This recipe, adapted from the meticulous testing at Serious Eats, is designed to be the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need. It’s perfect for a weekend baking project or a weeknight treat.
Yields: 24-30 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (2 sticks; 225g) unsalted butter
- 1 standard ice cube (about 2 tablespoons; 30mL frozen water)
- 10 ounces (about 2 cups; 280g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt (4g)
- 5 ounces (about ¾ cup; 140g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (100g)
- 2 teaspoons (10mL) vanilla extract
- 5 ounces (about ½ tightly packed cup plus 2 tablespoons; 140g) dark brown sugar
- 8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped into ½- to ¼-inch chunks
- Coarse sea salt, for garnish
Instructions:
- Brown the butter: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan constantly, until the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue swirling until the butter is a rich brown. Transfer to a medium bowl, whisk in the ice cube, and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Combine dry ingredients: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
- Combine butter and sugar: When the brown butter has cooled, add it and the brown sugar to the egg mixture. Mix on medium speed to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just barely combined.
- Add chocolate: Add the chocolate chunks and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
- Chill the dough: Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: When ready to bake, adjust your oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Portion the dough: Scoop the dough into 1-ounce portions (about 2 tablespoons). For a craggy top, tear each ball in half and press the halves back together with the rough sides facing up.
- Bake: Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft.
- Garnish and cool: Sprinkle the cookies with coarse sea salt immediately after they come out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
