How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

There’s a reason nearly 1000 people have given Betty’s Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies top ratings. They’re slightly crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and loaded with chocolate chips and nuts. Warm from the oven, they’re about as irresistible as dessert can get, which is why we think this recipe is worth learning by heart. Get started with these step-by-step instructions from the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens. Then, learn how to customize this recipe to make it cakey, crispy or totally over the top.

Love your chocolate chip cookies extra crispy, chewy or cakey? The Betty Crocker Test Kitchens has tips on using the ingredients in the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, to make cookies turn out just the way you like.

How to Make Crispy Cookies

If you like your cookie thinner and with maximum crunch, here’s how to make them crispy.

• Instead of using ¾ cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup brown sugar, use 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, which contains less moisture and will help your cookies spread as they bake.
• After taking them out of the oven, let cookies cool on cookie sheet for five minutes. This will allow cookies to keep baking, which will crisp them up further and help moisture evaporate.

How to Make Chewy Cookies

If you like your cookies slightly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside—what many people consider the perfect texture for a chocolate chip cookie—simply follow the standard instructions for our Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies—they’re called “ultimate” for a reason.

How to Make Cakey Cookies

If you like your cookie airy and soft with a cake-like crumb, follow these instructions for making them cakey.

• Add an extra egg to give your cookie additional moisture and structure.
• Increase flour amount from 2 ¼ cups to 3 cups to help the cookies rise, instead of spread.
• Add 2 tablespoons of milk with the egg to help soften the dough as it bakes and gives the cookie a cakey crumb.

To keep cookies chewy and soft, like Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, store at room temperature in resealable food-storage plastic bags or stacked in tightly covered containers. Another way to store cookies is by freezing—here are two methods.

How to Freeze Baked Cookies

If you are freezing baked cookies, place completely cooled cookies in between layers of waxed paper in a covered freezer container or plastic freezer bag. Freeze. Thaw most cookies, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Baked cookies can be frozen up to 2 months.

How to Freeze Unbaked Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Freeze individual unbaked dough balls on cookie sheets. Once frozen, place in plastic freezer bags for up to 2 months. Take frozen cookie dough balls from freezer and place on cookie sheet. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes as you preheat the oven. Keep an eye while baking since bake time might need to be adjusted slightly. Check out more of Betty’s Tips on Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough.

Now that you’ve mastered everyone’s favorite cookie, you can apply the skills you learned to making any cookie you want—and chances are Betty’s got every type of cookie recipe you’d ever want to bake!