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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Cookies / The Second-Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    The Second-Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    February 12, 2018 By Sam 95 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    The Second-Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

    For those of you who have been asking, here is my classic, no-secret-ingredient-required chocolate chip cookie recipe!  It is soft, chewy, with slightly crisped edges, buttery, loaded with chocolate chips and tweaked to be superior in texture and flavor to every chocolate chip cookie out there (except one…)!

    Chocolate Chip Cookie

    I originally shared this recipe for perfect chocolate chip cookies over on Spend with Pennies!

    Well here I am again with another confusingly named chocolate chip cookie recipe.  The second-best?  Who wants to make the second-best cookie?

    If you’ve tried my “Worst” Chocolate Chip Cookies, you already know that cookies don’t get better than that one.  There’s a reason my video for that recipe has been viewed over 8 million times and I get dozens of e-mails and comments a day about it.

    There’s simply no substitute for the worst, and since there’s not a cookie out there better (worse? I’m starting to confuse myself here) than that one, I never thought I’d share another chocolate chip cookie recipe here.

    A chocolate chip cookie on a baking sheet

    But I get a lot of e-mails from those of you who don’t have maple syrup on hand, those of you who want to leave it out for one reason or another (oh, please don’t!) and I finally decided that instead of sending people off to Google different chocolate chip cookies or stick to the back of the Tollhouse bag, I’d offer an alternative.

    This is that alternative, and while every time I make a batch of these chocolate chip cookies they are devoured and they will definitely be a fast favorite and beloved by everyone who tries them, Im going to be honest and tell you that I still prefer the Worst Cookies.

    But if you can’t make them, why not go for the second-best, right?  I promise that these are a worthy substitute.

    An overhead view of chocolate chip cookies

    Tips for Making These Chocolate Chip Cookies:

    • Melt the butter.  As with the “Worst”, these cookies use melted butter.  A lot of people (people who had not yet tried the recipe) have since argued with me that you *shouldn’t* use melted butter in cookies and I so strongly disagree.  It gives these cookies a great buttery flavor throughout. It makes them nice and chewy.  Melt the butter 😉
    • But, let it cool, too.  Let your butter cool for at least 10 minutes.  If your butter is scorching hot, it will melt your sugars and you’ll end up with a soupy mess rather than cookie dough.
    • Chill the dough.  Because of the melted butter and the general consistency of the dough, the cookie dough will need to chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

    Can I Freeze this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to Bake Later?

    • Yes.  You will still want to chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to portion, first.  I recommend scooping the dough, wrapping each dough-ball in cling wrap, and then placing all wrapped dough portions in a large Ziploc bag and freezing.  The cookies can be baked from frozen, they may just need an additional minute or two of baking.

    Chocolate Chip cookies on baking pan

    So that’s how to make these “second-best” chocolate chip cookies.  Don’t get me wrong with the label, these cookies are definitely worth your time and I wouldn’t be sharing them if I didn’t think you would absolutely love them (just check out the rave reviews they’ve received over on Spend with Pennies website!! — link just below the first photo)

    They’ll still shrink your jeans.  They’ll still consume your thoughts.  They probably won’t steal your boyfriend but they will definitely flirt with him, like a lot.

    Enjoy!

    Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies

    The Second-Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

    These "second-best" chocolate chip cookies may play second-fiddle to my other recipe, but they're still definitely worth trying out!  
    Recipe from SugarSpunRun.com
    4.98 from 41 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 11 minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes
    Servings: 45 cookies
    Calories: 138kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 10 minutes (226g)
    • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar tightly packed (250g)
    • ½ cup sugar (100g)
    • 1 large egg + 1 yolks room temperature preferred*
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (350g)
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips plus additional for tops, optional (300g + additional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine melted butter and sugars in a large bowl. Stir very well.
    • Add egg and egg yolk, stir well.
    • Stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
    • Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients — stir well so that all the flour is absorbed.
    • Stir in chocolate chips.
    • Place dough in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
    • Scoop dough by rounded 1 ½ Tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets, placing at least 2″ apart.
    • Bake on 350F (177C) for 11 minutes — cookies may still seem slightly soft in the centers, that is OK, they will cook completely on the cookie sheets. Don’t over-bake or your cookies will be too hard.
    • If desired, gently press additional chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies.
    • Allow to cool completely on cookie sheets.

    Notes

    *You can quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
    « Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Haley

      January 22, 2023 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      These are great! I substituted white chocolate chips because my husband was craving cookies and that was all I had around at the moment. Turned out delicious 🙂

      Reply
    2. Jill

      December 15, 2022 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I’m making them now and already had 2 maybe 3.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 15, 2022 at 9:03 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! My secret is I don’t count how many I eat that way nobody can judge me!

