Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Amanda Hesser

Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies Recipe (1)

Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(2,067)
Notes
Read community notes

It is with great trepidation that I offer three classic recipes, hoping to suit the three schools of chocolate-chip cookiedom. (Try the crisp and gooey versions to compare.) This version is perfect for dunking in milk, and miles ahead of anything found in a plastic sleeve.

Note that this recipe uses two eggs, directly between the crisp version's omission and the gooey version's use of three.

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 30 to 35 cookies

  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • 1tablespoon kosher salt
  • 8ounces butter, softened
  • cups packed light brown sugar
  • ¼cup sugar
  • 2eggs
  • 1tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2cups chopped bittersweet chocolate (chunks and shavings)
  • 2cups chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (32.5 servings)

226 calories; 14 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 110 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

  2. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate and walnuts. Chill the dough for at least an hour.

  3. Step

    3

    Preheat oven to 325. Roll 2½ -tablespoon lumps of dough into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten to ½ -inch-thick disks spaced 2 inches apart. Chill the dough between batches. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack.

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2,067

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Cooking Notes

The three cookie masters!!!!!!!

Two junior cookie chefs and one not-so-junior grandmother attempted the ultimate chocolate chip cookie tournament. We made all three versions and the winner is - THICK AND GOOEY - although each was good. FLAT AND CHEWY and THIN AND CRISPY were a little too salty (used scant measurements of Kosher salt). FLAT AND CHEWY were a little crispy. A fun Saturday morning activity.

NancyDrew

Wally, What kind of salt did you use? it makes a huge difference. I generally have Morton Kosher salt on hand and use just under a Tbsp. If you read the recipe in the NYTimes cookbook it actually specifies Diamond Crystal Salt, whatever you do, don't use table salt. These are my go to choc chip cookies. fabulous!

cole

I've been looking for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, and here it is. A couple notes: I used kosher salt and mine have come out fine. Also, the second time I made them I was out of brown sugar
and had to make my own (1 tbsp molasses to 1 cup white sugar. The result was noticeably richer and more complex--will make them this way every time.

Grannyof6

These cookies were Delicious!!!
Yes, The amount of salt listed in this recipe is way too much. So, just adjust it. I baked two versions. The 1st batch I cut out the salt and used salted butter. The 2nd batch I used only 1tsp of salt and they both came out wonderful!!! I love this recipe! If it didn't come out good for u the first time, Try one of the options listed above..... AGAIN, THESE COOKIES ARE DELICIOUS!!! :)

Don

-1 cup minus 1 tbsp white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses = light brown sugar- 1 cup minus 2 tbsp white sugar + 2 tbsp molasses = dark brown sugar

Brennan

To avoid Wally's dilemma, can we please get this BAKING recipe in weight versus volume?

Erica in San D

A couple notes. First, it's 8 oz butter (2 sticks), not 8 tablespoons (I misread at first!). Second, you MUST use kosher salt. Kosher and table salt are not interchangeable at the same amounts. If you only have table salt, I would use 1 teaspoon. That said, I used half the kosher salt and found it perfect. Then again, I'm not totally sold on this salted everything trend. With a half tablespoon, I could taste the salt, but it wasn't at the forefront.

Wally

Disgusting - 1 tbsp of salt made this inedible. Save yourself time and don't make this.

Claudia SaltLake

I made the thin-and-chewy version, and they turned out perfectly.
6 cookies to a jelly-roll pan. VERY cold dough (I actually make the balls THEN left them in the fridge overnight, left them briefly at room temp then squashed them to 1/2 inch thickness then popped them into the oven).
The Kosher salt is perfect - don't skimp.
They were thin, and chewy, and delish!
Follow the directions - they'll be perfection.

Katherine

Note to people who have issues with the salt: the issue of using table salt vs. kosher salt is critical. One tablespoon of kosher salt, which consists of large crystals, amounts to far less salt than one tablespoon of standard table salt, which consists of very small crystals. My cookies were terrific when cooked with kosher salt. I also added about one cup of dried cranberries and one cup+ of oatmeal (not instant). It's a delicious cookie!

Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor

2 hours is good. I'll update the instructions.

Melissa

These are saltier than some, but if substituting table salt for kosher, less than a tablespoon should be used. I have this recipe torn from the magazine and checked online to be sure that instruction to roll 2 1/2 tablespoon lumps was correct. I did 1 1/2 tablespoon and ended up with 27 quite large cookies. But they are incredibly delicious.

tamirie

Try the crisp (http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11243-thin-and-crisp-chocolate-chip-c... and gooey (http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11245-thick-and-gooey-chocolate-chip-... versions to compare. This recipe uses two eggs, directly between the crisp version's omission and the gooey version's use of three.

Kathryn

If you're looking for a flat, chewy chocolate chip cookie, this is an excellent one to try. Just make sure you know what kind of salt you're using - I use Morton's Kosher salt in my kitchen, so instead of the full tablespoon called for, I used a generous 1/2 tablespoon, which was just the right amount for a "salted" cookie. Any more would have been too much.

LFB

Just saw the note about 8 oz vs 8 tbsp butter... so I also misread, and used 1/2 the required amount of butter, BUT everyone loved the cookies. They came out perfectly. So.... I guess that’s what I’ll keep doing! (I also used Morton’s table salt as that’s all I had.)

Allison

These are hands down my favorite cookies and this is the only recipe I will ever use. My roommates love these cookies, too! I've made them as written in the recipe, but recently I browned 4 oz of the butter and just softened the other 4 ounces. I highly recommend doing this. I've made this at 7,000 ft of altitude and don't have to change a thing. Perfect cookies every time.

Baked In Seattle

Help! What am I doing wrong? Whenever I try to make thin cookies (this recipe and others), they don't spread much and come out much thicker than I want. I try not to overmix and refrigerate the dough when the recipe calls for it (even though it seems like warm dough should spread better).

