Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! This chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with only brown sugar and makes cookies that are the perfect blend of soft and chewy!
These Chewy Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies are easy to make!
They’re great spur-of-the-moment cookies because there is no need to soften the butter ahead of time. The dough comes together in a matter of minutes, and no chilling is required.
If you like a thicker cookie, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes or so before baking, but no need to chill it if you don’t want to.
And the use of all brown sugar gives these cookies a deeper, richer flavor and makes for chewy cookies. So, the next time a cookie craving strikes, bake up a batch of these cookies!
What makes these cookies chewy?
- Melted butter: Using melted butter helps the cookies to come together quickly, and it also increases the chewiness.
- Brown sugar: Using only brown sugar helps to make them chewier.
- Extra egg yolk: The fat in the yolk helps to increase chewiness.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- If you want to brown the butter, you will need to use more butter because browning butter causes it to cook down. Otherwise, you will be left with a drier dough. You could also try my brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar will give you richer, more toffee-like flavor.
- This recipe uses only brown sugar, no white sugar, in order to make the cookies chewier.
- Flour: Correctly measuring the ingredients is key! I suggest weighing the ingredients. If you aren’t going to weigh the flour, then you need to aerate it (sifting or fluffing) and then lightly spoon into the measuring cup and leveling. If you don’t want to sift or weigh the flour, please use less flour. Packing in too much flour will cause the cookies not to spread.
- Chocolate: You can substitute 4 ounces finely chopped semisweet baking chocolate for chocolate chips. This will give you a flatter cookie that spreads more.
- Feel free to use a different type of chocolate chip – semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips will work. Chocolate chunks can also be used.
How to make chewy chocolate chip cookies
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. or in a microwave-safe bowl. The butter should be just melted. If you want to brown the butter, please see the note above in “Ingredient notes and substitutions”.
Step 2: Add brown sugar to a large bowl.
Step 3: Stir to combine butter and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add egg and egg yolk; stir to combine. Stir in vanilla extract.
Step 5: Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Please see the comments about flour in the “Ingredient notes and substitutions” section.
Step 6: Stir in chocolate chips or chunks.
Step 7: Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon), drop scoops of dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
Step 8: Bake for about 7-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. The centers should still look soft and slightly underbaked. That will help to keep the cookies soft.
Step 9: Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing: I suggest stirring this recipe together by hand rather than using a hand or stand mixer.
- Baking: It’s important to slightly underbake the cookies. This will give you a softer, chewier cookie.
- Oven temperature: If you’d like the cookies to spread more or brown less, decrease the oven temperature by 25F to 350F.
- Flat cookies: If your cookies are coming out too flat, cover and chill the dough for 30-60 minutes. Also, some people have had better luck using 3 cups of flour (360g).
- Topping: The cookies are great as-is, but if you like more salty/sweet flavor, sprinkle the cookies with a bit of sea salt or finishing salt.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I recommend flash freezing the dough in scoops by placing scoops of the dough onto a baking sheet. Once the dough is frozen through, transfer the frozen balls of cookie dough to a freezer-safe container, and store in the freezer.
You can! Bake the cookies as-directed. Let the cookies cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack. Place the cookies in a freezer-safe container, and freeze.
Storage
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
More easy cookie recipes!
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour Please see the note below about measuring the flour.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or scant 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 10 ounce package chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. The butter should be just melted. If you want to brown the butter, please see the note below.
- Add brown sugar, and mix in.
- Let stand 5 minutes.
- Add egg and egg yolk; stir to combine.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Please see the comments about flour in the recipe notes.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon), drop scoops of dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for about 7-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. The centers should still look soft and slightly underbaked. That will help to keep the cookies soft.
- Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Recipe change note: I recently decreased the amount of flour called for in the recipe due to product changes. The previous amount of flour called for was 3 cups or 360 grams.
- Butter: If you want to brown the butter, you will need to use more butter because browning butter causes it to cook down. Otherwise, you will be left with a drier dough.
- Flour: Correctly measuring the ingredients is key! I highly suggest weighing the ingredients. If you don’t weigh the flour, you’ll need to aerate the flour (sifting or fluffing) and then lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and level. If you don’t want to sift or weigh the flour, please use less flour. Packing in too much flour will cause the cookies not to spread.
