Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip {or Chocolate Chunk} Cookies

By srumbel

These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are perfect! Seriously, perfect. And thanks to a simple and unique mixing method, this recipe is easy as can be!
from melskitchencafe.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature (not overly warm or melty)
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) brown sugar, light or dark
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) all-purpose flour (see note)
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet (or milk) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (see note about convection). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and mix until evenly combined.
Add the flour and the chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks) and mix until combined and no dry streaks remain.
Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls (about 2 tablespoons in size; I use my #40 cookie scoop), spacing them an inch or so apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 9-11 minutes until just very lightly golden (or no color at all) and set around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Notes:

If you like your cookies slightly more puffy, use 2 3/4 cups (13.75 ounces) all-purpose flour.

Speaking of flour, despite the best-written cookie recipe, people can still get varying results when baking. If you find your cookies are flattening or spreading too much in the oven, it could be due to the way you and I measure flour, elevation differences, or oven temperature differences. Sometimes, while it seems a little tedious, baking one cookie to start will give you a chance to alter a factor that could help. Try adding a couple more tablespoons flour to the cookie dough if this happens OR increasing the oven temperature by 25 degrees OR baking on convection (if you have it). You can consult this quick Instagram experiment I did a while back for a few more details.

If your cookies are baking too puffy and not spreading well, it’s most likely due to overflouring the dough (and on this note, it’s always better to underflour than overflour because adding flour is obviously easier than taking it out). My quick hacks to “fix” puffy cookies are 1) lowering the oven temp by 25 degrees and/or 2) using the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass to lightly press the cookies flat after they come out of the oven (similar to this recipe).