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Learn how to make bakery-style chocolate chip cookies at home. Soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips, these cookies are the best!
One of my all-time favorite things to bake for my family are chocolate chip cookies. They are my specialty, so to speak. The recipe I’m sharing today was my go-to whenever I needed a quick dessert or snack. Whether it was a potluck, picnic, or road trip, these cookies were always a hit. They stay fresh in a resealable bag for days—but honestly, they rarely last that long! When my kids were growing up, I always made the full batch, yielding about 20 cookies. Now that it’s just me and my husband, I still make the full batch, but half are placed in the freezer.
These cookies are easy, use basic pantry ingredients, and are a crowd-pleaser every time. But even more important than that, they are the definition of love from the kitchen. There’s nothing better than the scent of cookies baking in the oven, and when you take that first bite of a warm chocolate chip cookie, it literally soothes your soul.
The Cookie Dough
This dough is, of course, amazing. I use a stand mixer, but my mom always used a hand mixer, so either one will work. I also use plain Crisco because again, that’s what my mom used. I tried butter one time when I was out of Crisco and they tasted good, but the cookies were flat and a little too crispy. To get the fluffy texture, Crisco is a must. (For ease of use, opt for the 1-cup Crisco blocks.)
The Scoops
Scooping the dough into half-moons is what gives the cookies their perfect round shape. I use a 2 in. scoop, and scrape it along the side of the bowl to level it off. Drop the scoops, flat side down, on a large cookie sheet.
The Baking Sheet
My favorite baking sheet is a Goldtouch corrugated half sheet. Before I discovered the Goldtouch line of baking pans, my cookies were sometimes too done on the bottom. Since using these Goldtouch pans, I no longer have that problem, and all my cookies bake evenly.
How To Make
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, combine Crisco, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until very smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in three increments. Beat very well between additions and scrape the bowl.
- Add chocolate chips and mix on lowest speed just until they are combined with the dough.
- Using a 2-inch scoop, make half-moons of dough by leveling the scoop along the side of your mixing bowl. Drop onto a large cookie sheet, flat side down.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. When done, cookies will be light golden brown on the top but slightly brown around the edges and on the bottom.
- Cool cookies completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable bag.
Cooling Tips
After removing the cookies from the oven, let them sit and cool on the pan for one minute. When I first published this recipe back in 2017, I included a section that recommended cooling the cookies on newspaper. Since then, I have changed my method, and I now use parchment paper. We no longer get any newspapers, so eventually I had to find an alternate solution. The parchment paper works well. Another idea is to cool the cookies on unused brown paper bags (like lunch sacks.) A clean linen towel, laid over cooling racks, also works well.
Make A Cookie Cake
One of the things I like best about this chocolate chip cookies recipe is that it’s so versatile. It can be made into a cookie cake by simply putting all the dough in a baking dish.
I love this heart-shaped ruffled baking dish and it makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie cake. Prepare the dough according to the recipe. Place all the dough in the baking dish and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Spray the baking dish lightly with Baker’s Joy before adding the dough.
You can also use a 9-inch square pan, or a 12-inch cast iron skillet. The outside edges of the cake are crispy, but the middle is chewy and moist.
FAQ’s
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Even if baking isn’t your favorite pastime, this classic chocolate chip cookie recipe is one you’ll want in your arsenal for those times when you need a quick and effortless dessert. And if you do enjoy baking, these cookies are a must-try. Not only will they fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked goodness, but they’ll also earn you rave reviews from your family and friends. Whether you’re whipping up a batch for a special occasion or just treating yourself, these cookies are sure to make you feel like a baking superstar!
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Crisco shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, combine Crisco, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until very smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in three increments. Beat very well between additions and scrape the bowl.
- Add chocolate chips and mix on lowest speed just until they are combined with the dough.
- Using a 2-inch scoop, make half-moons of dough by leveling the scoop along the side of your mixing bowl. Drop onto a large cookie sheet, flat side down.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. When done, cookies will be light on the top but slightly brown around the edges and on the bottom.
