Christmas is only two sleeps away, so now’s the time to give our chocolate chip cookie recipe a try. Not only is this homemade dessert easy and fuss-free, but it’s also ideal if you’re looking to fill up those goodie bags, cookie jars, or dessert trays. You can also scoop (or roll into balls by hand) and freeze the cookie dough, making this a great make-ahead recipe, so you always have fresh cookies on hand.
Be sure to chill the dough for at least three hours before baking, or even overnight. If the dough is too soft, the butter will be too runny, meaning the cookies won’t hold their shape and the dough will spread too thin. Plus, letting the dough chill and rest makes for richer, toffee-like flavour thanks to the brown sugar.
Let your cookies have some space on the baking sheet – it’s exciting to turn out a big batch at a time, but place your dough evenly spaced apart. These chocolate chip cookies will stay soft and chewy for days if kept in an airtight container, and you can always use the cookie dough as a base for other toppings, like coarse salt, white chocolate, or nuts. If they do dry out or get overbaked – it happens to the best of us – place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies to soften them up again.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 150g butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 egg, beaten
- 200g chocolate chips
Directions
1. Soften the butter in a microwave until just partially melted, and allow it to melt slowly as it comes back to room temperature once out of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together both sugars and melted butter until creamy and no lumps remain.
2. Add the beaten egg and vanilla essence and whisk again on high speed, then add the baking powder and all-purpose flour. Fold gently to combine instead of beating or whisking. Gently mix in the chocolate chips and press the dough together. It should be neither too runny nor too dry.
3. Cover and chill the dough for three hours in the freezer, or in the fridge overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C for 10 minutes. Scoop the dough (or roll into balls, if you don’t have a cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes, or just until the edges are set and beginning to brown. If baking the frozen dough, bake for an extra three to five minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to finish baking on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
