Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Tender, puffy, and fudgy with perfectly crisp edges — these chocolate chunk cookies taste better than Toll House and are more reliable.
I’ve been baking chocolate chip cookies since the fifth grade, and have yet to come across a recipe that’s markedly better than the back-of-the-bag Nestlé Toll House version that everyone knows and loves. It’s not for lack of trying – I’ve rested the dough overnight to develop flavor, browned the butter, experimented with different varieties of flour, and so on. But to me, the difference in taste never justifies the extra time or effort. That said, the Toll House recipe isn’t perfect (sorry Toll House!). If you follow the recipe as is, the cookies often come out disappointingly flat. Over the years, I’ve tweaked the recipe to make it more reliable and just a little bit tastier. I use less sugar, more flour, two types of high-quality chocolate instead of ordinary chocolate chips, and I always chill the dough before baking. The result is a chocolate chunk cookie that’s tender, puffy, and fudgy with perfectly crisp edges.
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Chunk Cookies
How To Make Chocolate Chunk Cookies
To begin, combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Beat until light, fluffy, and cafe au lait-colored. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
Add the vanilla and eggs and beat for 2 minutes more. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the salt and baking soda and beat briefly until evenly combined.
Add the flour and both chocolates.
Mix on low speed until the flour is completely blended and the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or scrape the dough into an airtight container and let rest in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the dough in 1.5-tablespoon balls onto prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (I use a #40/1.5-T cookie scoop with a wire trigger.)
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until golden around the edges but still soft and pale in the center. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy! For more classic cookie recipes, check out my Oatmeal Brown Sugar Cookies with Raisins & Pecans and my Crave-Worthy Sugar Cookies.
YOu may also like
- Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Blobbs
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans
- Chocolate Chip Cookie In A Mug
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Tender, puffy, and fudgy with perfectly crisp edges — these chocolate chunk cookies taste better than Toll House and are more reliable.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar (fine to substitute light)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2½ cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled (preferably King Arthur flour - see note)
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghriardelli, roughly chopped
- 2 oz milk chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli, finely chopped
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars for 3 minutes, or until light, fluffy, and cafe au lait-colored (use high speed on a hand mixer and medium speed on a stand mixer). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat for 2 minutes more. Scrape down the bowl. Add the salt and baking soda and beat briefly until evenly combined. Add the flour and both chocolates, and mix on low speed until the flour is completely blended and the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or scrape the dough into an airtight container and let rest in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours. (Alternatively, if you don't want to wait, form the dough into balls on the baking sheet as instructed below and chill in the fridge until firm, about 30 minutes.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop the dough in firmly packed 1.5-tablespoon balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (I use a #40/1.5-T cookie scoop with a wire trigger.) Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until golden around the edges but still soft and pale in the center. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Note: Some readers have had issues with the cookies being flat. This can happen as a result of using a "softer" flour. I highly recommend King Arthur All Purpose Flour for this recipe -- it's high in protein and gluten, and helps cookies hold their shape.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) The baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 143
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Sugar: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 76mg
- Cholesterol: 24mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The cookies turned out perfectly! I read that some people had trouble with their cookies falling flat, so I added 2 tablespoons of flour (as was recommended in the comments) and had perfectly puffy, fudgy cookies. This is my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Hi Jenn! My cookies turned out a bit cakey and too puffy! I even tried flattening the balls out into little discs before baking, what can I do to prevent this from happening? Thanks in advance.
Hi Brit, Happy to help troubleshoot. What type and brand of flour are you using?
Hi Jenn! Thanks for your reply, I used the Robin Hood original all purpose flour.
Hi Brit, I haven’t heard of it so note sure what kind of impact it may have had. I always have great luck with King Arthur flour so if you make these again, I’d recommend using that.
Should my cookies be melting in the oven
Hi Jacky, when you put the cookies in the oven they’re ball-shaped and they certainly flatten out quite a bit while they bake but they shouldn’t be melting. How did the cookies turn out?
So did mine!!! Had to throw out the entire batch!
