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
Carmen says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Kate says
I usually use salted butter. However, you could certainly use unsalted butter.
Jenny says
My FAVORITE Chocolate Chip cookie soo far. I did not melt the butter because I forgot, but these babies were, Chewy, buttery and soo soft. Something you would get at a bake shop. I used dark chocolate chunks in mine, other than not melting the butter and using dark chocolate chunks, I went exactly by the recipe. My oven was at 350 instead of 375… Can’t say enough about this recipe ?❤️❤️
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for your notes! It’s great to hear the things that have worked for other people. Thanks again for taking the time to comment! =)
Stephen Anderson says
As a single man one thing I miss about having a significant other would be freshly baked cookies etc. Store brand cookies just dont cut it. I decided to give this a try, and after 3 trips to the grocery store, I finally finished my very first batch of cookies. This recipe turned the smell in my house to heavenly goodness. Honestly I was surprised I was able to pull it off with ZERO banking experience. These cookies are now my absolute favorite. I plan to make more to (maybe:-))) share with friends. This has instilled the confidence in me to conquer my next Yummiliciousness. Thanks for the recipe, its now in my start of recipe box as recipe #1
Kate says
Yay!!! I agree! It’s hard to be homemade cookies, and I’m so happy that you were able to make them! Thanks for taking the time to comment! Comments like yours really make my day. =)
Kinga says
These were excellent. No refrigeration required. All brown sugar. Perfectly soft. Love em.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
Karin says
So so good! Really the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made. I did brown the butter just a bit but wonderful recipe!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. Thanks for commenting! =)
Jen says
Yummy receipe! Can I freeze the remaining batter?
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, you can freeze the batter. I like to freeze individual scoops of cookie dough because it’s easier to work with that way. Hope that helps! =)
Kylie says
I followed thr recipe to a T and even weighed out my flour. My batter was a peanut butter consistency. Any suggestions?
Kate says
Hi! Can you give me more information? When you say peanut butter consistency, does that mean it was soft and thick?
Kylie says
It was more like a sticky semi runny. Last time I stuck the batter in the freezer and then scooped them, still delicious….tried again tonight and batter same consistency again. Nothing like the video or photos. If I dont freeze it first.
heidy says
love it
Kate says
Thanks! So glad you liked the cookies! =)
Amanda says
I researched and researched before attempting to veganize these. I found that soy lecithin can act as a whole egg or a yolk itself. So I bought some at my local health food storm and they came out beautifully ! I also used Earth balance Vegan butter :) 1.5 tbsp soy lecithin mixed with 1.5 tbsp water and 1 tsp baking powder, and for the yolk it is 1.5 tbsp soy lecithin mixed with 2 tsp water :)
Carla Masopust says
I added at tsp of cinnamon and browned the butter! I also used a mix of dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips and these were so yum!! I’ll definitely bake these again!
Kate says
Oh! I’m so glad that it worked with the browned butter and that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting! =)
Kaela says
I Made these cookies and the entire family loved these. Husband said they were the best cookies he has had. Will certainly make again and again.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that your family loved them! Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Mary says
I was wanting a fairly easy chocolate chip recipe, chewy being important. I saw this with your notes about the importance of sifted flour before measuring. I decided to take a go at it and make it vegan to boot. I replaced the eggs with 2 tablespoons ground chia (mixed that with the dry ingredients) and added 4 tablespoons soymilk to the wet ingredients. OMG. Oh. My. God. These taste like these cookies I used to get in high school over 15 years ago. My pregnancy brain has been dreaming about those cookies almost every night recently. When I took a bite I was so happy I almost cried (probably also pregnancy related, haha). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Kate says
What a nice comment! My youngest is 1 1/2 years old now, but I totally remember those kinds of pregnancy cravings! Thank you for your notes about making the recipe vegan. I get questions about substitutions, and it’s always helpful to hear the things that have worked for other people. Thanks again! =)
Amanda says
Hi May, I’ve been looking for good replacements for just the egg yolk in this recipe. To clarify – you didn’t let the chia and water sit and coagulate ? You added chia to dry and 4TBSP non dairy milk to wet? I wonder if I could do the same with flax instead of chia- hubby gets tired of the seed taste ?
chanelle says
I made these and substitute 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup ground oats. I also substituted the egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk. It tasted ?
Kate says
Thanks for sharing your substitions! It’s always helpful to hear what has worked for other people. =)
Jackie says
Can you substitute almond flour for a lower carb cookie and brown sugar substitute?
Kate says
Without testing it, I’m hesitant to say whether or not those changes will work. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Nikki-44 says
First time making this, and as of today it is absolutely one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve ever made. I’ve made two great recipes over and over again in the past, and now this is a new favorite. Followed the recipe with minimal changes, including what you said about measuring the flour by weight. The only differences are that I accidentally let the butter go to boiling (but not browning), and I placed my cookie sheets in the freezer for about 5 min before putting them in the oven.
These cookies actually bring me back to college when a close friend used to bring me the softest chocolate chip cookies in statistics class. I always wondered where he got them, but ever since, he has never told me. Instead he would jokingly refer to them as “rainbow” cookies because they were magically delicious. But no matter how many times I tried to re-make them, it never tasted the same. Three years later I find this recipe, and this is now the closest I have found to those delectable, chewy, yet still melty chocolate cookies. Thank you for sharing and re-awakening a fellow baker’s memory! (:
Kate says
Yay!! Thank you!! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. I love the way that food can bring back memories. =) Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!
Arianna says
This recipe is great!! Mine turned out yummy!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that the cookies came out well for you. =) Thanks for commenting!
C Brown says
My nre favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I didnt read the part where I shouldnhave mixed by hand instead of using a stand mixer so probably whipped too much air in the batter. But, even though they turned out a littile chunky, i will bake again..and again…amd again.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
Jayne hendershaw says
Hoping cookies will turn out, followed the recipe but realized my eggs were still sitting there. It never said she. To add them so I added them probably too late.
Kate says
Hi! That’s too bad! I hate when things like that happen. Just FYI – adding the egg and egg yolk comes in step 6. I hope that helps for next time!
Alyssa says
Hello, I tried this recipe last night. The cookies tasted great but they didn’t spread. I weighed everything and even sifted the dry ingredients after weighing them. I can’t figure out what went wrong.
Kate says
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that! The 3 most common reasons that cookies don’t spread are 1) too much flour 2) oven temp is off and 3) old baking soda. It sounds like #1 isn’t the case. Does your oven bake hot?
Katie says
Just curious if the oven temp is off is it likely too hot or too cool? Thank you! These came out delicious!, our new go to recipe. I only ask because my second tray to go in the oven didn’t spread as much. My oven is finicky so wondering if it got too hot or cooled down from opening.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them. =) If you find that you have a finicky oven with hot spots (which could cause cookies not to spread as much), you can rotate the cookie sheet halfway through the baking time. Hope that helps!
Erika gaw says
Cant wait to try this recipe… Can i ask what brand of chocolate did you used?