Then comes my favorite part: the chocolate. I fold in a generous amount, sometimes more than the recipe calls for, because there is no such thing as too much chocolate in my kitchen. If I’m adding walnuts, I put them in now, making sure they’re evenly distributed. At this point, the dough is thick and irresistible, and I always sneak a tiny taste—even though I know I shouldn’t.
The dough chills for at least 30 minutes. I used to skip this step, but trust me, the difference is huge. Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and allows the flavors to deepen. Once chilled, I scoop the dough onto baking sheets and bake until the edges turn lightly golden but the centers still look soft. They continue to set as they cool, giving that perfect bakery-style texture.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I’ve tested this recipe so many times that I’ve learned exactly what makes these cookies perfect. The biggest tip I can give you is to chill the dough. I tried baking the dough right away once, and the cookies turned out thin and greasy. Chilling gives the butter time to firm up so your cookies keep their beautiful shape. You don’t have to chill overnight—30 minutes to an hour works wonders.
Another tip is to use more brown sugar than white sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, thanks to the molasses content. Whenever I tried recipes with equal parts brown and white sugar, the cookies turned out crispier than I wanted. If soft and thick is what you’re after, stick with this ratio. I promise it makes a noticeable difference in both texture and flavor.
Also, always measure your flour correctly. This is something I learned the hard way. Too much flour results in dry, cakey cookies, and too little flour causes them to spread too much. The best method is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off gently. Scooping directly from the bag packs in way more flour than you need.
Finally, take the cookies out of the oven while the centers still look slightly underbaked. They finish cooking on the sheet as they cool, and this is what keeps them soft. If you wait until they look completely done, they’ll end up firmer and less gooey than intended.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake I made in my early cookie-baking days was not chilling the dough properly. I would get impatient and bake it right away, and the cookies would flatten into sad little puddles. If your kitchen is warm, the dough gets even softer, making things worse. Chilling really is worth the wait.
Another mistake is overmixing the dough after adding the flour. Once the flour goes in, you want to stir just until everything is combined. I used to whisk aggressively, thinking it made the dough smoother, but it actually made the cookies dense. Gentle folding keeps the texture tender and soft.(See the next page below to continue…)