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Soft-baked chocolate chip cookie perfection is what you guys are getting today. I want to share my absolute favorite recipe with you guys! Of course, there are (literally) millions of chocolate cookie recipes claiming to be the "best" out there but, what might be the best for you, might not be the best for others. Some people like them thin and crunchy (SO not a fan) and some people like them soft and thick. I am a soft and thick cookie kind of girl. Heavy on the chocolate chips! Chocolate chip cookies + skimpy on the chocolate chips = no bueno. These cookies are my absolute FAVORITE ever. I've baked them probably more than 100 times, so I can say this recipe is absolutely fail-proof. AND extremely well loved by all. A really great thing about these cookies is you don't NEED to chill the dough! It's recommended, but not required. I didn't chill the cookie dough before baking the cookies pictured here (I'm lazy) and look how thick those centers are! Perfect to sink your teeth into. 🙂
If you don't know anything about cookie baking science, I'll break it down for you. What makes these cookies super duper soft is all thanks to the vanilla pudding. I'm sure you have all heard about cornstarch being the "secret ingredient" in many cookie recipes and it is totally true! It makes cookies stay super soft and thick. Using more brown sugar than granulated sugar lends a much chewier cookie and reduces spreading. More granulated sugar, more spreading. I use the least bit possible in my chocolate chip cookies because I hate flat, lifeless cookies but I also like a little bit of the granulated sugar taste. An extra egg yolk is used to add richness and add to the chewy factor. The last ingredient that really makes a difference is using melted butter. Melted butter lends a chewier, more tender cookie rather than creaming the butter in a softened state resulting in puffier cookies. (It also means no mixer is required - woohoo!) Another thing that reeaaallllly makes a significant difference is underbaking your cookies. Underbake people, underbake!! I do this with every single cookie I make and they always come out extremely soft! Now that my explanation is over (#nerd), I hope this helps you understand all of the basics to cookie baking! Not just for this recipe, but for many other cookie recipes too. 
If I ever have a last minute gathering or dinner at my house, everyone is always looking for dessert afterwards and these chocolate chip cookies are always my go-to! They come out perfect every time and everyone always goes crazy over them. What's not to like?! Pillowy soft, buttery cookies loaded with chocolate chips. YES PLEASE. I even love baking these with chocolate chunks instead of chips. Yum! 
I'm always being asked for the recipe so if you make these, be sure to have the recipe nearby because you'll for sure be needing it! 
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Soft-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies {My Favorite}
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbs vanilla
- 2 cups + 2 tbs all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine both sugars and melted butter and mix until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour in pudding mix, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt and stir until just incorporated. Don't over mix. Fold in chocolate chips (I reserve about 2 tbs to press into the tops of dough balls before baking) until evenly distributed.
- You may chill your dough for 30 minutes for thicker cookies (chilling is best for hot days). If not chilling, roll dough into 2 rounded tablespoons of dough and place 1 ½-2 inches apart on baking sheets. If you reserved chocolate chips, press into the tops of cookie dough balls now. Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes. Cookies will be underdone but will set up when they cool and stay very soft. Allow them to cool on baking sheets for 7-10 minutes until able to be handled without breaking apart before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Cookies will stay soft and fresh for up to one week stored in an airtight container.
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Yumm!!! These look so delicious!! Beautiful photos, as well!
Thank you Tiffany!
i love soft baked cookies.. these look delicious! definitely craving a bite right now, choc chip cookies are my all time favourite too!
There's nothing better than a freshly baked chewy chocolate chip cookie. 🙂
The measurement for the flour...it says 1 2/2 cups. Is. That supposed to say 1 1/2 cups?
Yes, thank you for pointing that out Jo! I just updated the recipe with the correct measurement!
the cookies look amazing, so thick and soft, just like how chocolate chip cookies should be! I wish i could eat one right now!
Thank you Manali! I agree, chocolate chip cookies should always be thick and soft, never thin and crunchy! 🙂
Great recipe, stopping by from the City of Links party. Diane @ Mrs U Makes.
Thanks for stopping by Diane!
Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips?
I like semi-sweet but it's all personal preference!
What is the vanilla pudding mix? Never heard of that and can i replace it with custard powder if so how much would i need? Thank you
Vanilla pudding mix is pudding that comes in powder form. I use instant (just the powder) and I'm not familiar with custard powder but I did do some research and it sounds like the two are very similar and can substitute one another in recipes. If you give it a go, I would try using the same amount as stated in the recipe. Let me know how it turns out so other UK readers will know too! 🙂
Hi -
I just followed this recipe to a T............... the cookie dough was REALLY runny. I figured with your beautiful photos, I'd continue to follow the recipe and bake it anyway. I ended up with paper thin crispy cookie crackers with chocolate chunks. I'm not sure what the problem was. So after the first sheet of cookies came out terribly, I added more flour. Tried again, still, they spread out so much that they were barely even a cookie. Is there something missing? I ended up adding at least another full cup (if not more) of flour before the cookies would even remotely hold up. What am I doing wrong???
I'm so sorry this recipe didn't work out for you! Hmm.. I make these cookies multiple times a week and never have any problems! I can't imagine what went wrong.. Expired baking soda? Maybe your oven temp wasn't correct? Did you try chilling the dough? Sometimes if it is too warm in the surrounding area it will cause the dough to spread more in the oven. Also, this could have happened if you used 'cook n serve' pudding mix - it needs to be instant. Hope this helps!
I made these. ...best cookies ever! This will be the only recipe I will use going forward. I really enjoy all your recipes!
Thanks so much, I'm so happy you enjoy my recipes and that you loved these cookies!!
Hi! These cookies look amazing! I was wondering if I freeze the dough in wax paper as a roll, to cut in rounds, to avoid the hassle of making little balls, does the baking time changes?
Hmm, I've never tried this before I would think they would be very flat if you made them as slice and bake cookies. If I were to try this, I would freeze the dough like you said, cut them into thick slices and bake them in their frozen/cold state - this will make them not spread as much. As I said though, I can't guarantee that they will come out as pictured since I haven't tried this method myself. I am curious though so if you wind up trying this out, please let me know! 🙂
My kids just love chocolate chip cookies