It’s officially fall, which typically means pumpkin everything, but I would be remiss not to share the most frequently baked item in our house: my absolute favourite chocolate chip cookies.

Honestly, these cookies don’t scream fall, nor are they the most photogenic…but they are an all-year-round favourite. Rain or shine, cold or warm, they’re the one thing that gets whipped up more often than not in our house. If you’re anything like me and love a good classic, you’ll want to save this one.

These cookies are soft in the middle with crisp edges, perfectly sweet without being over the top, and packed with just the right amount of chocolate chips in every bite. It’s simple, it’s classic, and it’s hard to have just one (which may or may not be a bad thing)!

Happy baking!

Kimberley’s Fav Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (340g) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups (510g) milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two or three large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add Eggs & Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
5. Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix the dough.
6. Fold in Chocolate Chips: Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. (I use my stand mixer on the lowest speed to do this step).
7. Chill the Dough (Optional): For thicker cookies, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended.
8. Form Cookies: Roll the dough into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers are still soft and slightly under-baked.
10. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Kimberley’s Tips:

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and egg yolk are at room temperature for the best texture.
• Chilling the Dough: Chilling helps control the spread of the cookies and enhances flavor. For a more intense flavor, chill the dough for up to 24 hours.
• Don’t Overbake: The cookies will continue to cook as they cool on the baking sheet, so take them out of the oven when they look slightly underdone in the center.
• Yield: This recipe makes about 36 cookies, I like to make a big batch!