Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are made with white and brown sugar for flavor and extra moisture, melty dark chocolate chips, and Maldon sea salt for that sweet and salty combination. No chilling of the dough required, but you can make it ahead and bake these drop cookies later!
Everyone needs a recipe for basic, soft, and chewy chocolate chip cookies. You know the kind that have the perfect brown sugary sweetness, plenty of gooey chocolate chunks, and the ultimate soft, chewy, buttery texture.
If you’ve been around for a while you’ll know that I’m no stranger to all kinds of chocolate chip cookies. I’ve shared everything from pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal molasses chocolate chip cookies to chocolate chip snowball cookies and slow cooker chocolate chip cookie cake!
But sometimes I crave a simple chocolate chip cookie.
This Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie recipe is a homemade take on the famous cookie dough you’d find in the freezer section of the grocery store.
Let’s be honest, there’s nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cookies right out of the oven, except maybe knowing they’re made from scratch!
Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a one bowl recipe made with simple ingredients.
- They are the softest and chewiest cookies ever!
- There is a sweet and salty flavor combination.
- No chill time required, but you can make the dough ahead and bake later.
- 6 dozen of these soft chewy chocolate chip cookies can be prepped in under 30 minutes.
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Sugars: I like to use both granulated and brown sugar as they both deliver unique qualities. Both will provide sweetness, however the brown sugar adds moisture as well as a deeper, caramelized flavor. Make sure to pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup so you’re using the right amount.
- Salted butter: You can use unsalted, but I love the extra salt to balance the sweet. Bring it out to room temperature so it’s nice and soft when you need it.
- Vanilla extract: Adding vanilla to baked goods gives it the best flavor.
- Eggs: Bring these out to room temperature so all your ingredients are starting at the same temperature but it also blends easier. The eggs are what help to make the cookies nice and chewy!
- All-purpose flour: Measure flour without a scale by using the spoon and level method for the most accurate results.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies a lift and a light and airy texture.
- Salt: Yes, more salt!
- Maldon sea salt: To sprinkle on top of the cookies. When paired with the brown sugar and dark chocolate, it’s amazing. I specifically like Maldon sea salt because it has a unique pyramid shape that adds a great flavor and crunch, and it looks pretty 🤩
- Chocolate chips: I use dark chocolate chips, divided (I save some to stick on top). Hu baking chips or Ghirardelli baking chips are my favorite. You can also chop a chocolate bar like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus.
How to make Chewy Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) for about 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Doing this helps to aerate the butter giving the cookies a lighter, softer texture.
- Step Two: Add the vanilla and eggs and continue blending. Then, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until there are no streaks of flour showing, everything should be well blended.
- Step Three: Fold in the chocolate chips. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave room between each one for spreading. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top.
- Step Four: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 9-10 minutes until the edges are just golden and the centers still appear moist. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Step Five: Remove the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies from the oven and sprinkle each with sea salt. Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet and let the cookies cool completely.
Perfect Cookies 🍪
For perfectly round cookies, immediately out of the oven use a biscuit cutter or the rim of a clear round glass to shape the edges.
- Adding a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking adds to the presentation. It’s not a requirement!
- A medium cookie scoop is about 1.5 tablespoons of dough. It’s helpful to measure so you know each cookie will be the same same.
- The dough does not require any chill time, however, if you want to prepare it ahead, you can cover the bowl and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If you’re in a warm climate (or overly hot kitchen), you may need to chill the dough for 30 minutes to prevent spread.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep these Pillsbury chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They won’t last that long. Promise.
Freezing Instructions
Freezing Baked Cookies
Transfer them to a freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 2 months. I suggest adding a piece of parchment paper between the layers so they don’t freeze stuck together.
Freezing Cookie Dough
You can also freeze the dough balls before baking them. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, flash freeze them, then transfer the frozen balls to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can bake them straight from frozen, remembering to add a couple of extra baking minutes.
Need more chocolate chip cookie recipes? Try these:
Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies
NY Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Click here to view my entire collection of cookie recipes.
Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup (247 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup (266 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ cup (339 g) salted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 4 ¼ cups (510 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces chocolate chips divided
- Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add the sugar, brown sugar and softened butter. Use a hand mixer, or stand mixer, on medium speed to cream until light and fluffy, at least 4-5 minutes.1 ¼ cup granulated white sugar, 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ cup salted butter
- Add in the vanilla and eggs, blend well.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 large eggs
- Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no signs of flour are left.4 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Stir in the chocolate chips, reserving some for pressing into the top of the dough balls.8 ounces chocolate chips
- Using a medium cookie scoop (#40; 1.5 TB) scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, 8-10 per sheet, leaving room between each. Press additional chocolate chips into the top of each dough ball.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are just golden. The cookies should still look moist in the centers when you take them out.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a glass or biscuit cutter to smooth the edges of the cookies. Sprinkle each with sea salt.Maldon sea salt
- Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet and let the cookies finish cooling.
Notes
- Start with room temperature butter and eggs.
- I recommend weighing your ingredients for the most accurate results.
- Unsalted butter can be used; I prefer salt for a strong salty to sweet contrast.
- I use dark chocolate chips – I specifically recommend Hu Baking Chips or Ghirardelli baking chips. Alternatively, you can chop a chocolate bar, like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus.
- Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies if using a 1.5 TB scoop.
- Dough does not need to be chilled before baking but can be prepared, covered, and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- If you live in an especially hot climate (or have a hot kitchen), chilling for 30 minutes before baking will help prevent spread.
- Dough can be frozen – scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, flash freeze until frozen solid, move to a freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This definitely did not make 72 cookies, it made about half that. Also the cookies were very puffy and didn’t spread out in a way that I would need to cut them with a glass or cookie cutter. I think there is too much flour and the recipe maybe? I’m not sold on this recipe, some things seem off.