- Cool cookies completely. Store in an air-tight container or resealable bag.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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I loved seeing this recipe Ann. I haven’t seen cookie recipes using shortening for many, many years. My mom always used shortening when she made cookies and they look just like yours. Everyone seems to want use butter nowadays, but shortening does provide lovely results! I have printed this out and will be making these shortly! Thankyou!
They look delicious, but I need more than 20! Would doubling all the ingredients work?
Thank you.
Hi Christine…no I wouldn’t try that. The batter is slightly stiff, and one batch fills up the mixing bowl more than halfway. It would be best to make smaller cookies, or make two batches. Enjoy!
Thank you for your response. I’ll make one batch first to try them.
Num! Can’t wait to make these.
Oh my goodness! Tried your chocolate chip cookie recipe tonight (in my new heart shaped dish 😊) and it was a huge hit! So delicious…thank you for sharing!
This is a truly great cookie. I just whipped up two batches but I made mine a good bit smaller since I’m serving a crowd. Used a 1″ trigger scoop & baked at 350 for 12 minutes. Let them cool a few minutes on the sheet pan & they turned out perfectly. Just the right combination of soft & crisp. Definitely a keeper.
REALLLLY A GOOD COOKIE! Thanks for sharing- it was a hit at my husband’s Thursday night men’s Bible study here! I’m always looking for new keepers!!!
Hi Ann- Love the pink Heart dish! Since it is just my husband and me, I make only a dozen cookies at a time. My recipe is just like yours, cut in half, but I discovered that as long as butter is soft, I can mix everything by hand with a wooden spoon without using a mixer. Somehow feels faster!
Happy ❤️ Day!
Yummy, I have that same heart ruffled dish…I am definitely going to make for valentines day!
I have the individual size heart size dishes from Williams Sonoma (very old). Do you think this would work in those dishes too?
Hi Shannon! Absolutely. Just use a cookie scoop to evenly divide the dough. I’m not sure about the baking time but I’m sure you can adjust it without too much trouble. Enjoy!
My mom also used crisco. Have you ever tried the butter-flavored crisco? Love the heart dish!
Hi Terri…no I never have. If you give it a try, let us know what you think!
I have used it before and was yummy. I generally use butter now but I have some Crisco in the freezer that I’m going to use in the next batch.
These look so delicious! Beautiful photos, also. I use new clean paper lunch sacks (cut them open to lie flat) to cool my cookies on. That way, I don’t have to worry about the inks, chemicals, germs, etc. contaminating my baked goods. Just a tip I have used for years! You can never have enough chocolate chip cookie recipes in your arsenal, LOL!
Ann, I just whipped up a batch of these cookies. They are my absolute favorite chocolate chip. I usually add walnuts since my family loves nuts. We have had quite a bit of snow today and baking a batch of these cookies fits the day. Thanks a bunch.
Can’t wait to try these, Ann! I wanted to pass along a tip I learned last fall. You can freeze these tasty treats to bake later. Just go through the recipe to the point you are going to bake them and instead put the balls of cookie dough in the freezer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Leave them in the freezer for a few hours. When frozen solid, put them in a ziplock bag and place back in the freezer. Bake as needed. Just add a few extra minutes since they are frozen. Works great! This way you can make a full batch and freeze half for later. Really handy when you have unexpected guests (usually my grandkids) 😉 You have freshly baked cookies in minutes! Also great at Christmas time. Make lots of cookie dough in November, put them in the freezer, and take out and bake as needed during the holidays! Love your blog!
This is an excellent idea Kathi…there is nothing better than fresh cookies from the oven!
I agree….Crisco is a must. I’ve always used it for Choc Chip cookies and I’ve always had yummy cookies.
Ann,
This recipe is always a winner. Crisco shortening is my favorite for cookies. I have an old peanut butter cookie recipe which uses Crisco and is delicious. Thanks for sharing.