Have you been searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever? Do you want to make epic chocolate chip cookies ever single time? Here is the recipe that will do just that! This cookie recipe has not only has taken my chocolate chip cookie game up another level but it has been tried and tested, and it yields amazing results every time. So, what are you waiting for? Start baking!
Who doesn’t like perfectly baked, gooey on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, Chocolate Chip Cookies? NO ONE!! This chocolate chip cookie recipe is the definition of perfection.

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t like a Chocolate Chip Cookie. Correct? Someone prove me wrong. This is a 72 hour Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe to be exact. Don’t let the 72 hour thing freak you out, it’s totally worth it. TRUST ME. And you’re going to love it. You’ll see below that there is a decent rest time while making these cookies. Letting the Chocolate Chip Cookie dough rest for 72 hours just makes everything really come together and the flavor is out of this world. Letting the butter and sugars combine over that 3 day period really changes the game. And it makes you practice having patience… something that does NOT come easy for me.

I first came across this chocolate chip cookie recipe in the NY Times and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve made a few small changes over the years but it’s pretty perfect as is.

Tips and Tricks for this chocolate chip cookie recipe:
Basic Tips:
If you’re looking for an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe, you’ve come to the right place. This recipe only requires a few simple ingredients and can be easily made in one bowl. Plus, it yields soft and chewy cookies that are loaded with chocolate chips. Here are a few tips for executing my perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe:
- Use room temperature butter: This will ensure that your cookies spread evenly and don’t end up too flat.
- Add a little salt: This will help to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate chips and give the cookies a little flavor boost. I love Maldon.
- Don’t overbake: The key to soft and chewy cookies is taking them out of the oven while they’re still slightly underbaked. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t get too brown.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to making delicious chocolate chip cookies that everyone will love.
A note on the flours and scales:
Not all flours are created equal – so you can’t just substitute regular flour for the bread/cake flour in this recipe! Different flours have different protein ratios and don’t all weigh the same amount so it’s not a 1:1 ratio swap. If you don’t want to make the trip to find these speciality flours, the recipe in my most recent cookbook uses regular flour and it’s exceptional!
Yes, you need a kitchen scale to make this recipe. You can try to do conversions for ounces to cups, but like I said above, not all units have the same density so they don’t convert perfectly. This is my favorite kitchen scale that I’ve had for years.
Now that you know how to make the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, it’s time for you to get in the kitchen and start baking! These cookies are sure to be a hit with your friends and family, so get started now and enjoy the delicious taste of fresh-baked cookies.
Ingredients for this Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
- Cake Flour
- Bread Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Coarse Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Dark Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Chocolate Chips
- Maldon Salt
Some of my other favorite cookie recipes:
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (my second favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe)
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Soft Banana Cookies
- Christmas M&M Cookies
- Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Giant M&M Cookies

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 ½ ounces cake flour
- 8 ½ ounces bread flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 10 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 12 ounces dark brown sugar
- 6 ounces white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- maldon salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder and coarse salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large mixer add the butter and sugars and mix for 5 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between. Add the vanilla and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate discs and fold them into the batter. Cover the dough and refrigerate for up to 72 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop 1/4 cup sized cookie dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 6 cookies per sheet and sprinkle the tops with maldon sea salt. Bake the cookies for 16-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. If the cookies are a little puffy, bang the pan on the counter to release any excess air pockets. Or use a spatula to flatten the cookies to make more dense.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe adapted from NY Times
do you mean measure a 1/4 c of dough then make it into a ball or use a 1/4 c ice cream scoop? thanks
1/4 cup dough
Helloooo I can’t find the bread flour here in Mexico , can i use a substitute? I’m dying to try this cookies
I just made these cookies and they are so good. I have been making chocolate chip cookies from a variety of places and they always turn out almost flat and not what I picture chocolate chip cookies to be and now I have finally found the perfect cookie. The only thing not perfect is the 72 hour waiting just because I have a small kid that likes to bake with me and it puts a little hitch into our little baking activity for the day but if you can wait the 72 hours you won’t be disappointed. Chef’s kiss.
These baby’s were worth the wait! Perfect for putting ice cream between
These cookies are amazing. They are my family’s favorite! I have shared with friends and neighbors; all rave reviews! The double recipe is the max I can make with my standard mixer.
I have a question about freezing the dough. How do you do this? Could I make dough, allow 72 hours, then freeze in portion size? Please just share best practice for this if you are able. Thank you!!
yes that works – i would make it, fridge it for 3 days, then portion into balls and freeze and then use as needed
these were delicious. everyone who tasted them agreed!
What is the theory behind waiting 72 hours? Is it just so the flavors meld together or is it something else?
-just curious, Caroline
nailed it
What brand or brands of flours and cake flour do you use ?
swans down for cake flour! king arthur for bread flour
These are 5 star cookies all the way!!
I want to make these bit easier wondering what brand of coarse salt do you use? By coarse salt do you mean kosher?
yes kosher! i prefer Diamond
My dough is hard as a rock after 72 hours. Looks good but can’t scoop it. Should I let it come up to room temp or are they ruined?
Nevermind, room temp worked! They’re in the oven! Lol I’m not a Baker.
The most AMAZING chocolate chip cookie! Thanks
Yes, hard to wait 72 hrs!
Loved the cookies, came out good size. First batch put in for 20, too brown for me, then next batch for 16, better but will try even less time real soon! Will also add in espresso powder next time
These are the best cookies! My kids always ask for them and are willing to wait.
Can you go by internet conversions for cups instead of weighing?
No – its not quite the same as everything has different densities
These truly are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies, no joke, but the key is to let the dough age for the full 72 hours. After mixing the dough you can go ahead and make the cookie dough balls with your cookie scoop and put them close together in a container with a lid (also directly covering the dough balls with plastic wrap so as not to dry out). I only say this because someone had mentioned in the comments having a bowl of hard cookie dough after 72 hours. I keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer (after aging) at all times. Thanks Gabby. Between your website and your books, including Absolutely Avocados, you help keep my family well fed.
If I dont have bread flour, can I just use All Purpose?
It doesn’t turn out quite the same but you can!
So hypothetically speaking, if you are having an unplanned cookie emergency, these cookies are still OUTSTANDING even if you don’t have 72 hours to wait. So delicous.
Hi Gaby
We live in Spain and they don’t sell brown sugar here, what’s a good replacement?
Thanks and happy holidays
you can make your own brown sugar with just regular white sugar and molasses! ONE tablespoon molasses per ONE cup of granulated sugar
Hi Gaby! I made these cookies last year and my family loved them. I have another batch resting in the fridge now. I remember the dough being hard to scoop and shape after the rest in the fridge. Does it need to be cold when you bake it? Should I bring it to room temp so it’s easier to work with? Any advice would be great. Thank you so much – love all your recipes!
you can scoop it and then chill the dough for a few days!! Or let it come to room temp and then scoop if needed
Can you give the weights in metric? I love all your cookie recipes.
Hi, SO excited to make my first batch of these cookies!
Question- I assume the 16-20 min bake time is for refrigerated-temperature dough… or do I need to bring to room temp prior to baking? I’m also planning to freeze extra dough, can I just bake longer or do I need to bring up the temp? Thank you!
no need to bring to room temp before baking! if you bake from frozen, add a minute or so
Gaby – not sure if I saw a comment about this, but do you scoop cookies before refrigeration because the dough would be too stiff to scoop or do you let it come to room temp after refrigeration.
Looking forward to making these.
Thank you!
I prefer to scoop before chilling!