My family has always use an old Toll House Recipe that calls for shortening instead of butter. They’re delicious and not at all flat. I’ve always thought using butter would make a richer cookie, but when I’ve tried, it seems to actually edge them toward bland. Do you know why that is? And what is your reasoning for using butter instead of shortening in your recipe? I’m excited to try your recipe and see if I’ve found a new favorite.
Hi Cassie, I’m surprised that you find the cookies with butter to be bland; I actually find that it adds more flavor. Butter definitely does make the cookies more flat. You could experiment with using half shortening and half butter. Hope that helps!
Hi, would white sugar work just as fine as brown sugar?
The texture of the cookies may be slightly different, but I think it should work. Hope you enjoy!
This is the last chocolate chip cookie recipe I will ever need! The texture is exactly what I have been looking for, and tastes just like the original Toll House. I live at 5700’ altitude, so I’m not sure if that had something to do with it, but my dough was really stiff. However, it finally came together and made the best cookies ever! I’m sharing this recipe with all my friends and family.
HI Jenn
we do not have an electric mixer. would hand-mixing work?
Sure Elly, you can mix them by hand — the cookies will just be a bit denser and chewier. Be sure the sugars are well combined before adding the butter (with no lumps of brown sugar); then add the butter in soft globs. Hope you enjoy!
Can I substitute white chocolate chip with macadamia nuts?
Hi Joyce, I’m a bit confused by your question as the cookies don’t have white chocolate chips, but if you’re saying you’d prefer to use those and macadamia nuts, that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Sorry the sentence is wrong but yes that is what I meant. Thank you!
This is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe! Delicious!
I love Once Upon a Chef recipes. And how can a chocolate chip recipe go wrong? But somehow it did. I tried this recipe twice and both times they came out looking great but a little flat on flavor. Back to Toll House.
I avoided making these cookies because I really didn’t see the need… my recipe is the best. Correction … YOUR recipe is the best! Thank you so much for sharing!
I love baking,…I’ve been looking for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie….This is it!…The cookie has a crisp outside soft and chewy center,..Five star for sure,
This was a winner! I used the suggested flour and refrigerated the dough for 6 hours. I don’t have a scoop so I just made the dough into little balls by hand (like meatballs). We have always used the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe but I was looking for something different and this did the trick. This will definitely be my go to recipe from now on.
These came out extremely well! Soo tasty!!!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe Jenn! ❤
I”m looking forward to making these cookies in a few days. I noticed in many of the comments that some reviewers had problems with spreading/flat cookies. I know you suggest adding a bit more flour to remedy the problem. Do you know how many ounces of flour should be in the recipe? I usually weigh my flour when baking.
Love your recipes…keep ’em coming!
Hi Jen, Glad you like the recipes! You’ll need 310 grams/10.9 ounces grams of flour for these cookies. And I highly recommend King Arthur All-Purpose Flour for these cookies — it’s high in protein and gluten, and helps the cookies to hold their shape. Hope that helps!
These are delicious! I got lots of compliments on them! I made them exactly as written except for the chocolate. I used a bag of semi sweet chocolate chunks from Trader Joe’s. I thought they worked very well. I chilled the dough for about three hours before I baked them. I used regular flour, did not have King Arthur, and used what was written in the recipe, not the extra 2-3 tablespoons as Jenn suggests in some of the reviews. A few of the cookies turned out very flat but most of them held their shape and puffed up nicely. I did pack the dough into a small scoop and I think maybe the ones that turned out flat weren’t packed tightly enough??? Next time I will scoop the dough onto cookie sheets first and then chill them because the chilled dough was kind of hard to scoop. Will definitely make again!
Jenn, the trick about adding an extra 3 TBL of flour and really packing the dough into the scooper worked like a charm. These turned out magnificently — perfect crunch on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Just lovely. Thanks for another winner.
Hi Jenn,
First, these chocolate chip cookies are delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us. Secondly, I just moved in a house with a convection oven which is a first for me. Any tips you can offer for baking in one.
Glad you liked the cookies! Regarding using the convection setting in an oven, the rule of thumb is to reduce the temp by 25°F. Also, I don’t recommend using convection ¬ for roasting meats and such – the fan tends to dry them out. Hope that helps!
