This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Chocolate Chip Cookies are everything you want in a classic cookie. Golden crisp edges, soft centres, and pools of melted chocolate in every bite. This is the kind of chocolate chip cookies recipe you make once and immediately know it is the one. No complicated techniques, no unnecessary extras, just reliable, bakery style results right from your own oven.
And here is the best part. You do not need cream cheese, cornstarch, apple sauce, or dough chilling for days. These easy chocolate chip cookies come together in minutes and bake in under 15. One simple added ingredient gives you perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookies without the wait, without the fuss, and without breaking a nail trying to scoop cold dough.
Why This Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Works
Here’s what makes these easy chocolate chip cookies so irresistible and reliably soft and chewy:
- Melted Butter Instead of Softened Butter: Melting the butter before mixing with sugars gives you crinkly tops and a tender interior without the fuss.
- Golden Syrup Adds Chewiness: A little syrup (or an alternative like honey or maple) boosts moisture and chew without changing the flavour.
- Simple Method, No Faff: Just beat, scoop, and bake. No chilling, no special tools, no confusing steps.
- Perfect Balance of Sugars: Brown sugar for chewiness and white sugar for slight crispness combine to deliver texture in every bite.
- Quick Bake Time: Less than 15 minutes in the oven keeps the centres soft while the edges turn golden.
Ingredients For Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
This chocolate chip cookies recipe is designed for maximum chew, balanced sweetness, and that classic golden edge without any unnecessary extras.
- Melted Butter: Using melted butter instead of softened gives these cookies their signature crinkly tops and helps create soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies without needing a mixer.
- Light Brown Sugar: Packed brown sugar adds moisture and depth, which is key for achieving chewy chocolate chip cookies with rich flavour.
- Golden Syrup: This is the secret weapon. Just a couple of tablespoons boosts softness and chew, making these easy chocolate chip cookies tender without cream cheese or cornstarch.
- Chocolate Chips: Dividing the chips allows you to fold some into the dough and press extra on top before baking for bakery style Chocolate Chip Cookies loaded with chocolate in every bite.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Add-Ins And Substitutions
Want to switch things up without ruining the texture? This Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is flexible, as long as you keep the dough soft and balanced.
- Swap The Chocolate: Use dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or even a mix of milk and dark for a richer twist on these chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Add Nuts: Stir through chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch. About half a cup is enough to add texture without drying out the dough.
- Change The Syrup: Golden syrup can be replaced with honey, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, or agave. Each keeps these easy chocolate chip cookies soft and tender.
- Use A Sweetener: You can use a granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar in place of white sugar. The texture stays close to the original chocolate chip cookies recipe.
- Make Them Extra Chocolatey: Fold in extra chocolate chips or press a few more on top before baking for thicker, bakery style Chocolate Chip Cookies loaded with chocolate in every bite.
How To Make Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep The Oven And Butter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds until half melted and half soft so it is warm but not hot.
- Cream Butter And Sugars: Beat the butter with the sugars until creamy, making sure the sugar has dissolved. Mix in the golden syrup, vanilla, and egg until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until incorporated. Add flour one tablespoon at a time only if needed.
- Fold In Chocolate Chips: Gently work half of the chocolate chips into the dough using your hands to evenly distribute them without overmixing.
- Shape And Top The Cookies: Scoop out 18 to 20 dough balls and place them onto a lined baking tray. Press the remaining chocolate chips onto the tops for that classic bakery style finish.
- Bake And Cool: Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until pale and puffed with golden edges, being careful not to over bake. Let the cookies cool on the tray for about 30 minutes to set properly before serving.
For the ultimate sweet spread, serve your Chocolate Chip Cookies alongside Hot Chocolate, or a fun glass of Pink Vodka Lemonade Cocktail if you are entertaining adults. Warm drinks make chewy chocolate chip cookies even softer, while something chilled balances out the richness beautifully.
If you are building a full dessert table, pair these easy chocolate chip cookies with Ultimate Fudgy Chocolate Brownies for contrast in texture and flavour.
Pro Tips For Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use butter that is half melted and half soft, not fully liquid, so your Chocolate Chip Cookies hold their shape and do not spread too thin.
- Do not overmix once the flour goes in. Stir just until combined to keep your chewy chocolate chip cookies soft instead of dense.
- Add extra flour only if the dough feels too sticky to handle. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry or crumbly.
