Who doesn’t like perfectly baked, gooey on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, Chocolate Chip Cookies? NO ONE!! These are the definition of perfection.
I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t like a Chocolate Chip Cookie. Correct? Someone prove me wrong. This is a 72 hour Chocolate Chip Cookie to be exact. Don’t let the 72 hour thing freak you out, it’s totally worth it. And you’re going to love it. You’ll see below that there is a decent rest time while making these cookies. Letting the Chocolate Chip Cookie dough rest for 72 hours just makes everything really come together and the flavor is out of this world. Letting the butter and sugars combine over that 3 day period really changes the game. And it makes you practice having patience… something that does NOT come easy for me.
I first came across this recipe in the NY Times and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve made a few small changes over the years but it’s pretty perfect as is.
A note on the flours and scales:
Not all flours are created equal – so you can’t just substitute regular flour for the bread/cake flour in this recipe! Different flours have different protein ratios and don’t all weigh the same amount so it’s not a 1:1 ratio swap. If you don’t want to make the trip to find these speciality flours, the recipe in my most recent cookbook uses regular flour and it’s exceptional!
Yes, you need a kitchen scale to make this recipe. You can try to do conversions for ounces to cups, but like I said above, not all units have the same density so they don’t convert perfectly. This is my favorite kitchen scale that I’ve had for years.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 ½ ounces cake flour
- 8 ½ ounces bread flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 10 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 12 ounces dark brown sugar
- 6 ounces white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- maldon salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder and coarse salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large mixer add the butter and sugars and mix for 5 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between. Add the vanilla and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate discs and fold them into the batter. Cover the dough and refrigerate for up to 72 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop 1/4 cup sized cookie dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 6 cookies per sheet and sprinkle the tops with maldon sea salt. Bake the cookies for 16-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. If the cookies are a little puffy, bang the pan on the counter to release any excess air pockets. Or use a spatula to flatten the cookies to make more dense.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe adapted from NY Times
I will take all the cookies!!!
Love ccc’s!
These cookies are Yummmmmie!! Everywhere I have taken them they get rave reviews. I actually left the batch in for 72 hours and they were so good. I actually enjoy the weighing out method of the ingredients. Made me feel like a pro!
Thanks!!
How long would I bake these if I wanted to make them mini cookies? They look amazing!
Not 100% sure since I haven’t tested it them that way, but I’d keep your eyes on them after 10 minutes of baking
I just baked them tonight and they are amazing!
Knowing that I probably can’t (shouldn’t) get through them before they go stale, what are your thoughts on storing these cookies? Is that possible? I know I could take them into work and share them with others but I kind of don’t want to…
Separately, could you please talk sometime about cookie storage at home? Jars, ziploc, tins, etc.
Thanks Gaby!
FREEZE them!! I freeze all my cookies and pull a few out whenever I have a craving. Just in a zip top back
Nice! Thank you!!
Would it be ok to use just regular flour? I don’t have cake and bread flour.
it will change the consistency a bit but it would work!
Is it necessary to refrigerate the cookies a bit before baking? Thank you.
yes!!
Plz tell me.ounce in a cup?
Gorgeous photos, colors, and recipe! And, ohhhh your words. Always so meaningful and honest. LOVE.
This is one of my favorite recipe! I’ve been making it for a few years and I just got so excited when I saw it’s whatsgabycookin approved!
I’m sorry for the dense, lazy question, but can you give me the oz measurement conversions for this? Thank you so much!
Hi! I made these cookies the other day and they turned out completely flat-think pancake style. Is there a trick to get thicker cookies like in the pic? (They were still SO delicious!)
I just made the batter and it tastes delicious!!!
Can’t wait to bake them tomorrow 🙂
Hi Gaby
Are you able to convert this recipe into cups?
I am a crazy chocolate chip cookie lover, and the NYC cookie is one of my FAVES!!! And YES they need chill time
Hey Gaby
I tried this recipe
Taste was good but cookies was not flat
They where little bulged
Happy to hear from you…
sometimes when they come out a little puffy, you either need to smack the pan on the counter to release air bubbles or use a spatula to flatten them out a smidge!
Ok well I obviously have no patience (or self control) – the dough is currently in the fridge but I had to make a single cookie for quality control purposes to see if I can tell the difference in baking same day or waiting the 72 hours. A-MAZING! I can’t wait to taste them on Wednesday! I can’t see myself ever using another CCC recipe. Thanks Gaby!
Why do you refrigerate them for long? I understand that a hour or so can help solidify the fats, but 78 hours seems like quite a stretch
the sugars and butters really meld together – it makes a huge difference
OMGeeeee!!!! These are amazing! I made the dough on a Thursday, and baked 4 cookies for my family each night through Sunday to see how much difference waiting for 72 hrs makes. It really does! The longer they were refrigerated, the better the texture and flavor got….though I have yet to pass the 72 hr mark, so I can’t attest for how good they are after 72 hrs. Seriously – these are fantastic and you MUST wait! It’s totally worth it.
This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe around. The dough is delicious, and they bake up to beautiful bakery-like cookies. Seriously, no flat cookies here. These are the gold standard: soft and chewy, lots of chocolate, and no nuts allowed! The time in the fridge to get the flour to fully absorb all the goodness is key. It’s a pretty easy recipe to put together, but food scale is helpful. The hardest part is waiting 72 hours to bake them, but seriously, these are so worth the wait.
so hard to wait 72 hours for these but soo worth it. If there’s any dough left, I keep a stash of dough balls in my freezer for easy cookies after the dough has been in the fridge.
Gaby, I cannot thank you enough for adapting and posting this recipe! It is my go-to for any party or special event…i don’t need a reason for these cookies but at least I wouldn’t eat them all myself!! I’ve made these enough now that people expect them and my son assumes I’m making them if he sees the food scale out…he gets all excited bc he loves helping and eating! I dont do large cookies, I use a smaller cookie scoop and lessened the cooking time. More cookies the better!!
Hi WGC. I’d love to make these but have no idea what cake flour is….? I’m a NZ’er based in the UK for the last 15 years and have never heard of it. Do we have something like it over here I can substitute it for?
yes you def have something like it in the UK. I’d google the brands that make it and keep your eyes peeled for those!
How much butter do you use? 2 sticks or a little more?
Thanks
10 ounces of butter! Depends on the size of your butter sticks but each package should have the weighted measurement on it
If I want to freeze some of the dough, do I freeze right away or after the 72 hours? Also, should I sprinkle salt before the freezer or when I’m ready to bake? Thanks so much!
let is sit in the fridge and then freeze!! Salt right before baking
My husband is a chocolate chip cookie lover and these ranked at the top of his list! SO delicious!
I made these and had to substitute almond flour for the bread flour and coconut sugar for the brown sugar based on what I had on hand. These are delicious! Reduce cooking time slightly if you make smaller cookies like I did – I overbaked them but the flavor is still yummy!
I really want to make these, but don’t have access to a scale right now. I’ve tried to look up the conversion – but it looks like 3 1/2 – 3 3/4 cups of flour? Seems like a lot given the amount of butter and eggs… does this sound correct?
Unfortunately this recipe only really works with a scale! BUT you could do this recipe which is just as delicious and omit the coconut https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies/ and it doesn’t need a scale
These are sooooooooo good. Hardest part is waiting the 72 hours but so worth the wait!
Hey it says choco chips in the instructions and discs in the recipe. Just FYI! Making them now!!
use both! or either! doesn’t matter
Do you have any recommendations for brand of butter you like to use when baking? Do you like higher fat butters like Président? Would love to know your personal preference.
The Land o Lakes European style butter is my fav!
These cookies baked up perfectly after 72 hours in the fridge! Except, am I the only one, who thinks they are a little too salty? Maybe I did t use the best kind of salt? I used a sea salt, large grain. I didn’t even add the salt on top before baking. Maybe I will just omit next time I make them.
I have cake flour – but can’t find bread flour anywhere. Can I just substitute all purpose flour for the bread flour? Would this still work?
flours have different protein ratios so I wouldn’t recommend substituting as it will change the consistency of the cookie. You could do this one and omit the coconut and it will be delish https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I love chocolate chip cookies and tried several different recipes, this is my all-time fav! I’ve made these three times, freeze the dough balls and bake as needed. Thank you Gaby!
Hey Gaby, curious if you have any thoughts on high altitude adjustments? I made these once and they were a little too flat. Still tasty, just too flat.
I’ve made these cookies now 5 times and are by far the best chocolate chip cookie recipe! These cookies have changed my opinion on Chocolate Chip Cookies! Don’t get discouraged about the 72 hour wait, it’s well worth it! I now have cookie dough in my fridge each week and a good stash of these cookies in the freezer for those much needed moments! Fabulous cookie to make an ice cream cookie sandwich too!
Thanks Gaby!
I’m excited to get these in the oven. Dough is chilling in the fridge. For the salt sprinkle, can I use Maldon?
yes totally
This sounds wonderful!
Sorry to ask this strange question….your recipe says 8 1/2 ounces of flour…do you weigh it?
I am used to using cups (8 oz)…is this the same?
weighing the ingredients in this recipe is UBER important. converting to cups doesn’t work on this one
I’m getting ready to make these for my 50th birthday on Tuesday! Is it easier to scoop the cookies and put them on baking sheets before I put them in the fridge for 72 hours? If not, how long do you think the dough takes to come to room temp to scoop and bake? Thanks in advance!
either or works!! and if you dont scoop ahead of time, I’d say 30 minutes!
Gaby, how long can this dough stay in refrigerator (greater than 72 hours)? Granted my family can’t even wait for the 72 hours! I just was curious as I love this cookie and would love to keep dough in freezer so I can pull out and not have to worry about making a dessert.
I a newbie baker, so maybe this is a silly question…. but do you need to sift the flours?
you can – but I do not!
can i scoop the dough before freezing them? also, will multiplying them work just fine? or do i have to adjust baking powder, soda and salt?
thanks
yes you can scoop and freeze. and yes you can double or triple no issue (just make sure your mixer is big enough to accommodate)
Do you have a preferred chocolate chip type/brand? And Fleur de sel? Thanks!
Guittard chocolate chips!! and I use Maldon sea salt
Excited to add these to my holiday cookie box for our friends & family this year! Question, can you freeze the dough and or cookies once baked off? I typically start baking a few weeks before Christmas. Thanks!!
absolutely!