Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Nigella. Featured in KITCHENIntroduction
It seems strange that I’ve managed to write seven books without one plain chocolate chip cookie (by which I mean a plain cookie with chocolate chips in it). It’s true that the Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie made an appearance once, and it’s only buoyed up by its success that I’ve felt confident enough to create this one. For here’s the thing: you’d think a plain cookie with a few chocolate chips folded into the mixture would be a simple matter. It’s not. It’s never difficult to make, just difficult to get right. I may be picky, but to my mind, or my mouth, a cookie that’s too crisp feels dry and disappointing and a cookie that’s too chewy tastes like dough. I want a bit of tender, fudgy chewiness but an edge of crisp bite, too.
It seems strange that I’ve managed to write seven books without one plain chocolate chip cookie (by which I mean a plain cookie with chocolate chips in it). It’s true that the Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie made an appearance once, and it’s only buoyed up by its success that I’ve felt confident enough to create this one. For here’s the thing: you’d think a plain cookie with a few chocolate chips folded into the mixture would be a simple matter. It’s not. It’s never difficult to make, just difficult to get right. I may be picky, but to my mind, or my mouth, a cookie that’s too crisp feels dry and disappointing and a cookie that’s too chewy tastes like dough. I want a bit of tender, fudgy chewiness but an edge of crisp bite, too.
Ingredients
Makes: approx. 14 cookies
- 150 grams soft unsalted butter
- 125 grams soft light brown sugar
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg (fridge-cold)
- 1 egg yolk (fridge-cold)
- 300 grams plain flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 x 326 grams packet milk chocolate morsels or chips
- 1¼ sticks soft unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup soft light brown sugar
- ½ cup superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg (fridge-cold)
- 1 egg yolk (fridge-cold)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 11½ ounces packet milk chocolate morsels or chips
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
- Melt the butter and let it cool a bit. Put the brown and white sugars into a bowl, pour the slightly cooled, melted butter over them and beat together.
- Beat in the vanilla, the cold egg and cold egg yolk until your mixture is light and creamy.
- Slowly mix in the flour and bicarb until just blended, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the cookie dough into an American quarter-cup measure or a 60ml/quarter cup round icecream scoop and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, plopping the cookies down about 8cm/3 inches apart. You will need to make these in 2 batches, keeping the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge between batches.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
- Melt the butter and let it cool a bit. Put the brown and white sugars into a bowl, pour the slightly cooled, melted butter over them and beat together.
- Beat in the vanilla, the cold egg and cold egg yolk until your mixture is light and creamy.
- Slowly mix in the flour and bicarb until just blended, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the cookie dough into an American quarter-cup measure or a 60ml/quarter cup round icecream scoop and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, plopping the cookies down about 8cm/3 inches apart. You will need to make these in 2 batches, keeping the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge between batches.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
The cookies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Will keep for a total of 5 days.
FREEZE:
The baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable bags for up to 3 months. Defrost for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Unbaked cookie dough can be scooped onto parchment-lined baking sheets and frozen until solid. Transfer frozen dough to resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake direct from frozen, as directed in the recipe but adding an extra 2-3 minutes to the baking time. And you could always freeze the spare egg white (bag it, label it and freeze for up to 3 months) for meringues at a later date. Use within 24 hours of defrosting.
MAKE AHEAD:
The cookies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Will keep for a total of 5 days.
FREEZE:
The baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable bags for up to 3 months. Defrost for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Unbaked cookie dough can be scooped onto parchment-lined baking sheets and frozen until solid. Transfer frozen dough to resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake direct from frozen, as directed in the recipe but adding an extra 2-3 minutes to the baking time. And you could always freeze the spare egg white (bag it, label it and freeze for up to 3 months) for meringues at a later date. Use within 24 hours of defrosting.
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Show more commentsPerfect recipe! I split the chocolate measurements between milk, white and dark chocolate bars that I chop up into little bits. I also refrigerate the formed balls for at least 30 mins to stop them from spreading when baking, and add some cracked salt just before taking them out of the oven.
My go to for cookies now, and the formed balls also make a great gift for make-at-home fresh cookies!!!
A perfect recipe. Never made this kind of cookie before but result was chewy, not too sweet and just gorgeous. And so quick! Thanks Nigella
Hands down, best I’ve ever made or tried. Delicious. Make sure you use quality ingredients (chocolate and vanilla) for best results. I did add a generous pinch of salt. It just enhances all the other flavours.
I've made these successfully several times. This weekend I didn't realise until it was too late that I had run out of flour and only had half the required choc drops. All I had in terms of flour was some chickpea flour. End result was incredible ... even more chewy ... and this will now be my standard recipe
These were amazing and I will definitely be baking them again. I had some doubts about melting the butter, but they turned out amazing and everyone commented how tasty they were.
Fool proof recipe and delicious! I used white and dark chocolate chips. Next time I will add a bit of salt and orange zest as suggested by some others.
This recipe making incredible chewy buttery cookies everytime! I added some fudge pieces and a teaspoon of golden syrup and they came out even more chunky and delicious!
I love this recipe it’s my go to and I can change the flavours - cherry and walnut always a winner.
These cookies were my first baking attempt and they turned out perfectly. I’m very impressed! I split the dough and did half with smashed up chocolate orange and the other half with white chocolate. Very yummy!
I used chocolate orange mini eggs plus packet of chocolate chips plus a small amount of orange juice. Fab! Always end up with about 30 cookies! Freeze them in 10's so I can have them anytime.
These are amazing! I agree added 1/2 teaspoon salt, so flavoursome
Very good cookies! I’ve made two batches, one as written and one with salt added. I found that not only did the salt cut the sweetness a bit but it also really enhanced the flavor. I will definitely be making these again.