This is my ultimate recipe for chocolate chip cookies. No mixer is necessary and chilling the dough is an option but not required. A fresh batch of warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies are minutes away from coming out of your oven!
Over the years, I tested more recipes for chocolate chip cookies than I can ever count. They are an undeniable staple in many kitchens. I also love eating chocolate chip cookie dough almost more than I love eating the cookies once they are baked (no I have never gotten salmonella). For years I settled on a variation of the following recipe, however I continued to tweak it. Now I am confident this recipe will satisfy people across most of the chocolate cookie camps, from team soft to team crispy. This recipe is also full of ease and almost instant gratification. No stand mixer or hand mixers are required! A whisk and a wooden spoon or spatula will do the trick. The dough can also withstand being baked right away. What more could you ask for in a recipe?
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE COOKIES
- -No special equipment: These cookies can be mixed by hand! They do not require a stand or hand mixer to make the dough.
- -No wait time: Once the dough is mixed, the cookies can be baked right away. Chilling the dough is an option but not required.
- -Common ingredients: These cookies are made with ingredients that are commonly found in many kitchens. The dough consists of butter, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips.
- -Perfect flavor and texture: Once the cookies are baked, the bottoms and edges remain slightly crisp. The rest of the cookie is soft and tender. It’s the perfect marriage!
- -Easy to make with kids! Because the butter is melted first, the dough can easily be mixed by hand. This recipe is an excellent baking project to do with children.
KEY INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS
- –Unbleached all purpose flour: You could try substituting half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. This will result in a slightly more wholesome tasting cookie.
- -Salted butter: I prefer using salted butter in my baking and cooking. However if you prefer to limit the salt level, you can certainly use unsalted butter in this recipe.
- –Canola oil: This is the only oil I have ever used in this recipe. Feel free to try other neutral oils like grapeseed, avocado or vegetable. Olive oil will most certainly affect the final flavor.
- –Chocolate chips: Feel free to use any type of chocolate chips you like – milk, semi-sweet or dark.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Preheat a conventional electric oven to 375 degrees F. Move one of the wire racks up to the top third of the oven.
To begin, butter is melted in the microwave or on the stove and poured into a larger mixing bowl. The canola oil, granualted sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract follow. All of these ingredients are thoroughly whisked together for about a minute until combined. The flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt are sifted in a separate bowl. Then the dry ingredients are added to the wet mixture. Finally, chocolate chips are added and everything is stirred together.
Once the dough is mixed, the cookies can be baked immediately or chilled first. If baking right away, scoop twelve cookies onto a parchment lined baking tray. Bake on the upper third rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown on top. Error on the side of under and not over-baked. I find 9 minutes to be the perfect amount of time. Remove from the oven and let cool. Continue with the same process until all of the cookies are baked.
If you prefer to chill the dough first there are a couple of different options. You can cover the bowl with a tight fitting lid or plastic wrap and scoop the dough later. Do not let the cookie dough age in the refrigerator for longer than 3 days. You can scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined tray and then cover them tightly in plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator. Or you can scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment-line tray and freeze the cookies. When the cookies are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer safe container or bag for future baking. I recommend letting the frozen cookies come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 1-4 half sheet pans
- 1 small heatproof bowl or Pyrex measuring cup
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 large whisk
- 1 large spatula
- 1 medium cookie scoop (#40, 2 tbsp or 1 oz capacity)
Ingredients
- (1/2 cup) 113 grams salted butter melted
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) canola oil
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (315 grams) brown sugar
- 2 extra large eggs cold from the refrigerator
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 1/2 cups (420 grams) chocolate chips milk, semi sweet or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat a conventional electric oven to 375 degrees F. Fit one rack onto the upper third of the oven. If you plan to bake all the cookies at once, line four half sheet baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a small heat proof bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, add the stick of salted butter and microwave for 40-50 seconds. The butter should be mostly melted. Swirl it around until the butter is almost completely melted and then pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to the melted butter. Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute to combine.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, followed by the chocolate chips. Stir with a spatula until the batter is completely cohesive, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well.
- If you want to bake the cookies immediately, use a medium cookie scoop to portion twelve cookies onto each tray. Bake each tray on the upper third rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes until barely brown. Error on the side of under rather than over baked! I find 9 minutes to be the magic bake time number. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store cookies in an airtight container for 5-7 days at room temperature.
- If you want to bake the cookies at a future time, you can scoop them onto a parchment lined half sheet tray, wrap the tray in plastic wrap and then chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator or freezer. You can also cover the cookie dough in the bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator before scooping and baking or freezing. If baking from frozen, let the cookie dough come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking.
