I Make Cookies for a Living, and This Is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe of Them All

You could say I have a bit of a cookie-baking obsession. There was a point in my life where I would bake two batches of cookies every week simply because I wanted to master the technique. Along the way, I’ve found a go-to chocolate crinkle cookie, a gingersnap cookie I consider the best, and a favorite oatmeal raisin recipe. But I’ve never found a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe I considered worthy of baking twice — until now.

Recently, my friend introduced me to Tara O’Brady’s “basic, great chocolate chip cookie” recipe — claiming it was the best cookie recipe on the internet. I was somewhat skeptical (after all, I’ve come to develop a pretty high standard for what I deem a “good” cookie), but after baking a batch myself I can tell you that these cookies are a revelation. They’re super-simple yet perfect in every way. They’re crisp on the edges, chewy in the center, and perfectly chocolatey. There’s nothing unusual about them, yet they’re everything I want and more. They have since become my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I’ve made them countless times. They are, without question, the best cookie recipe I have ever made. Here’s why.

These cookies are proof that simple is best. Prior to these cookies, my top-ranking chocolate chip cookie was one that took serious time and effort. But these cookies are just as good and don’t require any fancy ingredients or multiple days of resting the dough. You just mix everything together, bake them, and end up with perfect chocolate chip cookies within the hour. There’s no browning butter, additional add-ins, or unusual techniques required.

The flavor also proves that simple doesn’t mean boring. The recipe uses nothing more than the classic combination of vanilla extract, chopped chocolate, and brown sugar to create a flavorful cookie that is rich and perfectly balanced. The dough has the perfect amount of salt without tasting salty (a problem I often encounter with “fancy” chocolate chip cookies), and is mild enough to let the chocolate flavor shine.

The texture is also worth noting, perfectly straddling the line between cakey and chewy. It has pockets of molten chocolate, a perfectly cracked exterior, and a delicate, light crumb — so whether you’re a fan of cakey cookies or chewy cookies, the recipe will satisfy. It’s the ultimate chocolate chip cookie that doesn’t rely on any gimmicks or tricks to make it good. It’s the ultimate, no-frills chocolate chip cookie.

Before you head into the kitchen to make these cookies, keep these tips in mind.

1. Don’t brown the butter. O’Brady’s recipe states that you should melt your butter on the stovetop over the “lowest heat possible,” which ensures that the butter doesn’t lose too much moisture or start to brown. If you try to rush the process by melting it over high heat, you run the risk of evaporating the water content in the butter, which could cause the cookie dough to come out dry and taste more chalky than chewy.

2. Use chopped chocolate, not chocolate chips. The chopped chocolate melts into the cookie dough and lends it additional fat. It gives the dough a rich, fudgy texture with pockets of molten chocolate. Chocolate chips are made with stabilizers that prevent them from melting fully, so they won’t work very well in this recipe.

3. Don’t over-bake them. The recipe instructs you to bake these cookies until “the tops are cracked and lightly golden, yet still soft at the center.” One way to check if they’re done is to simply touch them. The tops should feel puffed and soft in the center. If you wait until they’re hard, you’ll have over-baked them.

This post was originally published on Kitchn. Read it there: I’ve Made Hundreds of Batches of Cookies – This is Hands Down the Best Recipe