Great recipe! I follow it exactly, but I use Ghirardelli chocolate chips because we don’t have the chocolate bars where I live. I found that my cookies turn out a bit flatter when I use regular butter, but they always keep the puffy dome shape when I use high fat butter (84%) and refrigerate the dough overnight for at least 8 hours. Yummy either way!
I haven’t made your recipe for chocolate chunk cookies yet. I’ve printed recipes before but have never had to print so many pages (9). I almost quit printing. Thanks for listening.
Hi Joan, There is a print icon in the top right corner of the recipe; that will take you to a single printable page. So sorry for any confusion!
I’ve used this recipe as a base for so many cookie combos, and it’s absolutely amazing… so much that I’ve run out of parchment paper.
What would be the recommended cooking time/steps if this would be cooked in aluminium foil?
Hi Alyssa, Baking time and temp would be the same with foil (I’d suggest non-stick foil for the best results). (And glad you like these!) 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly as well as refrigerated the dough overnight. I baked them and they came out very flat. I almost never have recipes fail and this one was a big disappointment.
Hi Ahleah, I’m sorry that these turned out flat for you! To make the cookies a little puffier, you might want to try adding 2 – 3 more tablespoons of flour to the batter. Also, make sure you use a cookie scoop to really pack the dough into balls — that can help a lot.
These cookies were delicious, garnering many compliments from a demanding crowd of in-laws. I used Ghriardelli chips instead of chunks, and they worked well. Be sure to bake on a light-colored cookie sheet.
I just baked two of your Chocolate Chunk Cookies to see how they would turn out, before baking the entire recipe. The only change I had to make was replace the 2 ounces of Milk Chocolate baking bar with Milk Chocolate Chips. My cookies did rise, and taste delicious. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks Jenn for delicious recipes.
For decades, I have been searching for the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie. The first time I made this recipe, I followed it as written. WOW !!!! They were amazing !!!! Nothing could make this cookie better. They are not too sweet and deliciously buttery. The cookies are thick without being cakey. Actually, for a thick cookie, they are remarkably crisp. The combination of milk and dark chocolate takes these cookies to another level and using chopped chocolate (not chips) is key. By chopping the chocolate, you get pieces of varying sizes. I found that it appeared as though I had layered the chocolate into the cookies. Since that first attempt, I have made these cookies many times. I finally found the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks.
I followed this recipe to a T, using King Arthur all-purpose flour and weighing it to make sure it was exact. I refrigerated the dough for over 4 hours and it was very stiff to scoop. The cookies spread even more than a tollhouse cookie would have. I thought maybe I scooped them too big so I decided to make sure I was doing about 1.5 TBSP – and then weighed each ball of dough so they were exactly that size, and THEN refrigerated them in ball form right until baking. Still they are spreading all over the pan. This is my first disappointing turnout from the blog and I hope you can figure out what needs to be adjusted so that we can have them turn out looking like yours!
Hi Adrianne, sorry to hear you had a problem with these! It Sounds like you covered all the bases and were very careful with your measuring, etc. When you scooped the dough into balls, did you make them pretty dense? I have found that that helps with achieving the puffiness you’re looking for.
Hi Jen, have made these a few times now (many thanks for all your recipes on your web site and in your cookbook – enjoy them all) and the amount of chilling time definitely impacts the cookies – I go for scooping out immediately (otherwise the chilled mix breaks my scoops!?!) and then chilling overnight at a minimum. I do struggle with them being too flat (hence 4 stars) despite trying all sorts of flours and since I use the metric measurements (I live in the UK) I would be interested in exactly how much more flour you suggest I add for a puffier end result as per your picture? You say below a few tablespoons – would that be 3 or 4 or more? When I lift the cooled cookies of the baking tray they leave an oily ring which suggests to me they need a fair bit more flour but I would welcome your recommendation. Many thanks
Hi Helen, Sorry you’re having trouble getting these to rise. I think I’d start with an additional 3 tablespoons of flour. Also, be sure you’re really packing the scoops; it makes a difference in how they rise.
Did you use good quality butter?
Easy, fool proof, so good and fluffy. Exactly what I was looking for! THANK YOU!
