Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (or Chocolate Chunk Cookies)
This 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 portioning of the cookie dough 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. I also made this recipe into brown butter sugar cookies.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Use this recipe if you want to do a chocolate chip cookie “cake” for your 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 chocolate chip cookie baked Alaska 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 you’ll kick yourself for not getting one earlier.
- You can use chips, 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. To bake: place on cookie sheet and leave for an hour then bake as normal.
- 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.
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Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (or Chocolate Chunk Cookies)
Special Equipment
- 1 mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar (a pinch)
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 ½ sticks butter (unsalted)
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (large)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (natural)
- 3 cups bittersweet chocolate (discs, chips, chunks or fèves, about 60% cacao content)
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough:
- Sift first 6 dry ingredients together into a bowl.
- 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.
Bake the Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175° C.
- Place 2 ½ 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.
Notes
- If you choose not to weigh your ingredients, please realize that your results will vary each and every time you make these. Weight is the only way to guarantee good results.
- The chocolate amount will vary if you use cups due to the size difference of your choice of chocolate. I recommend a scale.
- DO NOT USE HERSHEYS, NESTLE or other US type chocolate as these do not have 60% cacao
- Alternatively, you can shape the cookies then freeze on a tray and then place in a bag to keep frozen, to bake another time. To bake from frozen: place on cookie sheet and leave for an hour, then bake as instructed.
Nutrition
Other delectable cookie recipes ~
Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies
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Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
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! 😜