Crispy-Edge, Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

This soft chocolate chip cookies recipe is my go-to when I want cookies with structure, flavor, and contrast. Crisp edges, soft centers, and plenty of chocolate throughout. By using melted butter, a mix of white and brown sugars, and a slightly longer bake time, these cookies develop a lightly caramelized exterior while staying tender and buttery inside. They are simple, dependable, and incredibly satisfying.

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (6.75 oz) forms the backbone of the dough, giving the cookies enough structure to hold their shape while still staying tender and soft. Measuring by weight helps keep the texture consistent every time, so the cookies bake up just right batch after batch.
½ teaspoon baking soda provides a gentle lift, allowing the cookies to spread just enough in the oven while maintaining a thick, soft center with lightly crisp edges.
¼ teaspoon salt (plus a small extra pinch) balances the sweetness of the sugars and enhances the overall flavor. That small boost of salt brings out the richness of the chocolate and prevents the cookies from tasting overly sweet or one-dimensional.
¾ cup chocolate chips or chunks create generous pockets of melted chocolate throughout each cookie. I like combining classic chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, and even some white chocolate morsels to add texture variation and make every bite feel a little more indulgent.

Wet Ingredients

8 tablespoons salted butter, melted adds richness and depth while helping the cookies develop lightly crisp edges. Melting the butter streamlines the mixing process and plays a key role in creating a chewy, soft interior.
½ cup white sugar provides clean sweetness and encourages proper browning in the oven. I like using raw cane sugar here for its slightly coarser texture, which adds a subtle crunch and extra character to the finished cookies.
¼ cup packed light brown sugar contributes moisture and gentle caramel notes, ensuring the centers stay soft and tender even with a longer bake time.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract rounds out the flavors and adds warmth, enhancing both the sweetness and the richness of the dough.
1 large egg binds all the ingredients together while contributing to the cookies’ soft, cohesive, and tender texture.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
Melt the butter in the microwave for about 40 seconds, just until fully liquefied. The butter should be barely melted and not hot, which helps maintain the proper texture of the dough.
In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the white sugar and light brown sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and egg, mixing on low speed only until incorporated. Keep mixing brief at this stage to avoid overdeveloping the dough, which can lead to firmer cookies.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until the dough begins to come together in loose crumbles. Switch to using your hands to gently press the mixture into a cohesive dough. It should feel soft, slightly tacky, and easy to shape. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand to evenly distribute them without overworking the dough.
Portion the dough into 12 large balls, or 9 oversized portions for extra-large cookies. Arrange them evenly on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space for slight spreading.
Bake for 18 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft and pale. The cookies may look underbaked in the middle when removed from the oven, but they will continue to firm up as they cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 20–30 minutes. During this time, they will settle into their final texture, developing crisp edges, soft centers, and a rich, buttery finish.

Store in an airtight container to keep them soft for several days, though they rarely last that long.

These cookies are easy to adapt based on how you like your chocolate chip cookies to turn out. For slightly thicker cookies, chill the dough for 20–30 minutes before baking. For deeper caramel notes, swap a tablespoon of the white sugar for additional brown sugar. You can also experiment with different chocolate ratios, using dark chocolate for a more intense flavor or milk chocolate for a sweeter finish. No matter how you tweak them, the core technique stays the same: melted butter, restrained mixing, and a longer bake to achieve that ideal balance of crisp edges and soft centers.

This is the kind of reliable, no-fuss recipe that works just as well for a casual weekend bake as it does for sharing with friends or bringing to a gathering.