.
Here’s a link to kitchen gadgets that I’m loving. You can purchase a great cookie scoop through this link as well. (I do get a small commission on items purchased through my link. I most certainly appreciate your patronage.)
Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes -plus 15 minutes of chilling time in freezer
Yield: About 2 1/2 dozen
Description
Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with golden edges and gooey centers. Easy bakery-style cookies made with simple ingredients and foolproof tips for perfect results every time.
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted and then measured
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, plus additional chocolate chips for adding on top after the cookies come out of the oven for a bakery look.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking matt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and shortening. Gradually add the brown sugar and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Using a sturdy wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Pop the dough into the freezer for 15 minutes. (This is an important step. It keeps the cookie dough from spreading too much while baking.)
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If the dough is too soft, pop the cookie dough balls back in the freezer for a few minutes. I popped mine back into The freezer for an additional 10 minutes after I formed the balls.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may appear slightly undercooked, but they will firm up as the cookies cool. Note: Be careful not to overcook the cookies. Remember they will continue cooking for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently add 3 or 4 extra chocolate chips to each cookie. This will give your cookies a bakery look. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool and set for a few minutes before serving.
- Enjoy the warm cookies with a cold glass of milk!
Notes
Do ahead/freeze Tip: You most certainly can make the dough up a day ahead. Cover tightly and store in the fridge until ready to scoop in balls a bake. Also cooked cookies freeze wonderfully for up to two months. Store in a freezer ziplock bag. You can take one or two cookies out at a time and pop them in the microwave for about 12 seconds or so. Taste like they just came out of the oven. Delicious!
For a gourmet twist, substitute part of the chocolate chips with chopped semisweet or dark chocolate chunks. Chopped bars create pockets of melted chocolate and give the cookies a rustic bakery-style look.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 74 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Trans Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
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