Chewy chocolate chip cookies are my go-to recipe for a classic chocolate chip cookie. These cookies are chewy, soft, sweet, and filled to the brim with chocolate chips and chocolate chunks.

Chocolate chip cookies on a marble counter top.

If you're looking for a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, look no further. You'll love this recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies because they turn out perfectly every time.

These cookies are soft in the middle, chewy, and filled with chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. The best part is that they're made from scratch and only require simple ingredients. The only "secret" is in following the recipe!

Make a batch of chewy chocolate chip cookies for any occasion - they're perfect year round! They make a great addition to your holiday cookie tray or as a sweet after-dinner treat.

Ingredients and substitutions

Unsalted butter - The butter and salt listed in the recipe can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
Sugars - We're using a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe for optimal texture and flavor. Granulated sugar helps aerate the butter when creaming the two together, which helps lift your cookies as they bake. Brown sugar adds a caramelized, molasses flavor and chewy texture to your cookies.
Eggs - Room temperature eggs incorporate seamlessly into the dough and add moisture and structure.
Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cookies.
All-purpose flour - Adds structure to your cookies and balances the wet ingredients in the recipe. I haven't tested this recipe with other types of flours, so I can't say for sure how your cookies would turn out with substitutions. To avoid wasting ingredients, I highly suggest searching for a recipe that has been developed with the type of flour you'd like to use.
Leavening - You'll need baking soda for this recipe - it cannot be substituted with baking powder, the two are not interchangeable.
Cornstarch - It may seem like an unusual ingredient, but it's here for a reason. Adding cornstarch to cookies creates a more tender and chewy chocolate chip cookie.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cookies and balances the sweetness without making your cookies "salty".
Chocolate chips and chunks - Chocolate chips and chocolate chunks can be substituted with your favorite baking chips, like butterscotch, peanut butter, or white chocolate chips. For a classic chocolate chip cookie, I like the combination of chips and chunks.

What does cornstarch do in cookies?

Cornstarch makes a wonderful addition to this cookie recipe for several reasons.

First, cornstarch helps thicken the dough, resulting in a cookie that spreads less in the oven. This helps keep the cookies thick and chewy, rather than thin and crispy.

Second, cornstarch helps soften the proteins in the flour, resulting in a chewier, softer cookie.

Mixing wet ingredients for cookie dough.

What makes these cookies chewy?

There are several steps and ingredients that help make these cookies soft and chewy.

Brown sugar - Adding more brown sugar than granulated sugar adds extra moisture to your cookies, as well as a caramelized, molasses flavor and a chewier texture. Don't skip the brown sugar or substitute with granulated sugar if you'd like a chewy cookie.
Cornstarch makes a thicker cookie that spreads less in the oven, and also helps soften the flour proteins in your dough, resulting in a softer, chewier cookie.
Resting your dough helps your cookies turn out chewier. While your dough rests in the refrigerator (which is a low humidity space), some of the water is evaporating out. This results in a chewier cookie that spreads less in the oven. If you have the time, allowing your dough rest for up to three days results in a chewier cookie than resting for one hour.
Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat helps your cookies spread less while baking and prevents the bottoms from getting crispy (like they would on a greased baking pan). Darker baking sheets generally bake your cookies faster on the bottom, resulting in dark, crispy edges and undercooked centers. I recommend using a light baking sheet with parchment for evenly baked cookies.
To keep your cookies soft for longer, allow them to cool completely before storing. When storing, add a slice of bread. The cookies will maintain their moisture, while the bread slice dries out (science!). Replace the bread as needed to keep your cookies soft for a few extra days.

Cookie baking tips and tricks

Adding chocolate chips to a cookie dough and rolling into balls.

Room temperature ingredients give your dough a consistent, creamy, and even texture. When beaten, the eggs and butter form an emulsion, which traps air in the dough, which bakes up into a soft and fluffy cookie.
Do not substitute or omit ingredients. Baking is an exact science. Each ingredient serves a purpose in this recipe. Halving the butter or sugar, for example, will result in a dry cookie. Adding extra flour will result in a dry cookie. Adding extra wet ingredients that aren't listed, like applesauce or sour cream, will result in a wet dough that spreads more in the oven and may turn out cakey instead of chewy.
Properly measuring flour is a common issue in baking. If you have issues with your cookies not spreading, turning out extra thick, or having a bland flavor, you probably measured too much flour into your cookie dough.
To properly measure flour, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale. This way, your ingredients are 100% accurate every time. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Gently stir your flour, then use a spoon to add flour to your measuring cup. Last, level off the top with a knife. By scooping flour directly from a container with your measuring cup, you’re compacting the flour into the cup. This adds up to 25% extra flour to your dough.
If you'd like to see more, I did a test on measuring flour for my post: tips for baking cookies - check it out!
Using parchment paper helps prevent your cookies from spreading too much while baking. A greased baking pan guarantees your cookies spread more than they should, so I always suggest parchment paper (or a reusable baking mat) instead.

Cookie storage

A cookie cut in half to reveal melted chocolate chips.

Your cookies will keep for up to 5-7 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.

If you plan on keeping your cookies for more than 1 or 2 days, I recommend adding a slice of bread to the cookie container.

Believe it or not, a slice of bread will help keep your cookies soft for longer! The cookies grab moisture from the bread, keeping them soft. Your bread slice will dry out and get stale, while your cookies stay soft. Feel free to replace the bread as needed.

Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply place on the counter top to thaw for about 30 minutes.

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