Hi Jenn,
Loved the cookies even though mine turned out a little flat. They were still chewy and crispy at the same time which I like. Have a couple of questions though:
1) For the puffy, could it be my baking soda? It’s not expired but probably has been open for about a year.
2) I wanted to add some nuts. Would walnuts or pecans work? Should I roast them ahead of time (I have raw) before adding to the dough? And how much do you think would work, approximately a cup?
Thanks so much! I’m going to try your brisket recipe next. 🙂
Hi Cherry, Baking soda generally keeps for a long time so I don’t think that’s the issue. (If you want, you can test it to make sure it works. Pour a few spoonfuls of vinegar into a glass or bowl. Add a bit of baking soda. If the baking soda bubbles, it still works.) I To make the cookies a little puffier, you might want to try adding another few tablespoons of flour to the batter. Also, make sure you use a cookie scoop to really pack the dough into balls — that can help a lot. (And hope you enjoy the brisket!) 🙂
Hi Cherry, I almost forgot to answer your question about the nuts! Either walnuts or pecans would work – really depends on your preference. No need to toast them first, but it will add a nice flavor if you do. And I’d suggest about 1/2 cup.
I used King Arthur flour and unfortunately it did not save the cookies from being very flat. The taste was fine. I think next time I might freeze individual dough balls and then bake straight from the freezer. Jenn, do you think that would help?
Hi Olga, I do think that would help. You might also try adding another few tablespoons of flour. And definitely use a cookie scoop to really pack the dough into balls — it makes a difference.
Would the texture of the cookies be impacted if I cut the recipe in half? thanks
That shouldn’t impact the texture, Cody. (But both the cookies and the dough freeze nicely if you want to make a whole batch.)
Just made this and they rose beautifully, I even mixed them by hand! I used Cadbury milk chocolate bars chopped up and they were delicious! Thanks for the rocking recipe!
Hi Jen!!Your site is my favorite!! Between your book and your site I’ve made at least 40 recipes, all of which have been excellent except this one did not come out quite right. I used the King Arthur’s flour and I refrigerated the dough for a day. The cookies seemed to melt on the pan into a puffy, cake like cookie. Any idea why? Was I supposed to bring dough to room temp before baking?
Hi Denise, Sorry you had trouble with these! The dough should definitely be cold so the cookies hold their shape in the oven. I’m wondering if they were a bit undercooked? Or were you hoping for a flatter, crispier cookie? Can you send me a photo (jennifer@onceuponachef.com)?
Just made these a did not have a flatness problem – I used Gold Medal flour. Both my flour and my baking powder were newly opened so maybe that made the difference. My only problem was that I only got 2 dozen cookies 🙊. I didn’t have a scoop so just eyeballed it and only got 24 cookies – they did not look done after 13 minutes so added more time.
Tasty alternative to regular chocolate chip cookies! We love them!
My overly particular family agrees these are, by far, the best chocolate chunk cookies! This is the only recipe I am allowed to use.
How long will these cookies keep? Your recipes are so good I am thinking of making these and sending them as Christmas gifts for people who have everything. I’ve made several of your recipes (mac n’ cheese, potatoes au gratin, french apple cake) and even very picky eaters liked them. Melvina
So glad you like the recipes, Melvina! The cookies will keep nicely if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If that’s too short of a window for you, you may want to consider one of these: Any of the biscotti recipes, Toffee Almond Sandies, or Scottish Shortbread. Hope that helps!
How many cookies does this make? I didn’t see it anywhere, which may be due to just going unnoticed.
Hi Neeley, It will make about 3 dozen cookies. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, for your chocolate chip cookies, can I substitute 8 oz Callebut semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet/milk chocolate and if so, do I need to decrease the amount of sugar? My grandaughter only likes semisweet. 🙂
Hi Dot, it’s fine to use the semi-sweet chocolate with no adjustments to the recipe. Hope your granddaughter enjoys!
These cookies are the perfect size and consistency! My family loves them, and your comments about the brand of flour – so helpful. My grocery store was out of King Arthur flour so I used Pillsbury unbleached. Sometimes I’ll buy the store brand and my cookies are inconsistent; sticking with what works from now on!
