The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hands down the best chewy chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever eat! These cookies are chewy, chocolatey and oh so delicious!

We’re on quarantine day 746.  I never know what day it is.  I think it’s April but I’m pretty sure I saw snowflakes falling from the sky, so that may be wrong, too.  Everything is a blur, and I’ve baked and cooked more than ever before.  And these chewy chocolate chip cookies take the prize for the best thing I’ve made since staying home!  I had to restrain myself from not eating the entire batch, so I portioned out individual cookies and stuck them in my freezer.

Why should I add molasses to my chocolate chip cookies?

There’s a lot of baking science behind which ingredients do what to cookies.  A cookie’s texture will come out differently if you use white sugar versus brown sugar. Granulated white sugar caramelizes and therefore makes cookies browner. White sugar also creates a crisper chocolate chip cookie because it absorbs moisture in the dough. If you use white sugar, the cookie will also spread more than if brown sugar is used.

Brown sugar makes cookies moister and chewier than does white sugar. That’s because it contains molasses!  The molasses adds moisture and, because it’s slightly acidic, causes the proteins in the cookie dough to firm up faster, creating a chewier texture.  Additionally, molasses add moisture to any baked items, as well as extend the shelf life of the cookie!   Rather than use brown sugar in this recipe, I added molasses to see if it made a difference, and I fell in love with the result!

 

Tips for making the best chocolate chip cookies

• Use high quality chocolate! The better the ingredients, the better the cookie!
• Take the cookies out when they look slightly underbaked.  There should be a couple golden brown spots (like shown above) but the rest will look pale.  If you like your cookies chewy, this is the sweet spot! 
• Take them out and let them sit until they’ve almost completely cooled for the perfect cookie. They’ll look slightly puffy, but when they settle, those gorgeous crinkles will form and they’ll be ready to eat!
• Sprinkle with sea salt before baking! I love this sweet and salty combo!

How do you store cookies to keep them soft?

I hope you loved this recipe!  If you’re still hungry, be sure to check out my double chocolate peppermint kiss cookies!

 

What should I serve with chocolate chip cookies?

Want a cocktail to go with these yummy chocolate chip cookies? Try these

Boozy Coconut Hot Chocolate

Mocha Irish Coffee

Chai Spiced White Russians

The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 20 reviews

• Author: Nicole Triebe
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 13 minutes
• Total Time: 23 minutes
• Yield: 2 dozen 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

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2 sticks butter, softened

2 eggs

2 cups + 2tbl white sugar

2 tablespoons molasses 

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups of flour

2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Sea salt optional

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Instructions

Combine sugar and molasses with a hand mixer and Let sit for 1-hour minimum, overnight if possible. 

Sift dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars together.  Add both eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients to the bowl, and mix to incorporate.  Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Let dough chill for 2 hours to overnight.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an ice cream scoop with release, scoop out cookie dough and place cookie scoop on a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silpat. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes.

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