Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
  • 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
  • 1 tsp (5 g) fine sea salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (300 g) high-quality chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Dry Ingredients: Sift or vigorously whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Melt and Cool the Butter: Gently melt the butter. Transfer to the large mixing bowl. Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes until barely warm to the touch. If the butter is too hot, it will cook the eggs.
  3. Combine Fats and Sugars: Add both brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled, melted butter. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until smooth and slightly glossy.
  4. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture should thicken and lighten slightly.
  5. Fold in Dry Ingredients: Add the reserved dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold until just combined. Stop mixing when you still see a few streaks of flour to prevent tough cookies.
  6. Add the Chocolate: Gently fold in the chocolate chips/chunks. Reserve a small handful for placing on top of the scoops later for better visual presentation.
  7. The Essential Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 72 hours. Chilling allows the dough to hydrate and deepen in flavor.
  8. Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
  9. Scoop the Dough: Using an ice cream scoop (approx. 3 Tbsp size), portion the dough onto the prepared trays, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between each scoop. Press the reserved chocolate pieces onto the tops.
  10. Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven. Bake for 12–14 minutes. The edges should be set and golden brown, but the centers should still look slightly pale and undercooked.
  11. The ‘Tray Tap’ Technique (Optional): Halfway through baking (around the 6-7 minute mark), gently drop the tray sharply onto the oven rack or counter once or twice. This helps deflate the centers and create desirable crinkly edges.
  12. Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period allows them to finish setting up.