Thick, Soft, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

"I moved out of the house in 1992 but my dad still insist I make his chocolate chip cookies for him. After much searching these are the ones we deemed "best". Soft and chewy but with a lightly crisp outer layer. If you don't want the crispness, substitute more butter for the shortening. I have found that you need to follow the directions *exactly* to get the best cookies. Not using real butter or all brown sugar, not beating the eggs in one at a time, not baking them at a higher temp than the "traditional" recipe, all make a difference in the end result. I have also found that Land o' Lake butter makes a better cookie than some generic brand butter. Don't let the butter sit out too long. It needs to soften but if it sits until the moisture starts to separate from the butter, it is too soft and it will affect the resulting cookies. If that happens, refrigerate the dough for about an hour to help them not spread as much. It also helps to use the mixer on the dough in between batches going into the oven. It helps keep the dough from starting to separate if it is a warm day. Another thing I've learned is you have to make sure there is plenty of circulation in your oven. When I moved, my cookies started turning out flat again. I finally realized that my oven was smaller at the new house and when I switched to smaller cookie sheets, my cookies turned out perfectly!"
 
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photo by limeandspoontt photo by limeandspoontt
photo by limeandspoontt
photo by Meriah Moffett photo by Meriah Moffett
photo by GuppyGirl88 photo by GuppyGirl88
photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns) photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)
photo by Angie C. photo by Angie C.
Ready In:
25mins
Ingredients:
10
Serves:
36
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ingredients

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directions

  • Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, beat butter and shortening until creamy.
  • Add sugar and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until well blended.
  • Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
  • Add flour mixture, and beat slowly to incorporate, then beat to blend well.
  • Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  • Drop batter in 2-tablespoon portions about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
  • Bake in a 375°F preheated oven until edges of cookies are brown but an area about 1 inch wide in the center is still pale, about 10 minutes.
  • If using 2 pans in 1 oven, switch positions at half-time.
  • Let cookies cool on pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to racks with a spatula.
  • Serve warm or cool.

Questions & Replies

  1. can these be frozen then baked?
     
  2. Can I use all butter instead of using shortening? I and my family are allergic to soy, which is what shortening is (so is margarine)
     
  3. Can I use oil instead of the shortening?
     
  4. Am I supposed to allow the butter and the shortening come to room temperature first for this recipe? Also, do I refrigerate the cookie dough for a half hour the same way as the soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies directions instruct? Thank you! Love your recipes!
     
  5. Do I need to prepare the baking sheets?
     
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Reviews

  1. amazingly soft, even the day after. for anyone who doesnt have/like shortening... i used all butter (1 cup) instead of half shortening and they turned out great. i also made them a little smaller than 2 tbsp which i found corresponded better to the baking time of 10 minutes (though i did about 12). the best soft cookie recipe ive tried!
     
  2. Best cookies I have ever made!
     
    • Review photo by Meriah Moffett
  3. This was not a bad recipe. The first time I made it, I did it exactly as the recipe called for. They were good, but there was room for improvement. The second time, I did 3/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening, and swapped out one or two tablespoons brown sugar for white granulated. I thought there was too much of a hint of molasses with all brown sugar. Other than that, great recipe and a delicious treat. Thank you!
     
  4. I have been searching for just the right recipe that makes a soft chewy crispy chocolate chip cookie & this is it!! They came out so perfect & my family loved them! Not too flat, not too crisp, but just right! You will not be disappointed soft chewy & delicious
     
  5. DELICIOUS!!! Ten out of ten. I definately reccomend. If you are a begginer at baking you should try this recipe. My whole family loved these. They are the best chewy soft chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. Im definately making these again.
     
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Tweaks

  1. This recipe is hands-down Far and Away the best cookie I have ever had or made. I have been trying for 40 years to make an epically awesome chocolate chip cookie and this is it. I do agree that a cup and a half of brown sugar is too much so I used a cup and 1/4 of brown sugar in a quarter cup of white sugar. I love that it's shortening and butter not just butter. And I accidentally grabbed many chips at the store yesterday and didn't notice until it was time to mix them in but still, these cookies have such a beautiful texture and they're just pretty. We won't talk about how good they are. I've had way too many. Now I have a belly ache. Thank you for the recipe.
     
  2. Decided to add a few sprinkles of cinnamon to the flour before combining with the butter/shortening
     
  3. Move over nestle!! This is the first chocolate chip recipie I've used besides nestle's. As I was beginning, I found I didn't have enough brown sugar. I only had half a cup, so I used one cup of white sugar instead, and I substituted the molasses I would need to makeep it brown sugar with just under one tablespoon of maple syrup. Oh, my goodness are they amazing!! The syrup gives just a hint of an additional flavor that is amazing. I compensated for the additional liquid by adding about an 8th of a cup extra of flour.
     
  4. These are so far the best cookies I’ve ever made. These are soft, chewy and delicious. The only thing that I found was that sometimes they come out a bit dry, to fix this I usually add about 1/4 a cup of milk just to make it softer and more excellent. Another thing I’ve found it that the temperature is a little too high for my oven so I turn it to 350 instead. These cookies are absolutely delicious either way. I brought them to a family gathering and the whole tray was gonna within a few hours! Definitely recommend these cookies to everyone who doesn’t want to break their teeth with one bite but also want a rich and sweet flavor.
     
  5. All butter & Added TBSP cream to butter & sugar.
     

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With the changes to the email notifications and removal of private messaging, I am no longer able to respond to questions about my recipes. Yet another feature change that has made the website less user friendly. It's sad to watch a fantastic site deteriorate over the years. Some of my recipes are on my blog.
 
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