Description
This Neighbor’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe offers classic, soft, and chewy cookies bursting with semi-sweet chocolate chips and optionally nuts. They are easy to make, baked to golden perfection, and deliver the perfect balance of sweet and buttery flavors that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to ensure they are evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and well combined, creating a smooth base for your cookies.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition for proper incorporation. Then stir in the vanilla extract to add flavor depth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which keeps cookies tender.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips and Nuts: Carefully fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and optional chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Portion Dough: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 9–11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown but the centers remain soft for that perfect chewiness.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For soft and chewy cookies, avoid overbaking and remove from oven once edges turn golden.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to achieve thicker cookies.
- Cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen by adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
