Perfect Crunchy Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – Searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe? You know, the ones that are crunchy and buttery on the outside but soft on the inside? Well, you’ve just found it!
For the last eight weeks I’ve been on a quest to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I’ve been making the same cookie recipe for the last ten years and I’ve been wanting to vamp it up. That said, my old recipe was solid, and nary a cookie would survive a potluck without being devoured, but I had one conundrum with the recipe…
My old recipe would have the loveliest, softest texture when I would bake the cookies for less time than usual. If I baked them longer, however, they would get an amazing brown butter flavor, but of course the softness would be lost. I’ve always thought if I could somehow make a cookie that had a crunchy brown butter exterior, yet a soft batch center, then I would have made what I consider to be the perfect chocolate chip cookie!
This winter was extra long and cold. What better time to perfect my recipe (and perhaps fatten my entire family up a bit)? Eight weeks (or six cookie batches) later, the sun is finally shining, the flowers are blooming, and I’ve made my best chocolate chip cookie yet! They’re crunchy soft batch chocolate chip cookie perfection!
What I found made the difference in my new recipe was increasing the flour, melting the butter, increasing the vanilla, adding cream of tartar, and using dark brown sugar. I guess you could say that it was a total recipe overhaul! Once I bit into these crunchy soft batch chocolate chip cookies, however, I knew that it was totally worth the effort – and added pounds! I think you’ll agree when you make these yourself!
- 1 C (2 sticks) salted butter
- 2¼ C plus ⅓ C all purpose unbleached flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ C granulated sugar
- ¾ C dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 12 oz bag Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- In a microwave safe dish, microwave 2 sticks of butter on high until they are just melted. You will need to watch the butter as you are melting it so that you don’t overheat it. If the butter is too hot it will melt the sugar and affect the texture of the cookies. After pulling the butter from the microwave allow it to sit for 5 -10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. This will mean that your butter is melted and about room temperature.
- In a small bowl combine the unbleached flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Lightly mix together the ingredients and then set them aside.
- In a large bowl beat together the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar and butter on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and the eggs to the bowl and mix on low for 10-20 seconds, or until the eggs are just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- Intermittently add the flour to the mixture while beating on low. Continue until the flour is just barely incorporated, once again taking care not to over-mix.
- Using a spatula, stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into large balls (see picture) and bake at 375º for 9-11 minutes. The cookies are done baking when they begin to show a faint golden kiss. It’s important not to overcook them so that they’ll be a little crunchy on the outside, but soft on the inside.
More baking inspiration…
Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies
Strawberries ‘n Cream Oatmeal Bars
Chocolate-Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies
Jenni says
June 7, 2018 at 9:09 pmThis cookie is seriously the best of both worlds! Its easy to find a chocolate chip recipe, but so hard to find one that is exactly what you are looking for! Pinning this!
Leslie says
June 8, 2018 at 6:14 amThis is the quintessential chocolate chip cookie recipe! I love mine with that crunchy soft texture!
Kat Jeter says
June 8, 2018 at 11:24 amPeople take chocolate chip cookies for granted and don’t realize all recipes don’t taste the same. These look delicious and I can’t wait to try a batch!
Kitty says
June 8, 2018 at 9:21 pmThanks for making me CRAVE chocolate chip cookies! I’m fighting with myself because I want to make them RIGHT NOW!
lauren says
June 10, 2018 at 8:18 amThese cookies looks seriously perfect! Chewy cookies are my absolutely favorite but my husband is a crunchy kind of guy. These look like the sort of chocolate chip cookie we could both enjoy!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
June 10, 2018 at 10:25 amI am always looking for a good chocolate chip cookie recipe. This looks like it could be the winner, the cookies look amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Cindy says
June 10, 2018 at 11:30 pmI want to make these and noticed you call for salted butter, which I haven’t seen before for cookies. Is there a particular reason for it, or can I use unsalted butter instead since that’s normally what I buy. tysm
Rachel says
June 11, 2018 at 4:21 pmThe fact that this recipe calls for salt butter boils down to the fact that my mom always used salted butter in her cookies when I was growing-up. I been literally baking and playing with this recipe since I was 12! It ends up being the right amount of salt in the end. If you don’t have salted butter on hand just add a couple of pinches salt to your butter and you should be good to go!
Stacey says
June 10, 2018 at 11:42 pmThese cookies are seriously going to be made as soon as possible! I’m all about a gorgeous cookie.
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
June 11, 2018 at 1:39 amHow did you know chocolate chip cookies are my weakness? Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Heather says
June 11, 2018 at 7:08 amUltimate combination of crunchy and soft baked cookies are the BEST. Gorgeous pics and the recipe is perfect.
Eileen Kelly says
June 11, 2018 at 1:26 pmSuch a great soft chocolate chip recipe. Perfect for a nice cold glass of milk. Dip in the cookie and enjoy! My niece will love these cookies as an after-school snack.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
June 11, 2018 at 10:39 pmI am always looking for that perfect chocolate chip cookie. I don’t usually add in cream of tartar, but maybe I will next time!