American
Chocolate Chip Cookies
These small-batch American chocolate chip cookies bake up with crisp edges, soft centers, and pockets of semisweet chocolate. A short chill helps the dough develop that familiar buttery, brown sugar flavor.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened2 tbsp
- Packed light brown sugar3 tbsp
- Granulated sugar1 tbsp
- Egg yolk1 large
- Vanilla extract1/2 tsp
- All-purpose flour1/2 cup
- Baking soda1/8 tsp
- Fine salt1/8 tsp
- Semisweet chocolate chips1/4 cup
- Flaky saltoptional, a pinch
Method
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy and slightly lighter, about 1 minute.
- Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, and fine salt just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a few to press on top if desired.
- Cover the dough and chill it for 20 minutes so the cookies spread evenly.
- Divide the dough into 4 mounds and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Press the reserved chocolate chips on top and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt if using.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
Common questions
Can I substitute salted butter for unsalted butter in these chocolate chip cookies?
Yes. Use salted butter and reduce the fine salt by about 1/4 teaspoon. If your salted butter is very salty, reduce it a bit more. Keep the flaky salt on top optional so the cookies don’t taste overly salty.
How long should I chill the dough, and can I bake it without chilling?
Chill the dough for about 20 minutes as written. This helps the cookies spread more evenly and keeps the centers soft. You can bake immediately in a pinch, but they’ll usually spread more and bake up thinner.
What are the most common mistakes when making these cookies?
The biggest mistakes are overmixing the flour, skipping the chill, and overbaking. Mix just until the dry streaks disappear, and pull them from the oven when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly underdone.
How should I store the baked cookies, and can I freeze the dough?
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the dough mounds on a tray, then bag them airtight for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
What is the best way to serve these cookies?
They’re best served warm, about 5 to 10 minutes after baking, when the centers are still soft and the chocolate is melty. For extra contrast, finish with a tiny pinch of flaky salt right before serving.