Description
Soft centers. Crisp edges. Deep vanilla notes. These are the chocolate chip cookies people ask for again and again. Our version adds a simple, surprising twist – toasted sugar – to deepen the flavor and set them apart from every other recipe you’ve tried.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Small baking dish (for toasting sugar)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup toasted granulated sugar (see notes)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- Optional: flaky salt for topping
Instructions
- Toast the sugar: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spread ¾ cup granulated sugar in a thin, even layer in a baking dish. Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the sugar turns pale beige and develops a warm, caramel aroma. Let cool completely before using.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2–3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, toasted sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy—about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Combine the wet and dry. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Optional: Chill the dough. For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop and bake. Drop rounded tablespoons (or use a cookie scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers are just set.
- Cool. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Toasted sugar is a subtle but powerful addition – it gives the cookies a hint of caramel-like depth without making them overly sweet. It’s an easy upgrade that makes people say, “What’s in these?” without quite being able to put their finger on it. If you’re short on time, you can use plain white sugar, but the flavor won’t have that same warm finish.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze dough balls on a tray until solid, then store in a freezer bag – bake from frozen at 375°F for 11–13 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg