If you’re searching for the best homemade gooey chocolate chip cookies that are chewy, and packed with flavor, you’ve landed in the right place. This recipe takes the classic favorite to the next level with browned butter, extra vanilla, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Step 1: Brown the Butter
Start by browning the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir often as the butter melts, foams, and finally turns a deep golden color with a nutty aroma. This step enhances the Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies with a rich, caramel-like flavor you can’t get from regular melted butter. Let it cool slightly before mixing.
Step 2: Mix the Sugars and Butter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and white sugar. Slowly pour in the browned butter and whisk until smooth. The sugars dissolve slightly into the warm butter, giving the cookies a chewy center with crisp edges.
Step 3: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Whisk in one whole egg plus one egg yolk (discarding the extra white). The yolk adds richness and helps create that soft, fudgy texture. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough.
Step 5: Fold in Chocolate Chips
Gently fold in the chocolate chips. For extra decadence, use a mix of chips and chopped chocolate bars so you get both gooey pools of chocolate and melty bites.
Step 6: Chill the Dough of Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps control spreading, concentrates flavor, and gives you those bakery-style thick cookies.
Step 7: Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2–3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly undercooked.
Step 8: Cool and Finish the Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Resist the urge to eat right away. Allow them to set for 40 minutes. They’ll finish cooking through and become perfectly chewy.
Tips for the Best Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Don’t skip chilling: Cold dough = thicker Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Use room-temperature eggs: They incorporate more evenly for a smoother dough.
- Try different chocolates: Mix milk, dark, and semi-sweet for depth of flavor.
- Freeze extra dough: Scoop into balls, freeze, and bake straight from frozen whenever a cookie craving hits.
Why This Recipe Works
The combination of browned butter, extra yolk, and chilling creates Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies that are chewy in the middle, crisp at the edges, and full of nutty, chocolatey flavor. They may look underdone when you pull them out, but trust the process. The residual heat finishes the job, leaving you with gooey perfection.
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The Ultimate Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 & 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda (not baking powder)
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips
- Flaky Seasalt (for topping)
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir often as the butter melts, foams, and finally turns a deep golden color with a nutty aroma. This step enhances the cookies with a rich, caramel-like flavor you can’t get from regular melted butter. Let it cool slightly before mixing.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and white sugar. Slowly pour in the browned butter and whisk until smooth. The sugars dissolve slightly into the warm butter, giving the cookies a chewy center with crisp edges.
- Whisk in one whole egg plus one egg yolk (discarding the extra white). The yolk adds richness and helps create that soft, fudgy texture. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips. For extra decadence, use a mix of chips and chopped chocolate bars so you get both gooey pools of chocolate and melty bites.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps control spreading, concentrates flavor, and gives you those bakery-style thick cookies.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2–3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly undercooked.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Resist the urge to eat right away. Allow them to set for 40 minutes. They’ll finish cooking through and become perfectly chewy.
Video
Notes
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t skip chilling: Cold dough = thicker cookies.
- Use room-temperature eggs: They incorporate more evenly for a smoother dough.
- Try different chocolates: Mix milk, dark, and semi-sweet for depth of flavor.
- Freeze extra dough: Scoop into balls, freeze, and bake straight from frozen whenever a cookie craving hits.
