Updated May 16, 2020 (Originally published April 6, 2016)
Does it get any more classic than chocolate chip cookies? These chocolate chip cookies are THE BEST! My absolute favorite chocolate chip cookies are full of browned butter, dark chocolate chunks, and toasted hazelnuts!
If you're wondering, they have crispy edges and soft chewy centers, of course! Would I make any other kind? Please. (Although I do love a buttery shortbread cookie...)
My previous recipe for chocolate chip and hazelnut cookies was based on one of Tristan's favorite cookies, the Momofuku Milk Bar's corn cookies. You can get the recipe to those cookies in their cookbook.
The method I was using was the 10-minute creaming method where the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla are beaten for a total of 10 minutes using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. While delicious, I just find it to be such a hassle. 10 minutes is pretty precious as a toddler mom! Mamas, you know what I'm talking about.
The ingredients are similar in my newly updated recipe, but the biggest changes are that the butter is browned, it doesn't get creamed together with the sugar, the cookie dough doesn't need to rest in the fridge, and it's sprinkled with flaky salt before baking in the oven.
How to make THE BEST chocolate chip cookies
The step I like to start with is chopping the dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts (click here to learn how to toast hazelnuts at home!). Now, I realize these are "the best chocolate chip cookies" and I'm not using any chocolate chips. I think it's so much better to have different sizes of good quality chocolate running through the cookies than semisweet chocolate chips.
Put the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl, set it aside, and brown the butter. Put cubes of unsalted butter in a pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the butter turns golden and the milk solids have browned at the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned butter over the sugar and stir. Make sure you don't leave any of the brown bits in the pan! Scrape all of it off and add it to the bowl!
While the butter and sugar mixture cools off a bit, add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a separate bowl and whisk together to combine.
To the browned butter mixture, add the egg and egg yolks one at a time and stir after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir again. I was actually out of vanilla extract and just used one vanilla bean and it turned out just as delicious, if not better!
Put the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon. When most of the flour is mixed in but you still have bits of flour showing, add the chocolate and hazelnuts, and fold them in only until the flour doesn't show anymore. Don't over-mix!
Using a cookie scoop (mine holds 4 teaspoons / 20ml), scoop out the dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Top with some extra chocolate and hazelnuts if you want that professional look to your cookies, and don't forget that sprinkle of flaky salt, also known as fleur de sel, before baking it in a preheated oven at 375°F/190°C for 6-8 minutes. Let it cool completely on the baking sheet, or you know, as long as you can wait.
How to make cookie cereal
One of the hottest food trends on TikTok right now is to make mini pancakes and mini cookies and eating it like cereal! Have you tried this out yet?
If you're making your own cookie cereal, bake tiny balls of cookie dough (about ¾ teaspoon) in a preheated oven at 340°F/170°C for 7 minutes. Let them cool completely, put them in a bowl, and pour your favorite milk and tuck in with a spoon!
These are my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! I always keep extra dough in the freezer for "emergencies" but I always end up baking them soon after placing them in the freezer...
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup / 170g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup / 200g brown sugar
- ¼ cup / 50g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons / 20ml vanilla extract (can substitute with a vanilla bean)
- 2 cups / 240g all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon / 4g fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon / 4g baking soda
- 7oz / 198g good quality chocolate, chopped (Optional: keep extra on the side to sprinkle on top)
- ⅔ cup / 100g toasted hazelnuts, chopped (Optional: keep extra on the side to sprinkle on top)
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Put the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and set it aside.
- Put the unsalted butter in a pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the butter turns golden and the milk solids have browned at the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned butter over the sugar and stir. Scrape all of the browned milk solids off the bottom of the pan and add it to the bowl. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt and whisk together to combine.
- To the browned butter mixture, add the egg and egg yolks one at a time and stir after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir again.
- Put the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon. When most of the flour is mixed in but you still have bits of flour showing, add the chocolate and hazelnuts, and fold them in only until the flour doesn't show anymore.
- Using a cookie scoop (mine holds 4 teaspoons / 20ml), scoop out the dough onto the baking sheet and sprinkle on a pinch of flaky salt on each dough (optional: top with some chocolate and hazelnuts). Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
SAVE TO PINTEREST FOR LATER!!
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Kelsey says
These look so delicious!! *heads to grocery store*
Ai says
Hope you found everything and made these cookies 😉
Rochelle says
The cookie cereal idea is brilliant. I am really excited to try this. I loved cookie crisp cereal as a kid...this takes it to another level!
Ai says
Thanks Rochelle! Hope it transports you to your childhood 😉
Beth says
These look so good, especially with the browned butter, that I'm tempted to give them a try almost as-is - of course I'll use gluten-free flour and I happen to have macadamia nuts, being in Honolulu. Can't wait.
Ai says
Oh macadamia nuts sound like an amazing addition! The browned butter makes these cookies! Hope you like it 🙂
LaRena Fry says
You had me at chocolate. The best cookie in the world is ooey-gooey melty chocolate and crunchy crispy cookie. These look so incredible.
Ai says
YES! The combination of that crispy edge and gooey center is addicting!!
Angela says
These are over the top amazing. The brown butter in this chocolate chip cookie really makes it so special.
Ai says
Thanks Angela! Yes, the browned butter adds an amazing note to these cookies 🙂
Myrah Duque says
These chocolate chip cookies look TASTY! Those chocolate chunks oh my!
Ai says
Thanks Myrah! I love the puddles of chocolate that the chunks create!!
Saif says
I love chocolate chip cookies. I enjoy eating this with some cold milk.
Ai says
Oh yes, chocolate chip cookies and milk is such a classic combination!
Relle says
Can't go wrong with a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. Yum!
Ai says
Thanks Relle! Exactly, can never go wrong with chocolate chip cookies 😉
Alpa says
Making chocolate chip cookies with kids is a great way to engage kids, they love the cookies more when they help making it 🙂
Ai says
Agreed! Can't wait til my son's older so we can bake together 🙂
Simone says
I love that you used browned butter in the recipe... these cookies look fabulous!
Ai says
Thanks Simone! Love love love browned butter!
Jacqueline Debono says
These chocolate chip cookies really look and sound scrumptious! Going to add this recipe to my to-make list!
Ai says
Thanks Jacqueline!!
Lathiya says
The chocolate chip cookies looks so delicious. I love the idea of cookie cereal.
Ai says
Thanks Lathiya! I honestly prefer just eating the cookies on their own haha but it's fun to do the one time 😉
Tanu Tiffin says
I Tried everything except cookies but after reading your recipe I want to make it !! looking so delicious
Ai says
You have to make these! SO delicious!