Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies with perfectly crisp edges and a deliciously soft center. Your search for the best chocolate chip cookies ends here.
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These thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies are the perfect texture and packed with gooey chocolate in every bite. They bake up with crisp edges, soft centers, and just the right amount of richness — everything you want in the best homemade cookie.
This recipe is simple but seriously reliable. You’ll get perfectly chewy cookies without any complicated steps or fussy ingredients, and the post includes instructions for both a stand mixer and hand mixer. Scroll down for the full recipe, freezer tips, and all the tricks I’ve learned from years of testing.
Why you’ll love my chewy chocolate chip cookies
- Thin, chewy, and perfectly crisp. These cookies bake up golden on the edges and slightly soft in the middle — exactly how a classic chocolate chip cookie should be.
- Perfect flavor. I use more salt and vanilla than most recipes, plus dark brown sugar for deeper caramel notes. The result is an ultra-addicting sweet-and-salty flavor you won’t forget.
- Simple to make, easy to love. No browned butter or specialty ingredients here. This recipe keeps things straightforward so you can bake a perfect batch anytime.
- Just the right amount of chocolate. After dozens of tests, I landed on the ideal chocolate-to-dough ratio for rich, gooey flavor in every bite.
What you’ll need to make them
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
- All-purpose flour: I stick with classic all-purpose flour because it’s reliable and most people already have it on hand. Don’t swap this out — changing the flour can throw off the texture of the cookie.
- Baking powder and baking soda: This combo creates the perfect balance of spread and chew, giving you that perfect bakery-style texture.
- Salt: We’re using more than other recipes to help balance the sweetness and bring out the flavor of the chocolate.
- Unsalted butter: Use regular unsalted butter, fully softened at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugars.
- Granulated sugar: We tested a few different ratios to get this right. A little less white sugar than brown gives just the right amount of crispness around the edges.
- Dark brown sugar: I love the rich, molasses flavor of dark brown sugar here. Light brown sugar also works if that’s what you have.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure, so be gentle when mixing them in.
- Pure vanilla extract: Real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste adds the best flavor. Skip the artificial stuff if you can.
- Milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips: I like a mix of both, but use whatever kind of chocolate chips or chunks you love most. The quality of your chocolate makes a big difference, so I suggest splurging here if you can.
How to make thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugars in your stand mixer.
Step 3: Add eggs and vanilla.
Step 4: Slowly add in flour.
Step 5: Stir in chocolate chips.
Step 6: Scoop dough and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 F.
No stand mixer?
No problem! You can make these chocolate chip cookies in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer instead. Pay close attention to the cues on timing and texture in the recipe for best results.
You could also try mixing by hand, but it’s not preferred — especially since we cream the butter and sugar for so long. Not doing this properly can impact the texture of your cookies.
Important tips
- Use softened butter. You can’t properly cream cold butter, so make sure it’s completely softened to room temperature.
- Measure flour carefully. Make sure you use the spoon and level method to measure your flour, or you’ll use too much and have dry cookies.
- Do not over-mix. Follow the timing instructions carefully to avoid tough cookies.
- Do not over-bake. The cookies will continue cooking as they cool. It’s better to have a slightly under-baked cookie than an over-baked one. Take them out when the tops are still pale, and the edges are just starting to look golden.
Freezer instructions
This recipe makes 20 extra-large cookies — great for a crowd, but more than most families need at once. Luckily, these cookies (and the dough) freeze beautifully.
To freeze the dough: Scoop the dough into balls and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. When you’re ready to bake, add them straight to a lined baking sheet and bake as usual. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time if needed. This is my favorite way to use the freezer since you get fresh, warm cookies every time.
To freeze baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely, then freeze in a sealed container. When you’re ready to eat, let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours and enjoy.
Once the dough has been chilled or frozen, it won’t spread as much. That means your cookies will have a thicker center — still delicious, and totally normal!
Common questions
My thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies are best enjoyed within three days of baking. Let them cool to room temperature, then immediately transfer to a sealed bag or container to minimize air exposure. For longer storage, use the freezer instructions above.
Yes, you can chill the cookie dough for 1-2 hours before baking for a slightly deeper flavor. However, this recipe is designed to use fresh dough for best results. Once the dough has been chilled, the cookies won’t spread as much or get as crisp.
Nope! I like to use a cookie scoop because it makes portioning easy and keeps the cookie size consistent, but you don’t have to. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, just measure out 3-Tbsp of dough and gently roll between your hands before adding to your baking tray.
You’ll take these cookies out of the oven before they look fully cooked, because they’ll continue firming up as they cool. Look for cookies with a slightly cracked top that’s still pale. The edges will be just starting to turn lightly golden. They’ll look puffy and a little under-cooked when you pull them out — but they flatten and firm up perfectly as they cool.
Leave a rating and review!
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Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups chocolate chips, I like a half and half mix of milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips
Equipment
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- 3-Tbsp cookie scoop
Instructions
- Position your oven rack to the middle and pre-heat to 350 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and both sugars. Beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Turn the speed down to low. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth, about 60 seconds.
- With the speed still on low, add flour mixture, 1/3 cup at a time, until just combined.
- Turn off the mixer and add chocolate chips. The easiest way to incorporate them is to pulse at a high speed: add chocolate chips, and repeat a few quick pulses at high speed until chocolate chips are incorporated. Don't over-mix your dough.
- Use a 3-Tbsp cookie scoop to portion dough. Scoop directly onto the lined sheet pan, with about 3 inches between each dough ball.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the tops are pale and just set, and the edges are lightly golden. You'll need several batches to bake all your cookies.
- Let your cookies cool for 5-minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack. They'll flatten and crisp up as they cool — and they're best enjoyed at room temperature.
Notes
- Use good vanilla. We use a lot of vanilla so the flavor is important. Use pure vanilla extract and avoid the artificial stuff if you can.
- Use softened butter. You can’t properly cream cold butter, so make sure it’s softened at room temperature.
- Do not use too much flour. Make sure you use the spoon and level method to measure your flour, or you’ll use too much and have dry cookies.
- Do not over-mix. Follow the timing instructions carefully to avoid tough cookies.
- Do not over-bake. The cookies will continue cooking as they cool. They should look slightly puffy and undercooked when you take them out.
- Scrape down the sides of your mixer bowl as needed.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer and follow timing cues carefully.
So so good; we’ve made these twice already! My husband said they’re the best chocolate chip cookies he’s ever had. I’ve also frozen some of the dough (already portioned) because the recipe makes A TON and I’ve baked them right from frozen at 325 for 10 minutes…yes they end up very doughy but that’s how we like them.
What an amazing review from you and your husband. Yay!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your rating, Sophia!
My perfect chocolate chip cookies that I’ve been refining for YEARS! Hope you enjoy as much as we do!