Do you love soft, bakery-style cookies? Then you're in the right place!
If your idea of heaven is a palm-sized chocolate chip cookie that has almost no crunch, then look no further. This cookie is similar to the ones you might find at your grocery store bakery or at Mrs. Fields stores.
This post is going to teach you how to make an amazing version, and it's part of an ultimate chocolate chip cookie project that includes original recipes for every single type of cookie lover.
A bakery-style cookie is thin without too much variation in texture. The inside is moist and fudgy, so that you don't get a lot of chew or crunch.
This cookie recipe is pretty straightforward, but adding too much flour will result in thick cookies. They'll still be soft, but with a cakier texture. Here's how to measure your flour so that you don't add too much.
When you're making these cookies, make sure to use the spoon-and-level method of measuring flour.
This means that you stir the flour with a spoon to aerate it, and then spoon flour into the measuring cup. Level it off with the flat side of a knife before pouring into your mixing bowl. (You can also check out this King Arthur Flour post for a helpful step-by-step video.)
Of course, if you have a digital scale, that is the best way to bake accurately. (And you don't even need to get out your measuring cups!) There are both ounce and gram measurements in the recipe below.
Soft, Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies
Recipe by Lindsay Hunt
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (8 oz/226g)
1 cup packed light brown sugar (7.5 oz/212 g)
½ cup granulated sugar (4 oz/114 g)
2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled *(see note above)* (10.5 oz/300g)
1½ tsp kosher salt or ¾ tsp fine sea salt
¾ tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
12-ounce bag (2 cups) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Whisk both sugars in a large bowl and make sure to break up any large chunks. Add the melted butter and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, until the mixture forms one mass and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Let the sugar-butter mixture sit for about 5 minutes while you measure out the remaining ingredients. This allows the sugar to dissolve into the butter, which makes the cookies taste like toffee. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk in one egg to the sugar-butter mixture, stirring until it's fully mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula. Whisk in the second egg and the vanilla and scrape the sides of bowl again to make sure everything is fully incorporated.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with the spatula to fully combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
To bake right away: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Refrigerate the dough for at least 10 minutes while the oven preheats, then scoop the dough in 2-ounce portions with a cookie scoop (or you can measure out ¼ cup/4 tablespoon scoops with your hands) and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Lightly press the scoop down so it's flat across the top like a hockey puck. Bake 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 16 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookie is lightly golden brown throughout. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To bake after the dough rests (recommended): Scoop the dough into 2-ounce portions with a cookie scoop (or you can measure out ¼ cup/4 tablespoon scoops with your hands) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly press the scoop down so it's flat across the top like a hockey puck. Wrap the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. You can also freeze the chilled balls of dough in an airtight zip-top bag for up to 1 month.
Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 300ºF. Sprinkle the dough with flaky sea salt and bake 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookie is lightly golden brown throughout. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For even more cookie recipes, check out how to make:
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Topped With Sea Salt
• Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you're making a batch, show off your cookies on Instagram with the hashtag #buzzfeedcookiebakeoff!
Not sure which one you'd like best? Take the quiz here.