- Can substitute 4 ounces finely chopped semisweet baking chocolate for chocolate chips.
- I suggest stirring this recipe together by hand rather than using a hand or stand mixer.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
- Love chocolate? Try the chocolate chocolate chip version of this cookie!
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 1/26/16.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Laura says
Wow! I just watched yr video. It’s wonderfully easy! I will make this tonight! I will report back. Thank you ever so much! Take care…
Kate says
Thank you! Hope you enjoy! =)
Stacy says
HI!! These were amazing! I am wondering about a gluten free option/suggestion for a friend.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you like the cookies! I think a measure-for-measure gluten free flour mix would be what I would try. I haven’t tried using them, but I’ve heard back from several people who have had good luck with them. Hope that helps! =)
Lisa says
Stacy, I am Celiac (GF) and I make these with Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour. It is a certified GF flour. These Cookies turn out delicious. And you can’t tell they are GF. Amazon sells Cup4Cup cheaper than most stores. I know your friend will enjoy your thoughtfulness. I would :)
Kate says
Thank you so much for your helpful comment! It’s always nice to hear from people who have successfully made substitutions. =)
Nicole says
Any experience substituting the eggs? For an egg allergy?
Kate says
I haven’t tried that, but I hope someone else may have some tips!
Kat says
These sound really great! Why melt the butter vs room temp? Not a criticism, just curious.
Kate says
Thank you! No worries! I enjoy talking about the why behind the recipe. =) Melted butter gives for a chewier cookie than room temp or cold butter. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask!
April says
Love, love the cookie recipe! Didn’t melt the butter, did refrigerate the dough, used an ice cream scoop to measure the cookies, just smashed the dough balls out a pinch and they spread just fine – perfectly chewy and crispy around the edges. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them! And thank you for your notes. It’s always helpful to hear about what’s worked for other people.
Jacob says
I just came across this recipe, and these are BY FAR the best cookies I’ve ever made!!! Everyone loved them better that the other ones
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked them!! Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
CAROL says
How would they be using margarine? I’ll probably use butter but wanted to ask.
Kate says
Honestly, I’m not sure! I can’t think of a time when I’ve used melted margarine in place of melted butter in a cookie recipe, and so I’m afraid I’m not much help.
Libby says
Did you use light or dark brown sugar?
Kate says
I’ve used both in the recipe. The cookies pictured were all made with light brown sugar. However, if you’d like more of a toffee flavor to the cookies, you can use dark brown sugar.
Jen says
Do you use 1 large egg and then just the yolk of a second egg? Going to give them a try tonight.
Kate says
Yes, exactly! You’ll need 1 large egg and then the yolk from a second large egg. Hope you enjoy the cookies! =)
Laura says
Can I ask why some of the pictures on this post look different from others? Are the last two photos of a different cookie recipe? They look flatter, the color looks deeper, and the chocolate seems to be more layered into the cookie. (Asking because those look like my kinda cookie!!)
Kate says
Absolutely! No, they’re all the same recipe. I’ve posted pictures of the cookies with variations (i.e. chilling the dough vs baking without chilling the dough). I get a lot of questions about how cookies will work with different variations, and I thought it would be helpful to have pictures to show what those variations would look like.
The cookies that you are talking about have chopped semisweet baking chocolate (4 ounce bar) in them, and the dough was not chilled before baking. The chopped baking chocolate does give more layered chocolate throughout the dough. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask!
Lucy says
I just made these. They turned out great. I used ameasuring cup for the floor but spooned it in and used 2-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons. I also added 2 tablespoons of instant coffee crystals. Part of the flour was whole wheat pastry flour.
I refridgerated the dough for about 2 hours but let it sit out for about 10-15 minutes before baking. They look just like the picture except for being a bit darker because of the coffee. I just ate one. Great texture, chewy but not cakey soft, and they taste great!
Kate says
I’m so glad! Thanks for the notes about your changes! Whole wheat pastry flour can add a great hint of nuttiness to a cookie. =) Thanks again for your comment!