M. Britton

I'm an experienced baker, and mine came out the opposite! Spread all over the cookie sheet! I wonder what's going on? Must be the mixing technique. I have a hand mixer.They're still delicious, no?

Sailortj

These cookies are the perfect cookie for our household! A compromise between the soft cookie my husband prefers and the crispy cookie that I like. Thank you!

Mia

This is now my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! I love the addition of walnuts! I have made this several times but accidentally put three eggs in yesterday and I loved it and even more! I do cut down on the sugar though!

Zeynep

Loved these. They were exactly what I was looking for in a new cookie recipe! Though I did cut down the salt and vanilla extract to 1tsp each (rather than 1 tbs). Fantastic tasting, perfectly crispy, and just perfect!

Alexis

Mine came out super salty as well. I used coarse sea salt

donna

Too much salt.

Amy

These are incredible. I keep meaning to try the other two variations but these are so good I just keep coming back to them!I cut the salt by a lot because I can’t find diamond kosher salt in Toronto. Probably more like 1/2-3/4 tsp salt (and I use salted butter).

not my favorite recipe

I liked this recipe in theory but the instructions yield a paper thin and oily cookie. I was able to salvage a batch by upping the oven temp to 400 and baking for 12 minutes.

M. Britton

Ditto for mine. I don't mind the oiliness, but yes, paper thin.

Helen Snyder

Two questions: 1. Recipe doesn't specify unsalted butter, and that's all I use. Could you fine-tune a bit to cover the concerns, below, of tasting too salty?2. And what happens if you use regular iodized salt in baking? why is it always specified to use Kosher salt, sea salt or other than Morton's? or is it done for religious reasons?

feb 2023

Also half tablespoon salt

Allie

This is one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes. Roommates loved them. The tablespoon of salt did not make these too salty. If you're using anything but Diamond Crystal kosher salt it's probably better to reduce the amount. Let them sit in the fridge for as long as possible, I got great crispy edges this way and a chewy inside. Perfect cookie. I also did this at altitude, 7,000 ft. Didn't change anything and they still turned out perfect.

AnnaGK

27/01/23 1/2 amount1 cup of flour = 120 gram3/4 cup lt. brown sugar = 135 gram1/8 cup sugar = 25 gram1 cup chocolate = 1 cup walnuts = 150 gram

Mia

Based on comments about this recipe, I made this with 3/4 tsp salt, 1.5 c chocolate chips and half cup of brown sugar and they were AWESOME. Used the 2 c of walnuts and those were a great addition! Will definitely make again!

Tom Rothrock

Way too much salt. To make flat you need to use the sheet pound method.

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Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes cookies flat and chewy? ›

If you use too much butter, the cookies will end up flat and greasy. And if you use too little flour, the amount of butter and sugar will be proportionally too high, meaning the cookies will spread for the aforementioned reasons.

What is the secret to making cookies soft and chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

What ingredient makes cookies flatten? ›

Using too much butter in your dough can lead to flat and greasy cookies. As previously noted, baking is a science, and it is essential to closely follow recipe measurements to ensure the best results.

How do you keep chocolate chip cookies flat? ›

Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Coating your baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter creates an overly greasy foundation, causing the cookies to spread. I always recommend a silicone baking mat because they grip onto the bottom of your cookie dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much.

How do you make cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

Will melted butter make cookies flat? ›

Cookies made with melted butter often deflate and become denser when they cool, resulting in a perfectly cooked fudgy center — a similar textural result to brownies that get rapped (aka banged against an oven rack mid-bake to deflate them) or Sarah Kieffer's iconic pan-banging cookies that turn out pleasantly compact.

What are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What is the best flour for chewy cookies? ›

Bread flour has a high protein content, which may result in cookies with a chewy texture. It provides more structure than other flours and can give cookies that satisfying, bread-like bite.

How do you make cookies soft and chewy vs hard and crisp? ›

Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

Why aren t my chocolate chip cookies flat? ›

Too much flour causes the dough to become dry and crumbly, which prevents it from flattening out during baking. As a result, your cookies will stay in their original shape instead of spreading out into nice circles.

Why do my chocolate chip cookies not flatten out? ›

If you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as much. If your cookies have more brown sugar than white sugar, they won't spread as much. It's a careful balance. So make sure you follow the exact measurements and instructions in the recipe at least once.

Do you flatten chocolate chip cookies before baking? ›

Just before the dough goes in the oven, I take each ball of dough, and flatten it slightly. I then press chunks of chopped chocolate onto the top. You can add some of the chocolate dust from chopping too. Then I squeeze it back into a ball, and place it on the baking sheet.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What makes a chewy cookie? ›

Well, the long and short answer to chewy cookies is it's all about the moisture content. Cookies that are dense and chewy incorporate more moisture into the batter. This can be achieved by making substitutions with wet and dry ingredients, or even just changing the way you incorporate certain ingredients.

Why are my chocolate chip cookies puffy? ›

A spread with less fat, diet "margarines" or spreads in tubs contain have too much water. The water creates steam, causing the cookies to puff. Low protein flours, such as cake flour, absorb less water, leaving excess water to create steam, which causes the cookies to puff.

How do you make cookies thick and not flat? ›

Increase the Flour: Adding more flour to the recipe will help create a thicker and denser cookie. Gradually add a little extra flour to the dough, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Be cautious not to add too much flour, as it can make the cookies dry and crumbly.

What causes cookies not to go flat? ›

Too Much Flour

This may seem counterintuitive—after all, isn't flour a key ingredient in baking? Yes, but if you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as they bake. Too much flour causes the dough to become dry and crumbly, which prevents it from flattening out during baking.

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