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My favorite chocolate chip cookies are big, dense, chocolatey and chewy. This New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe is truly the best – I am yet to try a better cookie!
There are a few things I’m known for amongst family and friends.
Cheesecake ranks pretty high on the list and so does my homemade lasagna, but these chocolate chip cookies are probably number 1.
In my opinion, they are second to none. I’ve put these cookies head-to-head with local bakeries and I honestly, I just haven’t found a better chocolate chip cookie.
In fact, I love them so much, they’re pretty much the only base recipe I use. If I’m feeling something other than chocolate chips, I’ll just toss in a few add-ins to give them a little twist.
I’ve done Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies, Salted Caramel Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Dark Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies and even a Pistachio-Pomegranate version.
I wasn’t kidding, these are my fave!
NEW YORK TIMES CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
While I have a small handful of recipes – such as Doctored Cake Mix and Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork – that I repeat in my kitchen, I’m not really one to repeat recipes very often.
However, sometimes a recipe is so incredibly good that I can’t help but make it over and over again. As you can guess by my ode to them already, these New York Times chocolate chip cookies certainly fit into that category.
Now, this recipe for my favorite chocolate chip cookies is far from a new one. They took the blogging world by storm several years ago. As soon as I tried them, my idea of chocolate chip cookie perfection forever changed.
24 HOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
The method for New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies is certainly a bit different than what most of us are used to.
They do require a little planning ahead, because the ingredient list calls for bread and cake flours and they require a 24 hour chill time, but trust me, it’s so worth it!
I am certain the flour blend and long marinating time has something to do with the amazing texture of these cookies.
They’re big, dense, chocolatey, and perfectly chewy. It’s honest to goodness perfection and that’s what makes them unequivocally the best chocolate chip cookie that I have ever tasted.
Their size alone is enough to intrigue people, and after one bite you’ll see pure bliss spread across peoples’ faces and they’ll be begging you for the recipe.
HOW TO MAKE MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is one recipe that I don’t recommend messing with the first time you try them. Don’t be tempted to toss in anything fancy schmancy (aside from good chocolate), just leave the recipe as is your first time around, and I promise you’ll be in love with them.
Making the dough for these New York Times chocolate chip cookies is pretty straightforward, aside from using two different types of flour instead of one.
Once the dough is made, go ahead and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours or up to 72 hours. And yes, this is mandatory! I have tried baking these cookies before that 24-hour mark and they simply were not as good.
If you want to freeze the cookie dough, you can do so now or go ahead and bake the cookies.
Scoop golf-ball-sized mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Because the cookies are so large, only put 6 cookies per baking sheet.
If you like, you can sprinkle the dough balls lightly with sea salt just before baking. I don’t always do this, but it will make for a really nice flavor against the good chocolate.
One of the nice things about this recipe is that, since the dough keeps for up to 72 hours in the refrigerator, you can bake a few each day if you want your cookies to be fresh from the oven.
Although, I doubt the dough will last very long after you taste your first New York Times chocolate chip cookie! At least, it never does around our house.
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 ⅔ cups bread flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ pounds bittersweet disks or fèves at least 60 percent cacao content (see note below)
- Sea salt sometimes I add this, sometimes I don't
Instructions
- Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
- Scoop 6 3.5-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.
Video
Notes
- For smaller cookies, use a heaping tablespoon and bake for 12 minutes.
- I have used regular chocolate chips in this recipe and they turn out just fine. Nestle recently released Dark Chocolate Morsels that work beautifully in this recipe.
- I have baked these before the full 24 hour chill time and they simply just aren’t as good.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This has replaced the Nestle recipe as my go-to chocolate chip cookie. My dad, who is quite picky, absolutely loves them. I do make some changes though.
1 – I use all purpose flour because I have it on hand. Some day I’ll try cake/bread but it’s hard to justify buying it right now
2 – I use Nestle chocolate chips. Usually I use milk chocolate but sometimes I use the mint blend.
3 – I don’t use regular salt and no sea salt.
I shape them into balls and put them into a Tupperware before putting it in the fridge to rest. This makes baking them super easy because I’m not trying to scoop cold dough. With the full recipe, I get about 6 dozen cookies the size of my palm. Making a 3.5 oz cookie is a bit ridiculous to me.
I prefer to measure by weight, so I appreciate having that included. I wish it was also included for the amount of butter.
Overall, these are tasty cookies!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, Mandie! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
This is my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I have made them many times. I’ve made them following the recipe exactly and I’ve made changes — 1) used only all purpose flour when that’s all I’ve had on hand (they turned out great!); and 2) pulled back on the sugar (my personal preference when making them for myself). The recipe makes a lot of dough. I usually refrigerate the dough for 24 hours, divide in quarters and freeze three of the quarters to bake on a later date.
Again, the recipe as is makes truly delicious cookies.
So happy to hear you enjoy the cookies, Thelma! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Hey Thelma, how much all purpose flour did you use. I’m am a young baker so I don’t have access to cake and bread flour.
Can you tell me the exact recipe that you use please. I would love to try it
Excited to try these!
However, I have a hand mixer- will that suffice? Or do you prefer I do it by hand if I don’t have a Paddle attachment?
Hello! Using a hand mixer should be fine, although you may need to fold in the chocolate by hand. Hope this helps! Happy baking.
Jamie
If I have salted butter only in my fridge, can I just use that and omit the kosher salt in the recipe?
Hello! That should work fine. Happy baking!
Jamie
Question….. I know what cake flour is but what is bread flour? Is it just regular everyday white flour or something else? Thanks
Hello! Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, making it good for any recipe that needs a bit of chewiness. Hope this helps! Happy baking –
Jamie
At what temperature do you bake them at ?
Hello! These bake at 350 degrees F. Hope this helps. Happy baking!
Jamie
I adore. Chocolate chip cookies. Freezing them makes. Sense. They sound. Yummy
Thanks so much for stopping by, Kim! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
If using sea salt, do you use this in place of the other salt? Or in addition to?
Hello! You’ll want to follow the recipe as written, just sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on at the end. Hope this helps! Happy baking.
Jamie
These cookies are gorgeous! I’m going to bake some up for Evan today.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Amber! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Great recipe! I changed it up a bit by shorting the granulated by 2 tablespoons and adding that much in powdered malt. I have also added coconut finely ground instead of pecans.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, David! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie