Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

There’s a reason chocolate chip cookies are a classic. They’re buttery, chewy, loaded with chocolate, and pretty much impossible to resist when they’re fresh from the oven.

These homemade chocolate chip cookies are made completely from scratch with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. No fancy ingredients, no complicated techniques—just a damn good cookie.

Whether you’re baking a batch for your family, bringing cookies to a party, or keeping them all for yourself (zero judgment), this is an easy recipe to have in your back pocket.

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are:

• Soft and chewy in the center
• Slightly crisp around the edges
• Loaded with chocolate chips
• Buttery and flavorful
• Easy to make from scratch
• Perfect for cookies, desserts, or late-night snacking

Simple Ingredients

You don’t need anything complicated to make these homemade chocolate chip cookies.

You’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips

Using homemade butter is also a great way to add an extra from-scratch touch to these cookies. If you have a batch in the fridge, this is a seriously delicious way to put it to work.

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set the mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

2. Cream the Butter and Sugars

Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is creamy and well combined.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until everything is incorporated.

3. Add the Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated.

Don’t go crazy with the mixing. Overmixing can make your cookies tougher instead of soft and chewy.

4. Add the Chocolate Chips

Fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.

And yes, sneaking a few chocolate chips while you’re doing this is basically part of the recipe.

5. Scoop and Bake

Scoop the cookie dough onto a prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cookie for them to spread.

Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don’t overbake them. The centers should look slightly underdone when you take the cookies out of the oven. They’ll continue cooking as they cool.

Use room-temperature butter. This helps the butter and sugars cream together properly and gives you a better cookie texture.

Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour can result in dry, cakey cookies.

Let them cool. As difficult as it may be, giving the cookies a few minutes to cool helps them finish setting while keeping the centers soft.

Homemade AF Tip

Want that bakery-style look? Add a few extra chocolate chips to the tops of the cookie dough balls before baking. Because apparently cookies need to look as good as they taste.

And if you’re already making your own [homemade butter], don’t stop there. These cookies are the perfect excuse to keep leaning into that whole make-it-yourself thing.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies

Store cooled homemade chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

You can also freeze the baked cookies for longer storage. For fresh-baked cookies whenever you want them, freeze scoops of unbaked cookie dough and bake them straight from the freezer, adding a little extra baking time as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade butter in chocolate chip cookies?

Yes! Homemade butter can be used in chocolate chip cookies just like regular butter. Make sure the butter is well-drained and at the proper temperature called for in the recipe.

Why are my chocolate chip cookies flat?

Flat cookies can happen for several reasons, including butter that is too warm, too little flour, or a baking sheet that’s still warm from a previous batch.

How do I make chewy chocolate chip cookies?

Using brown sugar, avoiding overbaking, and allowing the cookies to cool properly can help give you that soft, chewy texture.