        Reply
    3. Diane

      December 14, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      Excellent! Got lots of compliments and request for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 14, 2022 at 9:30 pm

        So happy to hear this! Thank you for trying my recipe, Diane!

        Reply
    4. Bonnie

      December 04, 2022 at 9:02 am

      5 stars
      I think this recipe might actually be fail proof. I can’t bake cookies to save my life but I followed the recipe exactly, including weighing the ingredients and they were perfect. Crisp on the outside, soft inside, just the right amount of chewiness. I also rotated my cookie sheets halfway through baking, just like The Great British baking show.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        December 05, 2022 at 8:42 am

        Thanks so much for the review, Bonnie! We are so happy the cookies were a success for you 🥰

        Reply
    5. Morgan

      November 06, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      These are AMAZING and can be tweaked anyway you’d like as far as toppings go! So yummy and I highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        November 07, 2022 at 8:17 am

        Thanks so much, Morgan! We love them too 🥰

        Reply
      • Marianne

        November 27, 2022 at 2:11 pm

        5 stars
        Oh my….these are so good! If these are second best I will definitely try your “worst” recipe. These are amazing!

        Reply
        • Sam

          November 27, 2022 at 9:13 pm

          I’m so glad you enjoyed these so much, Marianne! Hopefully you don’t hate the others! 😉

    6. Patty

      August 23, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies turned to be the best tasting cookies ever. Easy directions to follow and make. Our family will enjoy them for years to come.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 23, 2022 at 2:24 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Patty! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Donna Steever

      April 03, 2022 at 3:34 pm

      5 stars
      One of the best Chocolate chip cookie I’ve made in a long time!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        April 04, 2022 at 9:08 am

        Thanks so much for your review, Donna! We’re so happy you like the cookies 😊

        Reply
    8. Linda Masilek

      March 24, 2022 at 7:31 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, Sam…this is probably the 6th or 7th time we’ve made your wonderful cookies (The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies!). I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’ve been a cookie baker for over 40 years and have never tasted chocolate chip cookies nearly so delicious? Thank you, Sam, for sharing this and many other really great recipes with us, and all your FANS!
      Linda

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 25, 2022 at 10:46 am

        Thank you so much, Linda! I’m so glad you enjoy them so much! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Aliana

      March 03, 2022 at 11:34 am

      I am making those cookies right now. Can’t help and not try the dough first and wow, its yummy. Can’t wait to try it fully cooked.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        March 03, 2022 at 12:37 pm

        Sometimes we sneak a bite too 🙃 We hope they taste even better after baking!

        Reply
        • Aliana

          March 08, 2022 at 2:21 pm

          My whole family loves it. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. You are amazing😍

    10. Rena Sullivan

      November 23, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Been using this recipe for about 3 years it’s our favorite!

      Reply
    11. Joyce Wagner

      October 22, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies look beautiful and taste amazing! Recipe is a keeper!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 22, 2021 at 12:57 pm

        Thanks so much for your kind words, Joyce! Enjoy the cookies ❤️

        Reply
      • Jeannie

        December 04, 2022 at 4:16 pm

        5 stars
        Loved the taste of these cookies. The dough was stiff and I had to use my hands to drop the cookies onto the pan. Is this normal? Did I leave in fridge too long?

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          December 05, 2022 at 8:43 am

          It could be that, or you may have a bit too much flour in the dough 🙁

    12. Sam

      October 13, 2021 at 11:08 pm

      5 stars
      These might actually be “The Worst”. Amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe. You really should make a YT video for this recipe. It’s FANTASTIC! Simple, easy, beautiful, delicious.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 18, 2021 at 10:45 am

        We’re so happy you loved them, Sam! Thanks for your five star review ❤️

        Reply
    13. Gigi

      August 10, 2021 at 12:43 pm

      5 stars
      These came out yummy & delicious! It’s my new go-to cookie. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 10, 2021 at 2:11 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Gigi! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Cassandra

      June 26, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      LOVE these cookies. Have made them twice now. Second time I put less flour in the batter. Definitely a good idea and I recommend doing it. The cookies the first time were a little drier and denser. Other than that the recipe is awesome. I bake a lot and come to this site often for recipes 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 28, 2021 at 7:42 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Cassandra! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Dawn Krevokuch

      May 17, 2021 at 10:57 am

      5 stars
      Hey Sam
      O M G this recipe is simple and oh my SO DELICIOUS! Made 8 dozen today for our grad party. They may not get to the party! This is now my go to recipe my cookies turned out perfect and looked just like your picture. Thank you for sharing this gem
      Dawn

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 18, 2021 at 9:41 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Dawn! 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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