- Press extra chocolate chips onto the tops before baking for bakery style easy chocolate chip cookies with visible pools of chocolate.
- Slightly underbake and let them finish cooking on the tray. This keeps the centres soft and gives you perfectly chewy results from this chocolate chip cookies recipe.
- Let them cool completely on the tray. Moving them too soon can cause them to break before they have fully set.
Recipe FAQ’s
If your Chocolate Chip Cookies spread too much, your butter may have been too hot or you may not have added enough flour. Make sure the butter is only half melted and the dough is soft but able to hold its shape before baking.
Overbaking is the most common cause. Remove them when the centres still look slightly pale and puffed. They will continue to cook on the tray and firm up as they cool.
Add extra flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft but manageable. Be careful not to add too much, or your chewy chocolate chip cookies may turn out dry.
You might also like
Get a free eBook!
Subscribe to Cafe Delites FOR FREE and receive recipes straight into your inbox!
Soft Chewy Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup stick butter not spreadable, melted
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar or a granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or coconut syrup, agave, rice malt syrup, maple syrup or honey may be substituted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose or plain flour, add more as needed — only up to 1/4 cup extra
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds to just barely melt it (half soft and half melted).
- Beat the butter with the brown and white sugar/s until creamy and pale in colour and sugar has dissolved. Pour in the syrup, vanilla and the egg, and lightly beat until just mixed through.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until combined. If needed, add in one tablespoon of the ‘extra’ flour at a time until the dough is still soft but easy to handle and firm enough to form one large ball (the dough should not be dry. I only needed 3 tablespoons of the extra flour).
- Fold in half of the chocolate chips with your hands.
- Scoop out 18-20 balls and arrange them on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the remaining chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie.
- Bake for about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will look pale and puffed up, but should be golden around the edges. DO NOT OVER BAKE or your cookies will become hard once they have cooled.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes.
Notes
NO substitutions. This is the recipe that I tried and tested and it works. If you try to change an ingredient or add anything not included in the recipe, please do it at your own risk!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I make BIG FAT cookies for my teens. These flattened out to very thin, no matter how bit I made the “ball” (usually golf ball size). They were ‘crispy’ as billed, but my guys prefer the ‘chewy, big mouthful’ types…and this was just to delicate for them.
Hi, I’m planning to make these the day before a fund-raising charity event. Can I check how long they keep for? E.g. how long do they retain their chewy centre?
Thanks
Hi Tej! Great idea, they need to cool first and once they are, place them in an airtight container and they should stay soft and chewy for a few days. Xx
So easy and SO good!! Turned out perfectly!!
My families favourite cookie
Seriously so easy and the perfect chocolate chip cookie! I used maple syrup and I love the little added flavor. Soft, chewing, and crisp! These did not disappoint!!!!
Can I ask if you have tested this recipe using the metric conversion? For me it needs A LOT (around 1 cup) more flour to get the consistency needed. For example when doing my own conversion 1/2 a US cup is 115g of butter; 1/2 a metric cup is 125g as stated. If you used US cups to create the recipe, then the metric conversion needs to be 115g. I’ll give it a go using my own conversion and hopefully they will work out
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!
I made this sister frequently with my sister, and it became something we did with and for each other for special occasions.
She passed away on 28/10/23 and I thought the recipe was lost with her as she had it all memorised and would just hand write it out for me to make.
But I have just found this link in our old messages and I am so pleased I was able to find it!!! It will be a great way to keep her memory going
Hi Jacalyn, So sorry to hear about your loss. It’s so touching to read your message. This is exactly why I share my recipes, to bring wonderful memories and joy into everyones heart. Take care and I am so happy to be part of your memories. Xx Enjoy the cookies.
Well this is the 1st time I’ve tried this recipe and I did it EXACTLY as it states. I measured every ingredient to the T except for the salt. I can’t use the salt because I am allergic to it but everything else I did. Well they have 7 minutes left to cook so I’ll let you know here shortly, how they turned out. ……………………………………………………….
*7 min later…..
……………………………………………………….
Well the timer just went off so let’s see what my final baking result looks like……..
OMG!! BEAUTIFUL!!
This is the perfect cookie recipe and yes, it is PERFECT. Slightly crunchy edges, soft chewy center. This truly is the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe….
Hi Sherry, the suspense was killing me! so glad to hear it turned out perfect; this recipe is one of my favorites too.