Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Today I’m sharing our family’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (and believe me, I’ve tried a BUNCH!) These come out looking and tasting professionally made, no matter your level of baking experience!

I will keep this short and sweet! I found this recipe several years back when I was putting together client gifts for my wedding clients. They are literally the best cookies I’ve ever put in my mouth, and several of my clients actually reached out asking for the recipe. That’s how good these things are!

Just to be clear, this is not MY recipe…just a family favorite! This is Tara O’ Brady‘s chocolate chip cookie recipe. There’s a slight adaptation. I use chocolate chips instead of shaved chocolate and do not top the cookies with extra salt. If you would like to top the cookies with sea salt like Tara does, I’d put less into the dough itself.

And disclaimer — these cookies are BIG. They look deceptively smaller in the photos. But they are around 3 TABLESPOONS of dough each!

So with no further ado… here’s the beloved chocolate chip cookie recipe!

1 cup unsalted butter, chopped
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces, semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
flaky salt, to finish
Preheat the oven to 360°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally. Take care that the butter does not sizzle or bubble which means it’s losing moisture.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and whisk in the sugars until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until just combined. Stir in the vanilla. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir in the dry ingredients until barely blended. When things are still looking a bit floury, stir in the chocolate until all of the ingredients are just combined.
Roll the dough into balls, about 3 tablespoons each, and arrange them on the prepared pans, leaving 3 inches between each cookie.
Bake until tops are cracked and lightly golden, 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
– Tara o’ brady