This “always perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe” is the only chocolate chip or chocolate chunk cookie recipe that has ever turned out for me. Before this recipe, I was a chocolate chip cookie making failure, every time!
You may or may not believe me, but no one in my immediate family ever tasted a chocolate chip cookie until we moved to the US.
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My dad was 40, Mum was 27, I was 10 and my brothers, 4 and 5. Of course, after tasting them, we just had to make chocolate chip cookies ourselves, right? Well–sort of.
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Failures
You see, from the late 70s until rather recently, my mother and I were both complete and utter failures when it came to making and baking chocolate chip cookies. We tried every recipe under the sun (yes, even the supposed Neiman Marcus cookie recipe), to no avail. They’d either fall flat, stay in the shape we made after baking, turning out dry and rather hard, it was so frustrating! After becoming US citizens, I decided that my chocolate chip cookie making skills would follow suit, but I was wrong.
Jacques Torres To the Rescue
Given that Mum could bake the most perfect soufflé and I had no problem with choux pastry, it didn’t make sense that neither one of us could bake a simple cookie properly! However, after numerous attempts, we both gave up.
That is, until the New York Times shared Jacques Torres now incredibly famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. Incidentally, it isn’t a chocolate “chip” cookie recipe at all. One of the main reasons that this cookie is drop dead delicious is the use of REAL chocolate and in a large quantity.
If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, you’re missing out. All the hype is not unwarranted. This is truly an “always perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe”! The cookies are a little crunchy around the perimeter, slowly softening towards the center. Imagine lots of gooey, melted chocolate throughout a chewy, delectable cookie! They’re heavenly.
My Changes and Variations on How to Use the Dough
Jacques has done all the hard work of figuring out which flours work best. Although the super large cookies are great, I have decreased the size of the cookies to a more reasonable size. I’ve also slightly decreased the sugar in the recipe, and I skipped the salt topping since I don’t understand the love of sweet and savory combined.
Salt in the recipe to bring out the flavors is necessary, but I don’t want to eat a salty cookie that is meant to be sweet. It’s easy enough to add a sprinkling at the end if you disagree.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Use this recipe if you want to do something a little differently for the next birthday celebration.
Truffle Surprise Chocolate Chip Cookies
As a super decadent treat, I tested hiding a chocolate truffle inside the center of the dough.
It turned out perfectly! Warning: don’t make too many of these if you have no self control!
A Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Crust
You need to try this–it’s fabulous. I turned one into a Baked Alaska Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie!
Finally, Mum and I now feel like we’re more American! We finally have conquered chocolate chip cookies!
Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
(or Chocolate Chunk-which I prefer)
Tips~
- Use top quality ingredients, especially the chocolate (I use Callebaut) or Trader Joe’s chips/chunks.
- Chef Torres didn’t include cups for a reason. Want these to turn out? Use a scale, they’re so cheap now, there’s really no excuse not to have one. You’ll kick yourself for not getting one earlier.
- You can use chips or chunks or discs of chocolate. The latter two give the best results.
- Have the eggs and butter at room temperature.
- The dough freezes extremely well. Shape them, freeze them on a tray, then store them in a freezer bag.
- Best eaten warm, or at least the same day, but this applies to most chocolate chip cookies.
- If you need a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe, check out my friend Sheena’s recipe HERE.
Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (or Chocolate Chunk Cookies)
Ingredients
- 8.5 ounces bread flour
- 8.5 ounces cake flour
- 1 1 /4 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 10 oz unsalted butter
- 9 ounces brown sugar
- 7 ounces granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
- 18 ounces bittersweet chocolate disks, chips, chunks or fèves, about 60% cacao content (DO NOT USE HERSHEYS, NESTLE or other US type chocolate as these do not have 60% cacao)
Instructions
1. Sift first 6 dry ingredients together into a bowl.
2. Using another mixer bowl (using a paddle), cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate chunks or pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them (I use a spatula). Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Afterwards, either bake or freeze the dough,
3. Preheat oven to 350°F/175° C.
4. Place 2 1/2-ounce scoops of dough onto a silicone sheet lined cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown but still soft, 15-18 minutes. Remove and place on a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough, or keep dough refrigerated. Alternatively, you can shape the cookies then freeze on a tray and then place in a bag to keep frozen, to bake another time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving:Calories: 215 Total Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 0mg Carbohydrates: 40g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 0g Protein: 5g
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Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
That is just too funny, your story about making them, Christina. I know what you mean, though, as even now this chocolate chip cookie deal has only fairly recently taken off in Paris (possibly due to David Lebovitz, who knows?) and now there are cookie companies popping up around us. I love the salt with good dark chocolate – and never added in a truffle surprise in there. What a super idea!