LOVE this recipe! The first time I made them I refrigerated the cookies for an hour. Last night I made them again but forgot to and the cookies still came out perfectly delicious!
Hi Jen! Is itbpossible to use coco sugar and muscuvado sugar instead of the granulated & brown?
Hi Jewel, I’ve never used either of those to bake these, so I can’t say for sure. I suspect they will work but may impact the texture of the cookies. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try these changes! 🙂
Hi Jenn!
These cookies look absolutely delicious, but I don’t have access to brown sugar in my country. Is there any way I can make them with white sugar only?
Thanks
Hi Ella, I suspect it should work, but the texture of the cookies will probably be a bit different with just white sugar. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!
Ella – do you have access to molasses? You can make your own by adding 1tbsp/1 cup of white sugar.
Hey if you dont have brown sugar then you can make your own by mixing white sugar with some molasses just add a little at a time the more you add the darker it will get I hope this might help you.
These really are the best chocolate chunk cookies ever! I’m making my second batch right now to give as a gift to a friend. I add a little bit more vanilla only because I love vanilla.
Best cookies ever! So good. However, I will never scoop them after being in the refrigerator again. Lol 😉
🙂
So, ingredients were mixed about 2 hrs ago, then refrigerated. First batch in oven melted flat. To remedy, do you suggest leave remaining dough in fridge overnight? Add flour now? Add flour later? Aargh. Thx
Hi J, While 2 hours should be sufficient, I think you could try chilling them for a bit longer (or overnight). And, you could experiment by adding a little more flour to part of the batch to see if that makes a difference in the baked cookies. Hope that helps!
Love this recipe especially for my B & B. I have ready made cookie dough in the freezer for my sweet treats I put out nightly. Since I do a different baked good each night, this is a life saver to be ready made. I used cheap Safeway brand flour with no issues. Possibly some of the reviewers didn’t let the dough firm up enough.
Wow! Sweet treats nightly, what a great Host! Where is your B & B located?
These are the best chocolate chip/chunk cookies I’ve ever made – by far. Crisp and chewy, even after a few days. I made the first batch three nights ago after chilling the dough only an hour or so, and those were great. I ate the last one today and it was still crisp and chewy. The second batch is in the oven now, straight from the refrigerator, and with about 5 minutes to go, they look fantastic. Thanks for a winner!
Jenn, leaving these in the frig makes scooping difficult. Should I let the dough warm up after taking it from the frig or should I form the cookies and let them sit in the frig. It was a nightmare trying to scoop the dough after sitting overnight
I wouldn’t let the cookie dough come to room temperature; if you do, the cookies will be flat when you bake them. If you’d like, you can scoop the dough before putting it into the fridge.
I thought I had a REALLY GOOD chocolate chip recipe until I tried this one! Oh my goodness! It is my new FAVE. I don’t think it is possible to have a better one!! 🙂 !!
Hi Jenn, I found out I used the wrong measuring cup and only added half the amount of the flour. Can I let the dough come to room temperature (I chilled it overnight) and add the other half of the flour and save the batch?
Hi Serena, Yes I think that’d be fine. 🙂
This is my go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies… my families favorite! This recipe makes perfect cookies every time I make them according to the recipe. Sometimes I substitute dark chocolate chips and it still tastes great.
Made these cookies last weekend and they were great! Puffed up nicely and had great chocolate flavor. I followed the recipe and instructions exactly, and chilled for 8 hours. Will definitely make these again!
Hi Jenn,
I wanted to take a minute to thank you for your hard work! I have made several of your recipes including this one, and all of them have been yummy and very well liked by my family. I love to cook and bake, and I find your recipes to be easy to make and time consuming enough to produce great results. I think the balance you have between your training and being a busy mom resonate in your recipes and make them doable by any home cook. I’ve already preordered your cookbook, and I’m anxious to try out those recipes!! As for this recipe, I’ve made chocolate chip cookies for years, and I’ve always thought that the softness of the butter makes the difference between flat cookies and those that aren’t flat enough. The extra mixing and refrigeration of the dough keeps the texture more consistent and helps produce great results every time. Again, your trial and error has solved a problem for me! Again, thanks for your hard work and for inspiring me to try new recipes!