Chocolate Chip Cookies
Traditional chocolate chip cookies, crisp on the edges, chewy in the center, loaded with lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pretty much a perfect cookie!
There are probably a million chocolate chip cookie recipes in cookbooks and on websites. I know there are at least a thousand chocolate chip cookies on blogs. And I know there are hundreds of good chocolate chip cookies on blogs and in books.
So why should you make my chocolate chip cookies?
Well, you don’t have to, but they are tried and true. People like them. I’d like to say it is an original recipe but this is the recipe my mom has been making her whole life, and her mom before that.
I’d like to say it is an original family recipe but it probably isn’t. In fact, this recipe for chocolate chip cookies is most likely from the back of a bag of chocolate chips.
But hey, it’s really good! Why mess with perfection? This is the cookie recipe for you crispy cookie fans. If you’re more in the chewy camp, try these perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookies. (They have a secret ingredient.)
Hey, I love chocolate chip cookies. I can’t help it. I think I should buy stock in the Nestle company. Try my healthier chocolate chip cookies with whole wheat flour or these malted chocolate chip cookies. Yes, malted for you malted milkshake lovers.
If you’re in more of a hurry, and don’t have time to make dozens of cookies, try these chocolate chip blondies or deep dish chocolate chip cookies. Feeling fancy? Try dark chocolate and pecan cookies.
About these chocolate chip cookies
I know you probably know how to make cookies so I won’t bore you with the little stuff.
I just want to give you a couple of tips. Never make two bowls dirty when you make these cookies. You can make them very successfully in one bowl.
Here’s how: Cream the sugar, butter, and shortening together in a large mixing bowl. Then blend in the eggs, vanilla, and water. Don’t ask me why you have to add a half teaspoon of water but I’m not messing with perfection.
In the same big bowl, measure out the dry ingredients. Fluff them together right on top of the wet ingredients to mix them gently, then blend the dry into the wet, making a nice cookie batter. Stir in the chocolate chips and begin baking.
Make these cookies your own creation:
- Add a cup of chopped nuts. Good choices are: walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts.
- Replace half the flour with whole wheat flour. No one will be able to tell the difference.
- Use milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips.
- Add a cup of quick oats to the batter for extra crunchy cookies.
Make ahead and storage tips
Make the dough up to a day in advance, cover well, or put in a zip top bag. You can even freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Pat it into a disk shape and put it in a zip top bag. Or form the dough into balls, freeze on a cookie sheet, sides not touching, and when the balls are frozen, store them in a zip top bag. You can bake a few at a time, or all of them at once. Perfect if you have a hankering for a warm cookie.
To store baked cookies, make sure they are thoroughly cool, and put them in an airtight container. They’ll keep at least a week at room temp, or even longer in a cooler spot, like an unheated garage.
IF they last that long…. and I’m pretty sure they won’t. Once the word is out, or once they smell the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen, your family will be raiding the cookie jar.
For the cookie monsters out there…
I have lots more cookie recipes–not just chocolate chip cookies. Here’s just a sampling. If you’d like to see my complete list, click here.
- Windmill Cookies (Speculoos) – a delicious spice cookie
- Snickerdoodles
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Andes Mint Cookies
- M&M Cookies
- Gingersnaps, aka Ginger Sparkles
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Traditional chocolate chip cookies, crisp on the edges, chewy in the center, loaded with lots of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pretty much a perfect cookie!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (one stick), softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (12-ounce package)semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 365°F.
- In large bowl, combine butter, shortening, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and water. Beat until creamy. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
- Measure out dry ingredients into bowl; mix gently right on top of wet ingredients. Stir together until everything is well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. (10 for softer cookies, 12 for crispier cookies.)
Notes
- Add a cup of chopped nuts. Good choices are: walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts.
- Replace half the flour with whole wheat flour. No one will be able to tell the difference.
- Use milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips.
- Add a cup of quick oats to the batter for extra crunchy cookies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 156mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
Husband’s take: Hands down his favorite cookie.
Changes I would make: None. I almost always make a double batch of these and freeze at least half of the dough. Then I can bake a couple of cookies when we’re craving them. Nothing beats a fresh chocolate chip cookie. In fact, I might go do that right now.
Difficulty: Easy!
22 Comments on “Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Thanks for the informative article, it was a good read and I hope its ok that I share this with some facebook friends. Thanks.
mmmmmmmmmmmm nothing beats a good old choc. chip cookie!
I am ALWAYS looking for new cookie recipes to try! I get bored sticking with the same old. These look like they turned out perfect. nom nom
those look great! I haven’t made chocolate chip cookies from scratch in ages. When I do, I usually just follow the recipe on the chocolate chip bag.
Mission accepted!
I swear that changing up the all butter measure in a chocolate chip cookie recipe to half butter and half margarine(or in your case, shortening) makes ALL the difference in the world … oh, and I add 2 tsp. of vanilla and ditch the water… excellent cookies! Love the rise and ‘cookie-ness of yours No flat chippers for me! Kudos!
There are never enough chocolate chip cookie recipes!!!
PS. LOVE the new site!
Thanks! Glad you found me again!
Stopping by from basilmomma! :o) These look divine. I love me a good chocolate chip recipe! Yum!
this looks so lovely!! thank you for sharing this and have a great day.
Hello Rachel! I found you through Basilmomma’s Blog Hop!
I’m a purist when it comes to chocolate chip cookies…the ole standby classic is always the best IMO. Have a great day! Sherri
I believe this recipe is the original Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’ve been using for years! It’s the best!
Those. cookies. look. delicious. I love some soft and chewy choco-chip cookies!!!!!! Must try this recipe soon!
Theres a reason they are a classic – chocolate chip cookies (and a cool glass of milk) cannot be beat! These look delish :).
I will take a classic chocolate chip cookie any day, these look fabulous!
This is crazy! I just made chocolate chip cookies for my husband to take to work and they looked just like these ones! But the recipe is not even close to the same! Hmmmm…. I’m really going to have to try this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Happy Cooking!
Teauna
I could totally go for some of these right now! They look wonderful!
Love it. Nothing beats a warm chocolate chip cookie. Mmmhmm. I do the same also (about not wanting to dirty two bowls) and I freeze dough to break off when I want a warm cookie.
You just reminded me that I haven’t made cookies in TOO LONG!!
These look like some great old fashioned chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for sharing :)
Stopping by from the blog hop at basilmomma. Chocolate Chip cookies are my favorite! Looking forward to trying a new recipe.
Best,
Emily from Nap Time Is My Time
Those cookies sound wonderfully good. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till Monday night and I’d love it if you’d come by and link your cookies up.