Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
These simple Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are just that! They have a tender but dense texture that’s loaded with melty chocolate chips. They’re also easy to make! You can have gooey and soft chocolate chip cookies in minutes that are bakery-worthy.
Why I love this soft chocolate chip cookie recipe
If you’ve baked any of my other cookie recipes, then you know that I love a chocolate chip cookie in just about any form. However, there’s just something about a soft chocolate chip cookie that ALWAYS sounds good!
So for this version, I’m pulling out all the stops to bake the most tender texture. This includes the use of cake flour instead of all-purpose flour as it has a lower protein content. We’re also using a mix of butter and coconut oil to create a rich and soft consistency.
Instead of granulated sugar, we’re using powdered sugar to further enhance that light and airy texture. Last, a bit of cream of tartar ensures these cookies stay nice and soft.
Since the dough itself is so rich, it must be chilled for 1 hour. It’s worth the wait! Baking dough that is chilled solid will help create that thick and soft center.
In the end, you’re left with a warm and soft cookie with the meltiest center. Stick with the dark chocolate chips if you want an extra gooey bite!
Tools needed to make these chocolate chip cookies
This cookie dough is the best when mixed by hand, so no special mixers needed. Yep, just THAT easy!
To get the most out of these cookies, go for a large cookie scoop. Using this makes 13 large cookies. The larger the cookie, the thicker and softer the center will be.
I also recommend using a large baking sheet. You’ll want to bake this dough ASAP to prevent it from drying out, so try to bake as many cookies as you can at once. BUT don’t overcrowd the oven. Only bake with one baking sheet at a time on the middle rack. The goal is to bake the cookie dough in 2-3 batches.
Also place the cookies about 3 inches apart. Don’t place more than 6 large cookies on a large baking sheet.
Lastly, make sure to cover the baking sheet in parchment paper. This prevents the cookies from sticking while allowing them to spread evenly. Using foil or a silpat could flatten the cookies.
How to make your chocolate chip cookies look PERFECT
Here are a few tips to get your cookies photo ready, or just to look even more mouth watering than they already are!
- Top the dough balls with chocolate chips. Adding 4-5 extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball allows the cookies to bake with glossy, melty puddles.
- When they’re warm from the oven and still on the baking sheet, place even more chocolate chips on top. I’ll add maybe 1-2 more after they’re done baking to fill in any gaps where it just feels like a chip needs to be here!
- If you have a couple cookies that don’t bake perfectly round, use the inside curve of a fork to press the sides back in. Do so while they’re still warm on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the tops with a little sea salt! This is totally optional, but makes these cookies go from homemade to gourmet.
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs
These are best when they’re still warm. At this point, the chocolate is gooey and the cookies are buttery and tender.
Absolutely! I just prefer dark chocolate chips here because they’re EXTRA gooey.
Technically, yes. Although the large cookie lends itself to that soft and gooey texture we’re going for.
Yes, the dough needs to chill for at least an hour (I found this is the sweet spot) but it can be chilled for up to 2 days.
As the cookies cool, they will firm up just a bit. To revive that soft and gooey texture, you can pop a cookie in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 3 days, reheating when needed.
For more of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes, check out my:
- Soft and Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- No Chill Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Thick Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Easy and Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Print
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 13 cookies
Description
These are the BEST soft chocolate chip cookies that are tender and gooey on the inside. They’re made with cake flour, creating a super soft and doughy consistency. It’s the perfect soft chocolate chip cookie!
Ingredients
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, sliced
- Roughly 1/4 cup (47g) refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (55g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 2 cups (224g) cake flour*, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup (160g) dark chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt the butter in a measuring glass in the microwave (about two 30 second intervals), then mix in enough coconut oil to reach the 3/4 cup line (you might not need an entire 1/4 cup to get there). Stir to melt.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl and whisk with the brown and powdered sugar. Then add in the egg and vanilla and whisk thoroughly for about a minute until the mixture turns creamy and a shade lighter.
- Then whisk in the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the cake flour. Just before it’s fully combined, add in the chocolate chips and fold to bring the dough together.
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons worth), scoop the dough balls out onto a plate or small tray and roughly roll smooth. The dough should be soft and sticky, but not unmanageable.
- Place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie and chill for 1 hour.
- The dough can also be chilled for longer or overnight, but one hour was the perfect time when testing. The dough balls can also be frozen after their initial 1 hour chill, just add a couple extra minutes to the bake time. The edges will brown more but the center will remain very soft.
- After the hour, preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 5 to 6 cookies on the baking sheet well spaced apart and bake for 11-13 minutes. They’ll appear barely golden around the edges with a pale, puffed, and slightly underdone center.
- Sprinkle the warm cookies with flaky sea salt and rest on the pan for about a minute before transferring to a cooling rack and continuing with the rest of the dough.
- They’re the best when they’re slightly warm, so dig in! Otherwise, cool completely and store in a container or sealed bag at room temperature. They’ll keep for about 3 days. I like to revive one in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds.
Notes
TO MAKE YOUR OWN CAKE FLOUR – Measure 2 spooned and leveled cups of all-purpose flour. Then remove 1/4 cup and replace with 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Sift the two together, then measure out your 2 cups of flour needed for the recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Join Our Community
Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
I just love this recipe. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made it now. This is definitely my go to recipe.
These are simply the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Baking on parchment paper is the key as I tried a silpat sheet once and their texture around the edges was different and not to our liking. Thank you for your recipes as they are always 5 star.
These were great texture wise and appearance wise. Flavor wise I think I’ll try reducing the flour by 1/4 cup next time. Has anyone tried using browned butter with this recipe?
I just wanted to say these are my favorite cookies to make! I may or may not eat a cookie from each batch and then eat another after they’re all done. Just too good!
Still making these cookies. I use dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips. I absolutely LOVE this recipe. Thank you!!
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE!
AMAZING. they were so soft and delicious. My new fav recipe!
The recipe says one egg, but instructions say to ”mix in the eggs.” Is there supposed to be more than one egg? Thanks!
These cookies are really yummy and do remain soft. I gave the recipe 4 stars instead of 5 because the original recipe yielded a dough that was too crumbly, and the cookies came out very grainy.
I tried again and reduced the flour from 2 and 1/2 cups to 2 and 1/4 cups and it made all the difference. The dough was much more like a typical chocolate chip cookie dough. Cookies came out soft and chewy and maintained their softness with the tip of storing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread.
I have been searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe and I have finally found it! Thank you!!!
This is the second time I’ve made these cookies, both times in a rush hence I needed a recipe with zero chilling time! And they are AMAZING. Took them for a family brunch this weekend and they were such a hit, that everyone took some back home with them 🙂 Definitely my go to choc chip cookie recipe now!