Jennifer says
SO HAPPY to find this recipe!! I’m a chocolate chip cookie junkie…make & try every recipe I can & this was AmaaaaaZING! It honestly was perfection. I weighed all dry ingredients, chilled for 45 min & baked 10 min. Excellent! Thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!! That’s a big compliment! =) Also, thank you for your notes. I’m sure that other will find them helpful.
Kathryn says
I am no stranger to the chocolate chip cookie. I have tried many different recipes to get a consistwntly good cookie. For years now I’ve been using the NY Times best chocolate chip cookie by Jacques Torres. It is an amazing cookie, but it is a complicated recipe. Two kinds of flour and a 24 hour resting period. Like I said, complicated. After trying yours, I’ve found it to be just a good in taste and even better in time and prep. I’m so happy I found your recipe! For others it the trying it out, weigh your ingredients. Using a measuring cup is too inaccurate. Thanks again!
Kate says
Thank you! That’s a huge compliment. =) Torres’ chocolate chip cookie recipe was a game changer for me, but, yes, it’s definitely a more involved recipe. I agree! I resisted weighing my ingredients for a long time, but now I love it. It really is a more accurate way to measure the ingredients. Thanks again!
Hazel says
Your reply for another reviewer with cookies not flattening. ……..”Thanks! I’m sorry to hear that they didn’t flatten out much. Two questions: did you chill the dough before baking, and how did you measure your flour?”
Does this mean NOT to chill the dough? I’m anxious to try these. ? They look yummy.
Kate says
Thanks! No, not at all. Sometimes I chill this dough, and I’ve never had any issues.
I asked because I’ve made cookies and left the dough in the fridge for a day or so, and it became super hard. When I baked the cookies, they didn’t spread and stayed in a mound. I found that I needed to let the dough warm up a bit before baking when the dough was that cold because the outside baked before the inside had a chance to bake/spread properly.
If you have any other questions, please let me know! =)
Hazel says
Hello Kate! I made the cookie dough and gave to my daughter to have and bake when wanted. She scooped up cookie dough right out of fridge (maybe her fridge isn’t as cold as mine OR yours. LOL The taste and texture is exactly what I’ve been looking for. . . . .moist and chewy; and have the texture a few days later. Their the bomb! Thank you. This has become our FAV choc chip cookie!!!
Kate says
Yay!! I love that you and your daughter like the cookies!! They’re a favorite at my house, and it’s so great to hear that other people are enjoying them, too! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment! =)
Maria says
I weighed everything as indicated in the recipe. They didn’t mound, but I didn’t get quite the spread as you did from your pictures, but I am happy with them nevertheless. Great taste and texture.
Kate says
Thank you! Hmmm, I wonder if there’s some other factor involved? Did you line your pan with parchment or silicone baking mats?
Stacy says
This is my new favorite cookie recipe! So easy to make and hard to mess this recipe up! I’ve already made these cookies 4 times. They’re that good!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies! =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Lisa says
Great recipe! Followed the directions to a t and got soft and chewy cookies. My family loved them! Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting! =)
Terri L says
Like many others my cookies stayed in a mound and didn’t spread. Am so disappointed in them. Waste of ingredients and my time.
Kate says
I’m sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, I can only offer directions, and the execution of those directions is out of my hands. The few people who are having trouble with the cookies not spreading are simply using too much flour. If the flour isn’t measured properly, then you will end up with cookies that don’t spread – regardless of the recipe. I wish you better luck next time!
Dee says
Made this recipe and they were too round and dry so I definitely think it was the 3 cups of flour. I made them over and used 2 1/2 cups and they came out beautiful. Hope this helps anyone who had same issue
Kate says
Thank you! I always appreciate hearing from people who have found a way to make things work for them. I’m glad the second batch worked out, and thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Mary Rossiter says
I had the same issue. I’ll try your suggestion. Everyone likes them though.
Jene says
This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and so easy to throw together. I am not normally a raw cookie dough eater, but this dough was delicious, and the baked cookies even better! I weighed the sugar and flour instead of using measuring cups. Can’t wait to make again!
Kate says
I’m so glad you liked them! Yes! Thank you so much for mentioning that you weighed the ingredients. That can make such a difference! Thanks again! =)