Best Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crispy at the edges with soft and chewy centers and a perfect balance of buttery cookie dough to chocolate chips, these chocolate chip cookies are sure to impress {based on the original Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies recipe by Yottam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh}.
Ingredients
- 250 g unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into 2-cm/1-inch cubes
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 200 g caster sugar or white sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs each weighing 60 - 63 g / 2 - 2.25 oz still in its shell
- 560 g self-raising flour Note 1
- 1 tsp salt
- 440 g semi-sweet chocolate chips Note 2 plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Place the room-temperature butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at a medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer still running, beat in the vanilla extract. Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until well incorporated.
- Stop the mixer. Sift together the flour and salt directly into the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and turn on the mixer. Beat until just combined - stop when you don't see any loose flour. Tip: If your mixer bowl comes with a lid, put it on or drape a clean kitchen towel over the bowl before you turn it on to prevent the flour from flying out of the bowl.
- Tip in the chocolate chips and mix at low speed until just combined. Stop the mixer and gently bring the dough together by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The cookie dough should be firm and come together easily.
- With your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the dough into large golf-ball-sized balls, about 45 g / 1.6 oz each. Set them in the chiller for at least 30 minutes to an hour to firm up.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F. Line a large baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper or a baking sheet.
- Spread the cookie dough balls out on the lined baking tray or cookie sheet - you'll need to bake them in batches - spaced at least 6 cm/3 inches apart.
- Bake on the center rack in the oven for 12 minutes, depending on the size of cookie balls you make, rotating the baking tray/cookie sheet halfway through. Tip: Slightly underbake the cookies - remove them from the oven when they've lost their glossy sheen, turned golden brown at the edges and slightly cracked on top. Note: Cookies will continue to cook while they sit out on the tray.
- Lightly press the extra chocolate chips down into the soft cookie centers while they're still warm and haven't firmed up. Sprinkle some kosher salt over the tops, if you like.
- Once firm enough to handle, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in a well-sealed, airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
1. Self-raising flour substitute
To make your own self-raising flour, mix together 600 grams of plain flour with 2½ tablespoons of baking powder and 2½ teaspoons of salt in a large mixing bowl with a whisk. Sift the mixture twice. Then weigh out 560 grams of this flour mixture for the recipe. Store the extra in an air-tight container and label it.2. Chocolate chips
Use your favourite milk, semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips or callets - I like to use a mix. Avoid using chopped chocolate bars as the inconsistent sizes will cause the cookies to bake unevenly and alter the consistency of the cookie.3. Nuts
Replace 120 grams of the chocolate chips with your choice of nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or brazil nuts work well). Be sure to lightly roast the nuts before adding them to the cookie dough. To do that, spread the nuts out on a baking tray and bake in a moderately hot oven (170°C/338°F) for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop roughly into 1.5-cm/0.75-inch pieces. Set aside to cool and add them to the cookie dough together with the chocolate chips.Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 192IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
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