How-To Bake Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Follow this seven step process to make chocolate chip cookies many will enjoy.

How-To+Bake+Soft%2C+Chewy+Chocolate+Chip+Cookies

By Chase Meyer, Online Co-EIC

You may have been one of the lucky ones to get your hands on the chocolate chip cookies we baked as a thank you to FHN for the support of our journalism program during Scholastic Journalism Week, 2017. Even if you weren’t able to enjoy the chewy, soft chocolate chip cookies, you can always bake them fresh using the recipe below.

We know nutrition is important to some, so below you can also find the information that you need to know. Because these cookies were baked from scratch by our staff (not programmed machines,) there may be some slight discrepancy between the caloric information below and the actual cookie you consumed.


What you’ll need.

  • 3 1/2 cups (17 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) golden brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chunks
  • Sea salt to pinch on cookies
  • A standing or hand mixer
  • One large mixing bowl
  • One medium mixing bowl
  • Plastic wrap

The process.

Step 1

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Step 2

Using a mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until very light in color and consistency. Mixing should take about five minutes.

Step 3

Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix each egg well. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, adding dry ingredients slowly. Mix until just combined (5 to 10 seconds.)

Step 4

Drop chocolate chunks in slowly, incorporating them into the dough without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against the dough. Refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough can be used in batches, and it can be refrigerated up to 72 hours.

Tip: To make the process easier when baking, proceed to Step 6 before refrigerating, but store dough in a large tupperware container, layering the dough with parchment paper.

Step 5

When ready to bake the dough, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 6

Scoop 1/4 cup mounds of dough, rolling into a ball and place on the baking sheet. For better presentation, press any chocolate chunks to a horizontal position if they’re sticking up from the ball. Pinch sea salt onto the top of the dough ball. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown but still soft.

Step 7

After cooling for 2 to 3 minutes, transfer parchment paper to a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. If you plan to package the cookies, wait until they’re completely cooled off to store in order to prevent condensation.

Repeat Steps 6 and  until dough has been used, or refrigerate remaining dough for baking within the next day.