Our scrumptious Chocolate Chip Cookies strike the perfect balance between soft and crispy with just the right amount of sweetness and chocolate. Made with 7 everyday ingredients, the first batch can be ready in about 20 minutes.
Your family probably has a few recipes they'll go back to again and again.
For my family, it's my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe and this quick and easy homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.
Both recipes have never left me hanging. I can whip them up in record time, and while I'm a bit bashful admitting this, they get a lot of compliments.
My "flattening method" might be a bit unorthodox. If you don't like it, skip this part of the instruction, but my family and friends have always loved how these cookies turn out.
So, I truly hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Why This Recipe Works
TASTE & TEXTURE - I am surely biased. But they are perfectly balanced. Not overpoweringly sweet, not too soft, not too crispy or too chewy, but simply moist and yet somewhat firm. Hands down, they are really good.
ANYONE CAN BAKE RECIPE - This is a no-fail cookie recipe. With just 7 ingredients plus the chocolate chips, you've got outrageously delicious cookies that rival the fancier ones that require rest and chill times.
SPEED - You know, when the cookie craving hits, you don't want to start an over-complicated recipe. This one takes about 20 minutes for the first batch to be out of the oven.
Ingredients
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
VEGETABLE SHORTENING - Using vegetable shorting (instead of butter) has the advantage that it helps the cookies to retain a nice shape and adds to the softness.
SUGAR - We'll use a 3:1 ratio of dark brown sugar to white sugar. I recommend using packed dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar because dark brown sugar has a richer, bolder flavor.
But if you only have light brown sugar, don't let that stop you! While I think the cookies turn out nicer with dark brown sugar, many batches later, rest assured these chocolate chip cookies also taste amazing with light brown sugar.
EGGS - You'll need two large eggs. They'll add to the overall structure of the cookie and also to the chewiness.
INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING - Technically speaking, you might call these cookies "Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies"!
BAKING SODA - Using baking soda helps the cookies spread. Typically baking soda and salt go hand in hand, but because we are using instant pudding mix, which contains sodium, it's not necessary.
FLOUR - Good old all-purpose flour is all you need.
VARIATIONS
WALNUTS. - Adding walnuts adds a bit of extra crunch and easily turns these cookies into Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. If you choose to do that, add between ½ to 1 cup of walnuts.
PECANS - Want to make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies? You've guessed it. What works for the walnuts also works for pecans. Just make sure you chop them well before folding them into the dough.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING MIX - If you want to go all out and bake Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (<- try this recipe first), you can substitute the instant vanilla pudding mix with an instant chocolate pudding mix. In both cases, make sure it is instant, not regular pudding mix.
How To Make Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies At Home
- CREAM - Brown and granulated sugar with vegetable shortening. Once well combined, add eggs and beat until creamy.
- DRY INGREDIENTS - Add instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and flour, and beat until the dough becomes crumbly. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- SPOON & SHAPE - Use a cookie scoop and place the cookies on a lightly greased baking sheet. Use the flat side of a glass and gently push to lightly flatten the cookies. Turn the glass upside down and swirl the cookie several times to take on a nice round shape.
BONUS: If you want to be fancy, place a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie. - BAKE: Bake the cookies at 375º Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
Recipe Success Tips
COOKIE SCOOP - You can use whatever size cookie scoop you like. When it comes to Chocolate Chip Cookies, I prefer an oversized cookie. A medium (1½ tablespoons) sized cookie scoop is perfect.
Mine recently broke (of course, while shooting the recipe), and the local homeware store was sold out. So, I simply reverted to using my small one, but instead of using leveling, I heaped it to what I guessed was about the same size. And it worked out well, too.
The whole idea of this recipe is to make super delicious cookies in a brief period of time. The moral of the story is. You do you, and have fun in the kitchen.
WARM COOKIES - In the section about how to store the cookies, you'll see they'll keep for quite a while. And I am being pretty conservative, you'll probably find they'll keep fresh even longer.
But if you want to quickly add some new life to your cookies, simply place one of them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It'll come out soft and warm.
QUALITY CHOCOLATE - If possible, I recommend using top-quality chocolate. It really, truly makes a difference. Brands I like are Ghirardelli, Trader Joe's, and Guittard.
Storage and Freezing
STORAGE - Store the cookies in airtight containers. The cookies will keep them fresh for up to a month. This might vary a bit depending on the quality of the chocolate.
Milk chocolate will go stale sooner, and semi-sweet or dark chocolate will keep fresh much longer.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the chocolate content, the longer the shelf life.
Unless you have a family of cookie monsters, then all bets are off, and the cookies will be gone in no time.
FREEZING BAKED COOKIES - Before freezing the cookies, make sure they have cooled completely.
Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place the cookies in a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container.
You can freeze the baked cookies for at least 3 months.
FREEZING THE COOKIE DOUGH - If you wish to freeze the cookie dough, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
Use the cookie scoop and place each cookie dough ball onto the baking sheet.
Cover the cookie balls lightly with plastic foil and freeze for 1 hour or until frozen solid.
Transfer the cookies the frozen cookie balls into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. You can keep them in the freezer for up to one year.
More Amazing Cookie Recipes You Might Want To Try
SPEKULATIUS - Buttery German shortbread cookies gently spiced with a mix of cardamom, cloves, and other warm spices.
CORNFLAKE COOKIES - A crispy, crunchy treat made with 5 simple ingredients.
PISTACHIO COOKIES - The festive blend of pistachio, almonds, and cherry flavors.
CHAI COOKIES - Buttery, crumbly sweet treat full of warm spices such as cardamon and cinnamon.
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Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups flour all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- ¼ cup sugar granulated, white
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a baking sheet with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, white sugar, and vegetable shortening with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and continue to beat until creamy.
- Add instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and flour, and beat until the dough becomes crumbly. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a cookie scoop and place the cookie balls on the baking sheet.
- Use the flat side of a glass and gently push to lightly flatten the cookie ball. Turn the glass upside down and swirl the flattened cookie several times until it takes on a nice round shape.
- OPTIONAL: Get fancy! Take an extra few chocolate chips and place them on top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies at 375º Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookie Scoop
The size of the right cookie scoop will largely be determined by your preference. I like a large Chocolate Chip Cookie and use a medium cookie scoop (measuring 1 ½ tablespoon). But if you like smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon). If you don't own a cookie scoop, don't worry. Use any tablespoon that you'd use for measuring. For a smaller cookie, level the cookie dough, and for a large cookie, heap the cookie dough.Nutrition
Hi There, I’m Maike!
A German girl turned American sharing hundreds of easy, homemade comfort food recipes perfect for everyday cooking.