Make our favorite and best big fat chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe here at Farmhouse 181 with ingredients you already have in your pantry!
This is another recipe that is from my grandma. It’s our absolute favorites! If you have had my chocolate chip cookies, or my sisters…this is that recipe! My little boy also made them 2 years back and got a 1st place ribbon at the county fair! They are pretty well universally loved by all. Sometimes the best things are just a classic with simple ingredients like this Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!
You can make this chewy cookie recipe just about as big as you want to, or smaller. You can also control the chewiness or fluffiness with how much flour you put in them. My grandma’s recipe calls for shortening in them, but I do a 1 for 1 substitute of good old unsalted butter! Let’s make this Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!
See full recipe card for the Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe at the bottom of the page with detailed ingredients list and full step-by-step instructions. Print to save in your cookbook binder or bookmark this page!
Why I Love this Best Big Fat Chocolate Chewy Chip Cookie Recipe
- It’s easy…there’s really nothing special to it
- Calls for simple ingredients you already have on hand
- It freezes well! Make a double batch to freeze and cook later
- If you are making other desserts that call for store bought cookie dough, you can seamlessly sub this one in..ie brookies
- This recipe is just a classic, time tested delight
- They taste great…need I say more?
Ingredients Needed for the Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Unsalted Butter, Softened
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar, packed
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Substitutions and Variations
To make these best big fat chewy chocolate chip cookies, you want to use softened butter…not melted butter, or cold butter. I have used salted butter also, and the recipe turns out fine. The original recipe called for shortening and softened margarine, but if you have read any of our other posts, you know that we are a butter household.
I prefer dark brown sugar, but actually used light this go around. Either one is fine.
I have seen some recipes call for separating eggs or just using egg yolk, etc. We keep things simple around here, none of that. Use the whole egg.
The recipe calls for 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips. In this particular baking session, I used less. I made double batch and in total put in 19-20 oz of chocolate chips. We actually prefer the lesser amount of chips, but you do what your family likes! I have used a full 12 oz of milk chocolate chips before as well and they were great! Use whatever kind of chocolate chip you like best.
Instructions for the Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Preparing the Dough
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees f. Using an electric mixer, cream together your sugars and room temperature butter together in large to medium bowl. You can also use a stand mixer and paddle attachment for this recipe, which is what I always use. Add in your eggs and vanilla. Mix until completely combined.
Measure out your flour into a large bowl. Now you probably know how I feel about sifted ingredients…meaning I don’t do it. But I do fluff my flour around in my flour canister to make sure it is scooped in a fluffy state and not packed in the measuring cup.
Add your baking soda and salt to the flour and mix together. Add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated and a soft dough starts to form.
Add the chocolate chips to your bowl and fold in with a spoon or silicone spatula, or mix them in with your mixer. Now you have a finished dough.
Cooking the Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees f. Prepare your dough as instructed above or in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can bake your dough right after mixing, or use chilled dough the next day. The dough is much softer right after mixing and easier to spoon out or scoop balls of dough. I spooned out about 2.5 oz worth of dough and shaped them into a thick disc shape. Place your chocolate chip cookie dough or drop cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets. I usually just use parchment paper to line my one big baking sheet. You can also use a silicone mat on your cookie sheet if you want.
Bake your cookies anywhere from 8-13 minutes, depending on the size you made them. They will begin to turn light golden brown on the edges and tops. DO NOT OVER COOK THEM! This is key to soft cookies or a chewy cookie! If you like crispy chocolate chip cookies, I guess do your thing and leave them in the oven longer, but that’s not our jam here at Farmhouse 181!
Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for another couple of minutes to firm up. Then carefully transfer them to a wire baking rack to continue to cool. Once the cookies have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container for storage.
To keep the cookies, or any cookies softer for longer, place a piece of plain white bread in the container with the Best Big Fat Chewy Cookie! Store for 5 days or so, but I promise they won’t last that long!
Just make this best chocolate chip cookie recipe. You won’t regret it!
Other Farmhouse 181 Recommendations
If you enjoyed making this recipe, try out some of our other recipes at the Farmhouse 181 blog!
- Soft Sugar Cookies for Decorating, Valentine’s Day Edition!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars In, Store Bought Junk Out
- Best Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping, No Bakery Necessary!
- Famous Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookie Recipe, Let’s Make It!
- Cast Iron Cookie Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake (Coming Soon!!!)
Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup Butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cream together sugars and butter with a mixer.
- Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Mix dry ingredients of flour, salt, baking soda together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in or mix in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop out 2-3 oz balls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Baking time is very dependent on the size scoops of cookie dough you make and if your form them into a ball or disc shape. Bake for 13-20 minutes or until the tops begin to turn a light golden brown. If you make smaller cookies bake from 8-12 minutes
- Remove from the oven and let rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup Butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cream together sugars and butter with a mixer.
- Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Mix dry ingredients of flour, salt, baking soda together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in or mix in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop out 2-3 oz balls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Baking time is very dependent on the size scoops of cookie dough you make and if your form them into a ball or disc shape. Bake for 13-20 minutes or until the tops begin to turn a light golden brown. If you make smaller cookies bake from 8-12 minutes
- Remove from the oven and let rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
The best ever cookies! You will never purchase cookie dough again (unless your grandkids are selling it). You can’t eat just one. A family favorite for years.
Our church friends LOVE these cookies! Seriously so many people have asked for the recipe, they’re a fan fav! while Britt does the butter substitution, I prefer the shortening version! Dark chocolate chips were all I had on hand a few years ago, and that quickly became my favorite type to use!
These cookies turned out soooo good!!
Awesome! Glad y’all loved them!