Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can you ever have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes?
I hope not, because I have a new one to share with you. I set out to create a chewy, cakey cookie with just the right amount of chocolate and these cookies exceeded my expectations. They were a hit here at the farmhouse. We loved them so much that I couldn’t wait for you to try them.
We love the thin and crisp Farmhouse Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies that I have been making for years and the quick and easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars that I turn to when time is short. The type of cookie recipe we were missing was of the chewy variety. So, it was time to do a little recipe research and create one to fit the bill and round out our chocolate chip cookie recipe collection.
After a bit of reading, I knew that there were a few easy changes I could make to the recipe to help encourage the dough to bake up in the way I was hoping for. The flour type and amount, dough temperature, and oven baking temperature seemed to be the keys to cookie success.
I knew from my earlier cookie recipe testing that oven temperature plays an important role in the texture of the cookie. By reducing the temperature by about 25 degrees, the butter in cookie dough will begin to melt before the cookie starts to bake, encouraging the cookie to spread out on the baking sheet and a thinner cookie will be the result. In the other direction, you can increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees to bake a chilled ball of cookie dough into a thicker cookie with a chewier and cake-like texture.
The temperature of the cookie dough also plays a part in this process. If the dough is fully chilled, the butter is in its solid state. That dough will bake up differently than a cookie made from dough that is soft and at room temperature. The longer you chill the dough, the better. If you can give it more than 24 hours, you will be rewarded with a more delicious cookie. If you just can’t wait, go ahead and bake a few to enjoy immediately and then look forward to an even more delicious cookie a day later. You’ll see and taste what a difference chilling the dough makes.
Lastly, we can use a bit of bread flour in the dry ingredients to help increase the natural gluten which lends to that chewier texture. If you don’t have bread flour on hand, don’t worry. You can use All-purpose flour for all of the flour called for in the recipe. The resulting cookie might be a little less chewy, but the flavor won’t be affected at all. It will be just as delicious.
I hope that you’ll give my cookie experiment a taste test in your kitchen. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these chewy, cakey cookies. I’m a firm believer that any chocolate chip cookie is a good cookie, so you can always give this recipe a try followed by the thin, crispy version and then the quick and easy cookie bars!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter , room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 ounces (2 ½ generous cups) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the cubed butter in the bowl of your mixer fitted with a paddle or dough beaters. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds, until the butter begins to smooth out a bit. Add the sugar and brown sugar before beating on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth, approximately 2-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on low for a 10-20 seconds, just until combined. The batter may break up a bit, but don’t worry. It will come together when the dry ingredients are worked into the mix. Scrape down the bowl and beaters if necessary to gather the batter together before continuing.
- In a small bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Stir to mix the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients in one addition to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients have completely integrated into the dough. This should only take 30-60 seconds depending on the strength of your mixer. Take great care not to overmix the dough as it will encourage the dough to become tough.
- Transfer the dough to a covered container for storage in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to chill for at least 24 hours.
- I often make a batch of dough and keep it in the refrigerator, baking a single evening’s cookies each night. Portioned balls of dough can also be frozen on a small tray and then transferred to a freezer bag for long term storage. Frozen dough can be baked straight from the freezer by simply adding a few minutes to the baking time.
- When you are ready to bake cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the oven racks to the top and bottom third of your oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat style reusable baking liner.
- Create balls of dough by using two heaping Tablespoons of the chilled dough and rolling into a ball. Place six balls on each baking sheet, spacing evenly to prevent the cookies from touching as they bake. Bake for 13-14 minutes, until the cookies have browned slightly. Rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time will help to ensure that the cookies are evenly baked.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, allowing them to cool for 5-10 minutes to set up. As with any cookie, these are even more delicious when eaten while still warm with a cup of coffee or cold glass of milk.
Notes
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These are by far the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made, keeping them refrigerated overnight was key to this cookie.
I was looking for a special surprise to make my husband as I have to be away for 5 days, I wanted to leave him something special, these cookies are it, 1000%. Thank you for such a amazing recipe.
I am so glad that you enjoyed them! Thank you for taking the time to tell me that they’ll play such a special part in your week.
Going to give this a go tomorrow! Thanks, Jennifer. I’d like to add walnuts, though, probably the same amount as the choc chips. Do I adjust anything else in the recipe? Thanks!
You should be able to add walnuts without needing to make any other adjustments. Happy baking!