I just love this recipe! The truffle is a bit of a naughty thing to do, but goodness is it ever amazing! ;)
Question 1: In a pinch is 12 to 18 hours enough chilling time? Question 2: Have you tried them with nuts? Result? And last but not least, what’s the rationale for using bread flour and cake flour instead of a good all-purpose flour? I’m just curious about the last one. Thanks.
Hi Kelly,
1. 18 hours would be better than 12, but of course you can still bake them. Won’t be as good as the proper length of time, but still better than not chilling at all.
2. I have not tried them with nuts, simply because my daughter is severely allergic, but by all means, add nuts. I would probably switch out some of the chocolate for the nuts.
3. Chef Torres has come up with this combination to get the outcome that most of us crave in a cc cookie, crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Trust me, he knows his science in the kitchen! These are amazing and I’ve never had success with any other recipe.
Enjoy! CC
They were great although I don’t know if I might not like them better with dark chocolate vs bittersweet. However, the recipients thought they were fantastic. I perfectly understand about nut allergies. They are not to be trifled with. Thanks for having such a great website and posting such wonderful recipes.
Yay! You can use any time of chocolate you like, Kelly! I’m a fan of darker chocolate, too! Thank you for your lovely comment!! :)
PS Ghiradelli makes a 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate chip
I haven’t tried it, but not a big Ghirardelli fan.
I love these cookies because they are delicious, but what I love even more is what you do with them. My most memorable moment with you is when you took these cookies to the fire station and those firefighters were so delighted you took the time to make them cookies. I also know that you took them to the police station. You are an amazing soul. Love you and your cookies.
You are too kind, Cathy! You are feeding the homeless EVERY WEEK! That trumps cookies to the local firemen and police officers once in a while! Thank you, though. I loved that you came with me!
This is quite a delicious post! When I saw the picture of this cookie on Instagram, I wanted to bake them immediately! I’m for sure going to try them. No such thing as trying too many choc chip cookies. Love!
Agreed! I still need to make the ones you posted (the bars) OMG, too many recipes and not enough time!
This is so scientific! Torres is brilliant, so I’m not surprised he had the answer…
I love a good chocolate chip cookie (with nuts of course!). I’ve heard the secret is in the chilling. My mom always made a variation of the one on the back of the chocolate chip package. Nestle? I know you’ll scoff at that…but there really wasn’t much else chocolate wise in the 60s and 70s! I’ll have to try yours!
I could bet that Nestle’s chocolate was at least a bit better back then! It’s so much better in Europe, even now. Quality is lowered for the US, and it really upsets me.
Where on earth can I get `good chocolate` for these cookies here in the states ? In my local grocery stores I an only find the usual US type on the shelves.
A few options, Muriel. Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby? Even their chocolate chips or chunks are infinitely better quality than something like Nestle chips? If not, can you place an order on Amazon? I’ll go back and put in a link on the post for some good chocolate. Let me know, CC
Can you bake the dough directly from frozen? I never seem to have luck with that! Thank you, these look amazing!
You can, Jodi, but you can also put them on the tray and let them sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes if that works better for you. Let me know how they turn out! :)
City bakery says letting the dough rest is key. Theirs rests 48 hours!
In France they all seem uncooked…the Laura Todd brand
.???
Yes, they don’t turn out the same if you bake them immediately. I love keeping some dough in the fridge so you can bake them fresh when you want them. :) Sort of dangerous, though!
Beautiful looking cookies.
Thank you so much! Took me a while to get to this point! :)
OMG!! Torture! These look absolutely delicious.
Haha! That’s because they are! 😜
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